Ibn Battuta in Black Africa (World History) Review
Ibn Battuta (born in Tangier, Morocco, 1304 AD) probably traveled more miles overland than any person in history before the invention of motor vehicles. Beginning with a trip to Mecca for the Islamic pilgrimage, he spent nearly three decades traveling and working in almost every Islamic country in the Eastern Hemisphere (He also traveled in many non-Islamic countries). His "Rihlah" ("Travels") is the monumental achievement in travel writing, made all the more amazing by the fact that he accomplished his travels almost 700 years ago. Most of his writing covers his travels outside of Africa (Arabia, Persia, India, and China). However, his written accounts of his visits to the nascent Swahili city-states on Africa's East Coast and the West African kingdom of Mali are the only primary historical sources for these civilizations in medieval times. Battuta is truly a window to the past, giving modern readers a look at the social, cultural, and political history of medieval African Islamic civilization.
"Ibn Battuta in Black Africa" is a well-edited collection of Battuta's travels in Sub-Saharan Africa. The book is not a lengthy one (it can be easily read in an evening), but it is full of useful information in the introduction and notes on Battuta's text. This is a very good introduction to Ibn Battuta for the student of African history.
Also see "The Travels of Ibn Battuta" (three volumes) by Sir Hamilton Gibb: an unabridged translation with excellent notes.
Ibn Battuta in Black Africa (World History) Overview
Abu Abdalla ibn Battuta (1304-1354) was one of the greatest travellers of pre-modern times. This is his report of black Africa, a document of the high culture, pride and independence of black African states in the 14th century. He writes disapprovingly of sexual integration in families.
Ibn Battuta in Black Africa (World History) Specifications
Everybody knows the names of European explorers such as Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus, but how many have heard of Ibn Battuta? This intrepid North African scholar first set out for Mecca in the year 1325 A.D. and became so smitten with life on the road that he just kept traveling for the next 29 years. Though Mecca was the object of most of his journeys, Ibn Battuta took different routes each time and thus managed to visit such far-flung places as the Maldive Islands, northern Turkey, and southern China. Ibn Battuta twice traveled south of the Sahara, once visiting the coast of East Africa during a voyage back to Morocco from Arabia, and once journeying to Mali by camel caravan--his last recorded adventure. As with all his journeys, Ibn Battuta kept a detailed account of the places he visited and the people he met. In
Ibn Battuta in Black Africa, editors Noel King and Said Hamdun have selected and translated many of Ibn Battuta's writings about his travels in Africa. Anyone interested in the precolonial cultures that thrived in sub-Saharan Africa will find this highly personal account of the private lives and public institutions of the peoples of 14th-century East and West Africa fascinating reading.
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Customer Reviews
Ibn Battuta in Black Africa. Battuta, Noel King. - Wesley L. Janssen - San Diego, CA USA
I was reading Dunn's commentary and historic amplification of Battuta's travels when my daughter noticed what I was reading and gave me this book (it had been an assigned text in a college history course). It happened that I was then reading Dunn's commentary on Ibn Battuta's travels in the western Arabian Sea and down the east coast of Africa (c. 1330 AD), so I set aside Dunn's book while I read this one. Aside from the obvious historical importance of Ibn Battuta's accounts (due to Ibn Juzayy), this was an excellent enlargement on Dunn's commentary. No matter the translation of Ibn Battuta's travels that you may read, Dunn's book is important to refining an understanding of IB's most impressive globetrotting, as well as to engaging the 14th century culture and politics of Africa and Asia.
"This book provides much food for thought, combined with the simple pleasure of a good travel tale well told."-Boston Globe - history buff -
"Ibn Battuta's narrative allows us to look at that country through eyes unlike our own. For once, sub-Saharan Africa is viewed without the intrusion of colonialism and racism, as just another corner of a large and fascinating world. . . . This book provides much food for thought, combined with the simple pleasure of a good travel tale well told."
-The Boston Globe
" . . . lively translation . . . outstanding introduction . . . appealing illustrations . . . useful maps. . . ."
-World History Bulletin
Interesting Account in Battuta's own words - Matthew Bailey - Sparta, TN United States
This book is worth going through in detail. It isn't a large book so that is easily possible. One gets to journey through sub-Sahara Africa with Battuta in Battuta's own words. Plus the book gives you counsel from experts in helping to understand Battuta's record.
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