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Mari Jata (Sundiata Keita)

ماري جاطة

c. 1255 CE · c. 653 AH

Founder of the Mali Empire and the greatest of the western Sudanese kings; in their tongue jata means lion and mari means king. He defeated the Susu and wrested from them the old kingdom of Ghana, ruling from the Niger to the Atlantic.

Depth

At a glance

Roles
Ruler
Counted among
Sunni
Era
The Mongol and Post-Mongol Era
Region
West Africa & Sahel
Review
Draft Completeness 1/5 · Help complete it

Life in time

11501175120012251250127513001325 c. c. c. c. c. c.
The Buyid, Fatimid and Seljuk Era · The Crusades, Ayyubids and Mamluks · The Mongol and Post-Mongol Era Contemporaries: Abagha Khan · Abu al-Abbas al-Qurti · Abu Bakr ibn Qawam al-Balisi · Abu Shama al-Dimashqi · Afif al-Din al-Tilimsani

Overview

Mari Jata, founder of the Mali empire and, according to Ibn Khaldun, the greatest of the kings of the Western Sudan. In their language "Jata" means lion, and "Mari" means king. 1

His conquests

He overcame the people of Sosso and wrested from their hands the old kingdom of the people of Ghana. He ruled from the Nile to the Atlantic Ocean. 1

His death and succession

Ibn Khaldun did not fix the year of his death. The approximate date in the data is derived and needs an additional source. He was later succeeded in rule by Mansa Musa.

Connections

Explore the connections

Predecessor of
Mansa Musa
Founder of
Mali Empire
Ruler of
Mali Empire

People and things also explored

Mansa Sulayman· Mansa Musa· Mali Empire· Djinguereber mosque built at Timbuktu· Mansa Musa takes the throne of Mali· The hajj of Mansa Musa· Ghana Empire

Sources

  1. Kitab al-Ibar of Ibn Khaldun
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Mari Jata (Sundiata Keita)”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/person/mari-jata/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-16.

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Wing

People

Prophets, companions, scholars, rulers, scientists, poets, travelers: women and men who shaped the story. Related

Mansa Sulayman

Mansa Sulayman ibn Abi Bakr, brother of Mansa Musa and his successor after Mansa Magha; he ruled Mali for twenty-four years, consolidating the empire his brother had raised.