History of Africa

Latest Episodes:

Season 7 Episode 2: Looking for Takrur Jun 23, 2026

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In this episode, we explore the history of the medieval Western Sahel, and examine what Arabic language sources tell us about the Senegal River Valley during the rise of its first major empire - the Empire of Takrur.

Season 7 Episode 1: Welcome to Senegambia Apr 06, 2026

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Explore the history of the Wolof Empire with us this season. In this episode we set the stage for what is to come by examining the geography and prehistory of Senegambia. From the evolution of its archaeological cultures to the famous Senegambian megaliths, let's encounter this fascinating tale.

Season 6 Episode 18: The Omani Empire Aug 11, 2025

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Kilwa is brought to its knees by one final foreign invasion, which leads the island into an irreversible decline and the eventual dissolution of the sultanate.

Season 6 Episode 17: The (Brief) Portuguese Conquest of Kilwa Jul 21, 2025

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The Portuguese have conquered Kilwa. Let's see how much pain their victory causes them in the long run.

Season 6 Episode 16: The Portuguese Arrive Jun 30, 2025

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The Portuguese arrive in Kilwa. This should go well.

From the Vault: Zengjiani, the Zanzibari Traveler in China Jun 09, 2025

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As my voice recovers, please enjoy this "from the vault" episode about Zengjiani, a famous East African traveler who reached numerous impressive destinations.

Season 6 Episode 15: The Unstable 15th Century part 2: Emir Muhammad the Powerful May 19, 2025

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After decades of civil strife and conflict, a powerful leader finally emerges in Kilwa Kisiwani as the 14th century reached its climax. With the power of the sultanate waning, a powerful judge named Muhammad Al Kawab asserts himself as the true power behind the throne. The age of powerful monarchs is over, and Kilwa's era as an oligarchy begins.

Season 6 Episode 14: The Unstable 15th Century Part 1: Age of the Viziers Arrives Apr 28, 2025

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Today, we enter into an age of transformation. For a prominent period in Kilwa's history, the city and its many satellites will no longer be under the reign of the centuries-old monarchy. Instead, a new apparatus of bureaucratic elites will begin to exert control over the state, and eventual make the monarchy little more than a shadow of its former self.

Season 6 Episode 13: The Stone City of Songo Mnara Apr 07, 2025

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Urban sprawl and social instability leads Kilwa to develop a sister city on a nearby peninsula. Songo Mnara grows rapidly to become a major urban center on the Eastern Coast of Africa.

Season 6 Episode 12: Ibn Battuta’s Kilwa Vacation Mar 17, 2025

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The great traveler Ibn Battuta arrives in Kilwa, and paints a tale of a country at the peak of its power, wealth, and prestige...but with a potentially bleaker future awaiting.

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