Leo Africanus Describes Timbuktu

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Table of Contents

Introduction
First Impressions
Background
Tone
Key Issues
Values and Assumptions
Conclusion
Bibliography

Introduction

Medieval scholars’ and researchers’ historical documents serve as a valuable background that provides a comprehensive picture of the development of particular civilizations. The works of the Renaissance authors provide an opportunity to study certain stages of the development of different states, their structure, and social features. Leo Africanus (1485-1554) who is known by his baptized name Johannis Leo de Medici was the famous researcher of African western regions, and it is his text is the basis of analysis. Today, ethnographers have significant information about the history of statehood in these areas.

One of the author’s surviving textual works is the detailed description of the city of Timbuktu, the Ghanaian developed trading and economic center, which Leo Africanus describes in the early 16th century. Due to the presented facts, it is possible to assess the peculiarities of the development of the region in question, its cultural and political features, as well as citizens’ way of life. Leo Africanus’ work reflects the period of the formation of Islam in West Africa and describes vivid and clear facts that allow examining a specific period of Timbuktu’s life in detail.

First Impressions

The analyzed excerpt is the textual work that the reader can interpret as a travelogue received by the author during the study of a particular region. Leo Africanus’ ideas form the detailed description of Timbuktu citizens’ life, including facts about the political, commercial, economic, and social structure of the city. Nevertheless, the author presents all the facts in a neutral style, without resorting to literary methods and vivid metaphors, which testifies to the scientific focus of his work.

Perhaps the main reason for this approach is the purely scientific nature of all the observations but not their creative interpretation. Judging from the biography of Leo Africanus, his work was created in the early 16th century when the researcher studied the regions of West Africa commissioned by Leo X, the Renaissance pope. As a result, the documentary findings are the reflection of scientific but not literary observation.

The tone of the story is professionally unbiased, without lyrical digressions and personal reflections. The author raises different topics, which gives readers an opportunity to evaluate the features of Timbuktu’s orders and receive accurate information about the internal structure of the city. At the same time, Leo Africanus gives quite clear and detailed descriptions of everyday and social life. For instance, he argues that “the royal court is magnificent,” and his ideas about the characteristics of the Timbuktu trade show that the author is well aware of the structure of the external market. Among the values that the researcher effects in his work, readers may see wealth as one of the basic city’s features.

Leo Africanus presents the descriptions of the government and its influence by mentioning Timbuktu’s internal assets, including both monetary wealth and human resources, in particular, slaves. Based on the analysis of the text, the author does not demonstrate prejudice and cites observations but not his personal reasonings. The work is rich in facts, which makes it unique and valuable in terms of historical significance.

Background

The considered source is the vivid reflection of the West African medieval era and, in particular, the city of Timbuktu. According to Young, Leo Africanus’ work was in Italian, and his belonging to the European research school influenced the formation of an opinion about a particular region. The main focus was on trade and economic relations, which was the primary criterion for the assessment of the development of civilizations at that time.

Research topics, as Young remarks, are not biased, but descriptions are full of observations on certain aspects of life, while such significant topics as, for instance, education and science, are not affected. Judging from the analyzed excerpt, the dominant cultural assumptions of the period under review included an ability to ensure adequate market competition through the strengthening of domestic assets.

Leo Africanus notes that too close contact with the representatives of other communities was not welcomed, and overly friendly relations were not encouraged. This fact indicates that the political regime of Timbuktu was based on intracity development due to the constant replenishment of the treasury and the expansion of the workforce.

Due to the fact that Leo Africanus was the representative of the intelligentsia, he realized that trade relations among African regions required careful planning. Therefore, in his work, he paid enough attention to the description of Timbuktu’s power structure and the social organization of the city. The slave system that was the typical feature of that era was not condemned by the author and was considered as a natural feature in the context of trade relations. As a result, Leo Africanus himself could fit into the city’s economic background and become one of the nobility.

Tone

Given the context in which the work was produced and the author’s background, exploring the tone of the passage is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the text. At first glance, it is evident that the author maintains a reserved and descriptive tone throughout the passage. For instance, while describing the customary clothing of Timbuktu, he states, “The women of the city maintain the custom of veiling their faces, except for the slaves who sell all the foodstuffs.” The author’s tone assists in fulfilling the goal of the text, which is to provide information to European readers in a clear, concise manner.

