Sunni Ali the Great Builds the Songhai Military Empire

Sunni Ali Ber becomes king of Songhai in 1464 and over 28 years transforms a small trading state into the largest empire in West African history. He captures Timbuktu in 1468 and Djenné in 1473 after a seven-year siege, mastering both cavalry and river warfare. His 400-vessel war canoe fleet on the Niger River is unprecedented in the region.