Allah, Glory, and Empire: The Tale of an African Empire in the New World

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Chapter I: Songhai Discovery
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    • Odinson

    Odinson

    1517: Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, West of Africa.

    Captain Azlan Bashir wiped his brow, ebony skin slick with sweat. The sail of his boat, The Happy Gull, flapped in the wind. The air was hot and humid. Fish and dolphins jumped out the water along side the ship. Some sailors from Morocco had told him about the Spanish discovery of a bountiful land across the sea, an island called Hispaniola. They said it was teeming with fish.

    That's why Azlan had sailed out. To find more fish. Other fishermen from the other guilds had forced him out of his old zone. It was time to ... branch out.

    The sea changed pattern and color. It was a continental shelf. After a few hours, land slowly came into view. "Send out a search party. Let's see if we're in Spanish territory."

    It was discovered that it was unclaimed. There were no Spanish, no other people's. Azlan Bashir wondered if these new lands had any indigenous people.

    This area up the river soon blosumed into a small settlement. This settlement was formally founded in 1520 after a series of return voyages. The name of the settlement was New Timbuktu, the first expansion of the Songhai Empire outside of the continent. Built on the west bank of the Aatifa River (OTL Ashley River), the motley collection of buildings included a harbormaster, a warehouse, a bunkhouse, and a mosque for the practicing members of the crew.

    EDIT: For those of you looking for the point of divergence, the main one is in chapter 14, Morocco and it's colonies.
     
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    • Odinson

    Odinson

    Philip said:
    In South Carolina? That's an unlikely destination for someone sailing from West Africa.
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    I know, but I thought it would be fun seeing the relations between a black Islamic majority colony beside 12 Christian english colonies and perhaps the catholic spanish colonies
     

    FillyofDelphi

    Banned
    Odinson said:
    I know, but I thought it would be fun seeing the relations between a black Islamic majority colony beside 12 Christian english colonies and perhaps the catholic spanish colonies
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    I think the bigger question would be how a colony in such a location, which would require sailing across the commonly traveled sea routes between Spain and her Carribean possessions, would be able to be sustained against the Catholic power's insistance on protecting their Papally-granted monopoly over the continent. Its not really in a defensable or easy to support location.
     

    Philip

    Donor
    Odinson said:
    I know, but I thought it would be fun seeing the relations between a black Islamic majority colony
    Click to expand...

    I appreciate the desire, but the logistics are horrible. The sea lane from West Africa to South Carolina goes right along or through the Spanish Caribbean. I suspect the Spanish would perceive Songhai ships in the region as a threat to their extraction of gold and silver. The return trip would likely pass along the Iberian peninsula. I'm not sure how this colony can be supported. I also don't see what would interest
    Songhai in supporting it.
     
    Odinson

    Odinson

    Philip said:
    I appreciate the desire, but the logistics are horrible. The sea lane from West Africa to South Carolina goes right along or through the Spanish Caribbean. I suspect the Spanish would perceive Songhai ships in the region as a threat to their extraction of gold and silver. The return trip would likely pass along the Iberian peninsula. I'm not sure how this colony can be supported. I also don't see what would interest
    Songhai in supporting it.
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    Yeah, the idea was stupid.
    I don't know why I ever thought it would be a good idea.
     

    FillyofDelphi

    Banned
    Euskadi Herria said:
    South Carolina might be but South America is suitable
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    Indeed. Brazil would probably be a good spot to contest: Portugal is not Spain in it's level of power, nor does she place the same level of value on her New World claims (primarily being interested in the African trade: which only adds to the importance of not ticking off large West African polities).

    Though, if some other butterflies break out because of this that strengthen the relative power of the Islamic states in the Western Med. at the expense of Spain they can probably claw out some other territories later. Have the Otto's beat them over the head navally with the proverbial frying pan around or something later in the century
     

    Philip

    Donor
    Odinson said:
    Yeah, the idea was stupid.
    I don't know why I ever thought it would be a good idea.
    Click to expand...

    I don't think it is a stupid idea. It has some nice opportunities for storytelling, but I think we need acknowledge its plausibility as alternate history before continuing
     
    Jonathan

    Jonathan

    Instead of leaving from Morocco maybe have him leaving Asaba, Nigeria, and south America is their oyster.

    How about a Songhai and Inca union?
     

    Wolttaire

    Soghani empire only had a small amount of costal territory and they only held for like 50 years to a hundred. No state on west Africa had the vessels to cross the Atlantic Ocean much less go beyond coastal waters so. This idea is on the verge of ASB
     

    SwampTiger

    Banned
    I like the premise, though I agree the logistics are unlikely. The prevailing winds plus sailing technology makes the area from Guyana to the upper Windward Islands more likely landfalls. There were natives there, Caribs! Yikes!. Getting home will be a struggle. Either go north into Iberian and Moroccan waters, none of which are friendly in OTL, or try to beat against the wind, good luck. Go south and you follow a long, populated coast. Not necessarily friendly.
     
    Chapter II: New Timbuktu
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    1540: New Timbuktu

    In the previous twenty years of shaky prosperity, the singular territory outside the home continent had managed to grow. There had been hardships, sure, such as the war against the local Cherokee natives. The settlement was discovered to be teaming with fish, and soil further inland was found to be good for growing Peal Millet, which soon became a staple crop for the colony.

    New Timbuktu was growing in importance in the empire, in 1526, Askia the great had appointed a quadi (judge) for the settlement. After the fall of the Dia, the empire began its decline. This prompted a greater migration to the colony, bringing further expansion and the founding of a neighboring city that would be named Aljana, or Paradise in English. The settlement was always within range of Spanish ships traveling to and from the number of colonies the Europeans had founded. The Spanish conquistadors left the "heathen"s be for a handful of readons, despite the treaty drawn up by the pope: New Timbuktu had a large supply of salt that they would trade to the Spanish in return for peace. The Colony would continue to grow, proving to be a good port for both Spanish merchants and Songhai Jullas to interact and trade.
     
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    • Chapter III: Independence In All But Name
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    Odinson

    1587: New Timbuktu
    The Colony of the Songhai Empire had been detached from the homeland for years. Civil strife and decline has lead to disruption of the Atlantic trade between the two. The colony of new Timbuktu carried on as it's own independent entity, waiting for word from the continent.

    Trade continued with Spanish Florida. Despite their Catholicism, the Spanish seemed perfectly content to leave the African Muslims be. New Timbuktu was ruled by a collection of merchants and militia members. The inhabitants of new Timbuktu had been setting up profitable plantations along the coast and interior of the colony. The city of Aljana struggled for control with New Timbuktu, citing it's own importance as the opening into the frontier. It was also the main religious center for Muslims in the region. In 1590, the two cities combined into a singular union, deemed The Colony of Orun-Rere, a term taken from a West African religion for a realm for good spirits.
     
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    • Chapter IV: Expansion
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    Odinson

    1587-1617: Colony of Orun-Rere

    The Colony was making a history for itself. The African Muslims had developed a financially stable plantation system, using slave labor from the local native tribes. These plantations grew great amounts of Pearl Millet, as well as the native crop known as maize.

    The Colony had expanded into the interior, leading to more conflicts among the 'ahmar (Term the Muslim colonists use for native people). Frontier settlements popped up, forming trading centers. In the capital of New Timbuktu, Jullas expanded trade with Nuevo Espana, Havana, and the newer English settlement to the north. Jamestown took their salt and fish and gave in return a special weapon that Orun-Rere colonists had never seen: a musket.

    Jamestown's settlers were always in demand for supplies, and (reluctantly at first) gave them several of the weapons. Jamestown eventually became the source of gunpowder for them, their only supplier, therefore influencing them.

    The ruling elites in Orun-Rere formed a ruling class, made up of merchants and plantation owners. They formed the core of the ruling council.

    Orun-rere maintained its independence from the homeland, finding out that their home empire had fallen. Rumors were that the Dendie Kingdom, a spiritual , successor state, was planning on assuming command. This rumors were unfounded. The Moroccan sultanate on the other hand, had financed at least one expedition into the southern lands. It was unsure of what happened to it.
     
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