Nevertheless, there are times when the author’s tone changes from neutral and descriptive to admiring. The author appears to be particularly impressed by the city’s wealth, as he writes, “The inhabitants are very rich, especially the strangers who have settled in the country; so much so that the current king has given two of his daughters in marriage to two brothers, both businessmen, on account of their wealth.”

When speaking of the king, the author appears to be somewhat critical by maintaining a respectful tone. This is particularly evident in this sentence: “When he has gained a victory, he has all of them–even the children–sold in the market at Timbuktu.” While the author cannot criticize the king openly for selling children into slavery, his background causes him to empathize with them and lose the neutral and descriptive tone for this small part of the text.

Key Issues

Due to the descriptive purpose of the source, it provides a wide variety of information about living in Timbuktu. The author briefly addresses architecture, clothing, customs, and agriculture. For example, de Medici writes, “Grain and animals are abundant, so that the consumption of milk and butter is considerable. But salt is in very short supply because it is carried here from Tegaza, some 500 miles from Timbuktu.” The architecture of the city involves mostly “huts made of clay-covered wattles with thatched roofs,” but there is also a temple and a palace where the king resides.

The author also describes the country’s geopolitical stance and its relationship with neighboring powers. While the people of Timbuktu are peaceful, the king is known for engaging in military activity. De Medici explains that “this king makes war only upon neighboring enemies and upon those who do not want to pay him tribute.” This is an important issue given that the primary audience of the text is Europeans who were in the process of exploring Africa at the time. The king’s volatility could pose a threat to travelers and diplomats, which is why the author provides information about this problem in his work.

Another critical issue that is considered by the author is education. From de Medici’s description, the city appears to be rich and culturally developed. The author provides his impression of the people in the city, stating that “there are in Timbuktu numerous judges, teachers, and priests, all properly appointed by the king.” According to de Medici, the king values education and facilitates learning. This point is also essential to European explorers and travelers, as it provides information about the overall cultural development of the city.

Values and Assumptions

Even though the text was intended for informative purposes, the primary assumption of the passage is that the readers have never visited Timbuktu before and have minimal knowledge about culture and life in Ghana. This assumption is evident from the elaborate description of Timbuktu’s architecture and customs: “The houses of Timbuktu are huts made of clay-covered wattles with thatched roofs. In the center of the city is a temple built of stone and mortar.”

Another assumption is that the European audience is unaware of the level of social and cultural development of some African countries. The author tries to counter these views by providing more descriptions: “They have a custom of almost continuously walking about the city in the evening (except for those that sell gold), between 10 PM and 1 AM, playing musical instruments and dancing.” This piece of information relates the people of Timbuktu to Europeans, who were thought to be more culturally developed at the time.

The central values that are evident in the text are education and peace. Being forced out of his home as a child, the author appears to be critical towards the king’s approach to warfare and slavery. After mentioning that the king sells children into slavery, de Medici also writes, “The king is a declared enemy of the Jews. He will not allow any to live in the city.” This contrasts the peaceful description of the city’s residents, thus highlighting the author’s attitudes and values.

De Medici highly appreciates the level of cultural development in the city, showing that it has a significant share of well-educated and wealthy residents. It is evident that the author values culture and learning because of his level of education and academic experience.

Conclusion

Overall, de Medici’s description of Timbuktu provides a range of essential details, which renders the source its historical significance. The author’s educational background enables him to consider all aspects of Ghanian society, including economics, culture, and politics. Although the tone of the work is mostly neutral and descriptive, the author’s values and assumptions are also evident in the text. A more in-depth exploration of the passage shows that de Medici’s description of Timbuktu was greatly influenced by his personal and educational experience.

Bibliography

de Medici, Johannis Leo. Leo Africanus: Description of Timbuktu from the Description of Africa (1526). Translated by Paul Brians. Web.

Young, Sandra. “Early Modern Geography and the Construction of a Knowable Africa.” Atlantic Studies 12, no. 4 (2015): 412-434.

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