The Songhai people represent the Songhai Empire, an Exploration Age civilization in Civilization VII.
The Songhai's civilization ability is Tarikh al-Sudan, which increases 
Resource Capacity in 
Cities on Navigable Rivers and grants Trade Ships immunity to Plundering on Navigable Rivers, as well as 
Production in Cities on Navigable Rivers per Resource assigned to them. Their associated 
Wonder is the Tomb of Askia, and their unique assets are as follows:
Intro[]
Masters of the rivers and desert alike, the Songhai venture forth into the land. Stirred by the songs of the griot, and driven by their passion for profit and God alike, they seek out the riches of the world. Ride now with them, whether driven on by ambition or virtue, and lay claim to what you can.
Tips and hints[]
The Kanta Civic lets the Songhai generate small Treasure Convoys in Homelands Cities on Navigable Rivers. Unlock it early to get a head start on the Economic Legacy.
Strategy[]
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Civilopedia entry[]
In Arabic, Africa is defined by three strips of land – the desert (Sahara), the arid scrublands south of the desert (Sahel), and the fertile land even farther south (Sudan). In the 15th century, the Mali Empire fragmented, sending the region into chaos. Uncertainty abounded as European shipping lanes replaced the Silk Road and the transatlantic trade of enslaved people ramped up. Songhai reflected a militaristic alternative to commerce and productivity-driven empires.
While the Silk Road had existed since ancient times, its height was established by the Mongols and, to some extent, the Arab caliphates before them. The caliphates were especially relevant in the West, where Arab and later Turkish powers controlled the distribution of Chinese wealth into Europe…and West Africa. Caravans linked the Sahara to this lucrative pipeline. Around 1300, the Dar al-Islam (the Muslim world) formed a common community stretching from Southeast Asia to Morocco. Ibn Battuta, one of our leaders, charted across this world.
In West Africa, the pilgrimage to Mecca (the hajj) benefited these routes as pilgrims traveled with the caravans. Smaller African kingdoms, beyond the reach of Islam, also gained wealth and rose in power as a result of this massive network. The kings of Mali converted to Islam in the 1000s and reached their height around 1230, under a series of kings, the mansa. Malian society was separated by various factions: court slaves (jomba), hunters’ societies that had formed a civic warrior caste (donson ton), and the court itself (the gbara). However, Mali was also a tribal kingdom, one orbited by several ethnically-defined tribes. The Songhai was one of these.
Songhai is an ur-category for people along the Niger River, namely the Sorko, Do, and Gao. Records are spotty, but their category of kingship seemed to derive its legitimacy from Arabic roots. These kings had two lineages: the malik (Arabic for ruler) and the zuwa (an indigenous category). The Songhai people grew to power after taking control of trade routes passing through Gao. Aside from pilgrims on hajj, traded goods included gold, salt, enslaved peoples, kola nuts, leather, dates, and ivory.
On the eve of Songhai independence in 1460, Ming China was the wealthiest empire in the world, and the Mughals were a key contender for that title. All trade moved through Arab hands in the Mediterranean. But that was all about to change. The Portuguese had recently established a trading empire that would catastrophically impact the region. Their network provided states with a resource stream that was outside the traditional caravan route, and the Songhai leapt at the chance to take advantage.
The Songhai became independent under King Sonni Ali who expanded his holdings across former Malian lands, including the capital at Timbuktu. The invasion was devastating – the city was sacked, and its famed scholars were repressed, disrupting its tradition of education and literary production. Taking control of the surrounding trade routes, Songhai used its riches to grow to higher levels of power.
Askia Muhammad was the next noteworthy Songhai king. Where Sonni Ali conducted a ruthless campaign of conquest, Askia Muhammad desired to rebuild the libraries of Islam (synonymous with scholarship) and paid more attention to statecraft. He established governor-run provinces, overhauled the empire’s social infrastructure, and divided warriors and non-combatants, allowing Muslim learning to flourish.
Askia Muhammad’s death sparked a succession war, and Morocco saw an opportunity to invade, armed with European weapons. However, Songhai was too widely dispersed to fade away entirely; despite Moroccan capture of urban centers, the Songhai people faded into the countryside and remain relevant ethnic groups today – the Dendi in particular.
Cities[]
Age Transition Quotes[]
When age progress reaches 100% or player gets eliminated/retires, one of these quotes will be read depending on the last legacy path completed:
- Culture: "Visitors mistook Songhai cities for wondrous mirages. But such brilliance was real - and so they shifted the world."
- Economic: "The Songhai sailed upon rivers of gold, flooding their cities with the wealth of the world."
- Military: "Songhai warriors raised steel to the sky, crying victory. Around the world, their cities answered."
- Science: "Songhai scholars illuminated the past, casting the light of their knowledge upon the world's treasures."
- Defeat: "The poets sing not of deeds or victories, but of children's laughter. In small moments, the Songhai found their strength - and their potential."
Trivia[]
- The Songhai civilization's symbol is a pattern commonly found in bògòlanfini, traditional mud-dyed cloth.
- The Songhai civilization ability is named after a West African chronicle (تاريخ السودان) written in Arabic around 1655 by the Timbuktu chronicler 'Abd al-Raḥman al-Sa'di, describing the history of the Songhai Empire.
- The Songhai background art depicts a market in the city of Djenné, with the Great Mosque of Djenné visible in the background.
Soundtrack[]
| Original Track | № | Based on | Credits | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "The Songhai Empire (Exploration Age)" | 30 | Takamba | Composed by Roland Rizzo Performed by Amadou Kouyate, Sandro Friedrich, Niccolo Seligmann, & Geoff Knorr |
4:30 |
Gallery[]
.jpg "Songhai city in-game (Civ7).jpg (2.9 MB)")
.png "Gold Bangles Infantry in-game (Civ7).png (962 KB)")
.png "Tajiro in-game (Civ7).png (921 KB)")
.png "Caravanserai in-game (Civ7).png (943 KB)")
.png "Tomb of Askia in-game (Civ7).png (3.99 MB)")
.png "Songhai Background (Civ7).png (1.68 MB)")
Videos[]
See also[]
- Songhai in other games
External links[]
| Civilization VII Civilizations [edit] | |
|---|---|
| Antiquity | |
| Exploration | |
| Modern | |
| 1 Requires DLC | |