// Middle Ages

Songhai Empire

Period
AD 1463 – AD 1608
Duration
approx. 145 years
Greatest extent
around AD 1564
Area (max.)
approx. 668,000 km²
Songhai Empire at its greatest extent (around AD 1564) · Borders: Cliopatria
▶ View on the interactive map

Period and duration

Songhai Empire — according to the map data from AD 1463 to AD 1608, roughly 145 years. The dates refer to the time the empire is drawn as its own territory on the world map; historians sometimes date its founding and end differently.

Greatest extent

Songhai Empire — greatest extent around AD 1564: the mapped borders then cover about 668,000 km², roughly 0.4% of Earth's land area. The area is calculated from the border lines of the map and is therefore an approximation.

AD 1463Area according to the map data (max. 668,000 km²)AD 1608

Predecessors and successors

States that ruled the same territory directly before and after:

Before (AD 1462)

After

No successors in the map data.

Neighbours around AD 1564

The largest states in the region at the same time:

Learn more

Borders and dates: Cliopatria / Seshat Global History Databank (CC BY 4.0). Coastlines: Natural Earth. Text: Centaurian.