The Timbuktu Epidemic That Changed the Sahara

In the early 1590s, as the Saadian occupation of Timbuktu began to unravel, a devastating plague swept through the city, killing thousands and accelerating the decline of the Songhai Empire's intellectual capital. This episode explores the forgotten epidemic of 1592, its origins along trans-Saharan trade routes, and its impact on the city's scholarly elite—including the death of prominent qadis and the destruction of entire manuscript collections. Lucas and Luna discuss how the outbreak reshaped Timbuktu's social fabric, weakened resistance to Moroccan rule, and contributed to the city's long-term isolation. They also touch on contemporary accounts from the Tarikh al-Sudan and the legacy of the plague in West African memory. A lesser-known turning point in the story of Africa's golden age of learning. #Timbuktu #Plague1592 #SonghaiEmpire #SaadianOccupation #TarikhAlSudan #TransSaharanTrade #Epidemiology #WestAfricanHistory #Sankore #Djinguereber #AhmadBaba #Qadis #ManuscriptCulture #Sahara #16thCentury #PublicHealth #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo