Political System in Sub-Saharan Africa during the 1500's

Sub-Saharan Africa is the birthplace of the four most important African Empires. The largest and longest lasting was Ghana followed by Mali, Songhai, and Kanem. From 1575 to 1610 Kanem was united with Kanuri Bornu. This civilization lasted 200 years. Complex societies like these developed into kingdoms, empires, and smaller city-states. The larger kingdoms were ruled by kings that controlled both internal and external affairs. Many of these larger entities sat next to small states and even stateless societies consisting of ethnically diverse tribes without any strong central organization. Many of the people of the larger empires as well as the small city-states of the Savannah settled in villages and paid dues to their rulers. The kings did not have direct control over the internal life of the kingdom, just the external affairs. A later kingdom (late 16th century) called the Luba Kingdom grew because of its beliefs in a sacred kingship and a rule by council. It gained strength because of the arrival of the Portuguese to this region. All of these political structures were greatly influenced by the African slave trade. It both helped and hindered the civilizations.