The Timbuktu Scholar Who Wrote a History of the World

In this episode of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore the remarkable life and work of Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi, the 17th-century Timbuktu scholar who authored the Tarikh al-Sudan, one of the most important chronicles of West African history. But al-Sadi didn't stop at local events — his work also contains a surprising global perspective, connecting the Niger Bend to the broader Islamic world and beyond. We delve into how al-Sadi gathered his sources, the challenges he faced as a scholar and diplomat during the decline of the Songhai Empire, and what his chronicle reveals about Timbuktu's connections to North Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe. Along the way, we consider the legacy of his work for modern historians and what it tells us about the intellectual networks of the Sahel. The episode also touches on the importance of preserving this kind of knowledge and how listener support helps keep our show ad-free. #Timbuktu #TarikhAlSudan #AbdAlRahmanAlSadi #SonghaiEmpire #WestAfricanHistory #Sahel #NigerBend #IslamicScholarship #Historiography #AfricanIntellectualHistory #Djenné #Sankore #Chronicle #17thCentury #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast #Africa Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo