Abubakari's Mali fleet

Purportedly, Abubakari II of Mali went exploring "the limits of the ocean" with at least 200 ships of supplies and at least 200 ships of men in 1310, 1311, or 1312. He never came back and the Malinese never reached anything.

There have been several discussions on this site in the past about this fleet discovering the new world.

The only knowledge I have about Abubakari and his fleet comes from Wikipedia, but to me it appears that this story is mostly legendary.


How much of it is true?

Anyone have any more information about it than what Wikipedia says on the page for Abubakari II?
 
My books on African history coherently report that story. I think it was duly noted by contemporary Arab historians, that are relatively reliable for such things. So it might be true, at least to some extent.
 
I would distrust any numbers given on principle unless you have actual administrative documents. However, the story seems well enough attested to be regarded as trustworthy by a lot of professional historians who are quite ready to consign all manner of stuff to the realm of legend. It is not fundamentally unlikely, either. There always seems to have been at least an understanding that there was something to be found beyond the Atlantic shore.
 
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