Country history · Africa

History of Mali

20 recorded states lay in what is now Mali, from Tadmekka (850 CE). 3 of them have a full profile, and 4 outside powers ruled here.

ProfileState (capital or seat)7 without a known seat not shownOpen in the atlas →

Profiles

Empires that ruled here

Timeline

9th century

  1. Tadmekka850 CE – 1377 CE · city state

11th century

  1. Kingdom of Mema1000 CE – 1450 CE · kingdom
  2. Kingdom of Kangaba1050 CE – 1235 CE · kingdom
  3. Kingdom of Diarra1076 CE – 1754 CE · kingdom

12th century

  1. Sosso kingdom1180 CE – 1235 CE · kingdom

16th century

  1. Saadi Sultanate1510 CE – 1659 CE · profile
  2. Pashalik of Timbuktu1591 CE – 1833 CE · other

17th century

  1. Awlad Mbarak emirate1600 CE – 1860 CE · emirate
  2. Kingdom of Gajaaga1600 CE – 1858 CE · kingdom
  3. Iwellemmeden Kel Ataram1650 CE – 1916 CE · tribal confederation
  4. Kenedougou Kingdom1650 CE – 1898 CE · kingdom
  5. Kingdom of Khasso1681 CE – 1880 CE · kingdom

18th century

  1. Kel Adagh1700 CE – 1910 CE · tribal confederation
  2. Bamana Empire1712 CE – 1861 CE · profile
  3. Kingdom of Kaarta1753 CE – 1854 CE · kingdom

19th century

  1. Massina Empire1818 CE – 1862 CE · caliphate
  2. Toucouleur Empire1848 CE – 1893 CE · caliphate
  3. Wassoulou Empire1878 CE – 1898 CE · theocracy
  4. French Sudan1880 CE – 1960 CE · colony
  5. French West Africa1895 CE – 1958 CE · profile

In the encyclopedia

Shared histories

States that also lay in other present-day countries:

States of West Africa → States of Egypt, North Africa and Sudan → All country histories →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). History of Mali. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/mali
MLA
“History of Mali.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/mali. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “History of Mali.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/mali.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘History of Mali’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/countries/mali (Accessed: ).