-receive hostility from Muslim neighbours

-seen as enemies by Jesuits and Roman Catholics

Hostile relationship with neighbouring country due to difference in religion, Muslin vs Christianity

Geography: They are located in East Africa, near the exit of the Red Sea → High strategic value

Name: Soon Wing Nam

Contact with Europeans causes cultural exchange with religion such as coins and churches. The Portuguese also aid the Ethiopians in times of crisis

Once the Red Sea trade declined, the Kingdom declined too.

-Bella Lee

The internal problem drove change as the war brought huge destruction and allow the access of foreign power in affecting the internal affair of Ethiopia,such as Portugal.

The relation between Ethiopia and its neighbors was tense and bad due to the difference of religion,creating lots of conflicts between them

Ethiopians believed in a different branch of Christianity than Roman Catholicism, causing a deterioration in relations with European religious leaders.

Portugal supported Ethiopia to fight against Adal.

(Lam Man Yuk)

It is located in the horn of Africa .

Factors drove to its change and decline :

Wrong decision made by Ethiopia definitely ,they wanted to follow the trend at that period to bring religion into their countries in order gain power. Unfortunately , it didn't work on Ethiopia , making the radicals dissatisfied , eventually ,Ethiopia started to decline as conflicts started within Ethiopia

.

Li Tsun Hing , Martin

2, Changes came due to both foreign and internal influence, calls for reforms and succession of powerful dynasties allows Ethiopia to became an administrative powerhouse within said region, whilst foreign missionaries and trade conveys allow Ethiopia to both constantly intake intels from the foreign land and intake technologies and religions that would benefit the state

3, Ethiopian relations with the states around could range com amicable to down right hostle, early Aksumite diplomacy focus on forging alliances with other Tangrayan tribes to combat other tribes, whilst later incorporating those with similar language and culture; Later, Ethiopia faces constant threats from the surrounding Islamic powers, such as Adal and the Ottomans, yet managed to survive and even thrive after defeating their adversaries, with support from Portugal and served as their Red Sea partner in protecting Portuguese influence in East Asia.

I think the wealth displayed makes people like Ibn Battuta have high expectations of the place.

The king showed off Mali’s wealth during a tribute to Mecca

Europeans regarded it as a secret wealth kingdom in the south

They were eventually conquered first by the Songhai Empire, then by the Moroccans.

Soon Wing Nam

Religion: Ethiopia established as Christiantiy (Byzantine Empire) , which was announced by the two brothers.

Many minerals and riches are present in the state. Yet they are concentrated within the upper class and a very egalitarian state. Great growth is encountered but in the end, Europe and North Africa still takes over.

-contrary to today’s power structure, Mali and Songhai were actually powerful

Social instability because some of the commercial areas were split off and Songhai was conquered by Morocco.

Islamic country rulers were devoted Muslims. Empire with moral values

Chu Wing Lam Anneliese

Mali gained wealth by gold trade and there existed inequality between men with power and women who had lower social status

The driving factor is the trade.Well developed trade made it attractive to various powers

It was in tension with countries around it.

Heavily influenced by Christianity because of close location with East Roman Empire. Also trading with Rome, they were able to build cultural and religion connections with Rome.

Xian Ngai

Eric Chiu Wai Fu

-hilary cheng

Eric Chiu Wai Fu

The expedition led by a Morocco army conquer the Mali Empire,bringing change.

The relation with Morocco is tense

Eric Chiu Wai Fu

Soon Wing Nam

2, Resources and religion drove the change in Mali, as the Islamic religion allows the state to both increase interaction with other Islamic sultanates and enhance technological and social development by inviting scholars and intellects from Arabia

3, Mali serves as the dominating powerhouse within West Africa, and serves as the overlord/ threat to other states within the region. That is, until their downfall at the hand of Songhai and other splinter states, showing that the Mali empire lacks a centralised authority to enforce the will of the central government

-> extensive trade networks eg. trade for copper

Eric Chiu Wai Fu

Li Tsun Hing , Martin

Technology: seemed to rely on trade for technology a lot

(Yuhe and Aleena)

For Oyo(Yoruba city states) it was war captives as slaves.

Many city states were present and were very religious. Oyo became dominant in the 17th century due to trading with Europeans through slavery and supplying war materials like horses

Chu Wing Lam Anneliese

Hence they are modernized to some extent as new ideas, goods flew to different areas, leading to events happened such as the heavy inflation in Cairo caused by the vacation of Mansa musa

—> had a hostile relationship

+ religion tends to be a rather sensitive topic

Trade is the driving factor

It was in tension with countries around it because they needed to wage wars to capture slaves, which would be sold to Europeans.

Valerie

The religious community has also influenced the local religions of Africa where Ethiopia has converted to Catholicism where others were Muslim countries.

Chu Wing Lam Anneliese

Li Tsun Hing , Martin

hilary cheng

2.They were rich and strong at first but all declined at a certain point

With their own religious culture and advances artistic technology. Slave trade after Oyo became dominant.

Heard about Voodoo practice in Benin in the past.

Mali is rich in gold, Benim has good trading networks etc

The rise of Oyo led to the change,transforming it from a city to an empire.

The relation between Yoruba and Europe was close because of the slave trade.

Slavery: There was a slavery tradition among all these regions well before European enslavement.

Culture: Usually these regions were open to and welcomed outside religions, either Muslim or Christianity, but they did keep part of their primitive or original traditions.

Decline in power: They were weakened as trade importance decreased and continuous wars hurt the countries. European influence took part in the weakening of African kingdoms.

They then decline as commercial areas split off and become new empires.

Yoruba believed neither in Islam nor Christianity.

Later, Oyo turned into an empire and had territorial expansion by taking advantage of trade and cavalry tactics.

As an Islamic country, it’s culture was quite different from Europe.

All three histories have faced instability from the political or social aspects.

All 3 countries deeply valued their religions and cultures. While Aksum's culture was derived from cultural exchanges with Europeans (Catholics)'s its high respect and influence was seen by the Jesuit influence and its ability to destabilise the country. It was also exposed to certain benifits with Europe, such as the portuguese aiding Ethiopia against the Adal war. The latter countries were also exposed to Europe by conquest or trade. This led to the rapid development of those who are able to grasp the opportunities, such as the Oyo within the Yoruba city states that could trade slaves and horses with europe. Mali which focused on itself was too eventually opened up to Europe via a Spanish Morrocan expeditionary force. Therefore, they were all influenced to some degree by Europeans voluntarilty or involutarily and shaped their course of development, influencing their cultures and nations.

The external influence from Europe and other African Empire existed in three states,driving change to both three countries.

The three countries took part in the slave trade

The gold resources in Mali were so rich