Five African Kingdoms That the History Books Should Have Told You About

Stocked at Tate Modern · V&A · Selfridges (UK) and Smithsonian NMAAHC · MoMA (USA)

I didn't learn about these kingdoms in school. I learned about them from my parents, from books I found on my own, from conversations with people who knew. That's a problem. Because these are some of the most extraordinary civilisations in human history.

The Mali Empire at its peak controlled more than half of the world's gold supply. Mansa Musa, the emperor who ruled from 1312 to 1337, is widely considered the richest person who has ever lived. When he made his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, he brought so much gold that he caused inflation across North Africa and the Middle East. The economies of entire regions were disrupted by one man's generosity. That's power.

The Ashanti Kingdom of Ghana gave the world Kente cloth, Adinkra symbols, and one of the most sophisticated political systems in African history. They fought the British Empire four times and won three of those wars. Their Golden Stool, the symbol of national sovereignty, was never captured.

Ancient Egypt was an African civilisation. I know that's still controversial in some quarters, but the geography is not. The pyramids are in Africa. The Nile is in Africa. The civilisation that built them was African. Full stop.

The Kingdom of Nubia, in what is now Sudan, was one of the earliest civilisations in the world. It predated many Egyptian dynasties and had its own pyramids, its own writing system, its own kings and queens. It's been called "the forgotten pharaohs."

The Zulu Kingdom of South Africa defeated the British at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879. A force of roughly 20,000 Zulu warriors defeated a British army equipped with modern weapons. It remains one of the most significant military defeats of the British Empire.

These kingdoms shaped the world. Their descendants are still here. And their cultural legacy is what Afropop Socks celebrates every single day.

Shop the Mystery Box of 5 →