Social History of Timbuktu: The Role of Muslim Scholars and Notables 1400-1900

Originally published in 1983, this book deals with the precolonial history of the Islamic West African city of Timbuktu. The book traces the fortunes of this fabled city from its origins in the twelfth century, and more especially from around 1400 onwards, to the French conquest in the late nineteenth century. The study rests upon a comprehensive utilisation of the Timbuktu sources, including the well-known chronicles or tarikhs of Timbuktu. The author focuses on the role of scholars and, i...