Top 10 African Explorers
When thinking of adventure and explorers the names that come to mind are Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, and Amerigo Vespucci. These men have one thing in common as well as many other famous historical figures in the world travel scene: they are all European but Europe doesn’t have a monopoly on world travelers. Africa is a continent often being explored by outsiders but it has produced its own set of intrepid explorers. The following list is of the Top 10 Explorers from Africa.
10. Leo Africanus
Born Al-Hassan ibn Muhammad al-Wizaz al Fassi in Spain to Moorish parents who would, soon after his birth, be forced to return to Morocco. Africanus would become a Christian after meeting Pope Leo X and Take the name Leo Africanus in honor of him. Africanus would use his experience with European culture to write about his travels on the continent of Africa and write about it from the dual perspective of a Christian European and a Moroccan Muslim. This combination of perspectives gave the descriptions that he gave of his travels in Africa significant in an academic sense. Africanus traveled widely describing the Songhai empire, Timbuktu, and beyond. His descriptions of these places would come to play an important role in the Islamic consideration of these peoples. His accounts are somewhat biased and are representative of the largely discriminatory take that the Islamic world had of the non-Muslims within Africa at this time. There is a whole website devoted to Leo visit here.
"Leo Africanus (c. 1486–c. 1532)." New Encyclopedia of Africa. Ed. John Middleton and Joseph C. Miller. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2008. 281-282. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 31 July 2015.
9. Juan Garrido
Juan Garrido came to the Americas as a slave and eventually served in the expedition of Hernan Cortes. He would soon have the distinction of becoming the first African slave to be freed in the New World and would eventually join the ranks of the conquistadors there. Garrido was a slave who earned his freedom fighting for the Spanish conquest of Puerto Rico and would go on to be present at some of the most significant events to occur in the New World. He helped to “pacify” Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominica, and Guadalupe he also was a participant in the discovery of Florida. His life as a conquistador was similar to that of many others and he would settle down not far outside of Mexico City and build his own plantation there. Garrido did not settle down however until he had circled the Spanish New World several times and gained as much plunder as he could in the conquest. Garrido was not alone as a Black Conquistador either although this category is sometimes forgotten to history. Learn more about Juan Garrido here.
Restall, Matthew. "Garrido, Juan." Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Ed. Colin A. Palmer. 2nd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2006. 901-902. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 31 July 2015.
8. Ahmed Hassanein Pasha
Ahmed Hassanein Pasha was an Egyptian explorer and geographer in 1922 whose journey into the Sahara would have resounding impacts on the archaeological community for years to come. Pasha’s photographs at Uweinat would depict rock drawings that indicated that Egypt had an early start than archaeologists originally thought. Pasha would journey from Sollum on the Mediterranean sea across the desert to El Obeid in the Sudan. This extraordinary journey would hop from oasis to oasis obtaining detailed geographic, geologic, and archaeological data along the way. To solidify his slot as an expert explorer and a multi-faceted gentleman Pasha would set down his journey in a travel log called The Lost Oases which would become a much beloved work within the genre. Pasha in addition to being an explorer and writer was also a diplomat and a world class fencer. His voyage through the punishing Sahara is one remembered with wonder still today. Read a blog about travel books here.
El Shazly, Islam. “Ahmed Hassanein Pasha (20th Century CE-14th Century AH): Diplomat and Legendary Explorer.” Al Rahalah. 1 June 2015. Web. 31 June 2015.
7. Himilco the Navigator
Himilco the Navigator was a contemporary of Hanno the Navigator and they may have even been related but that is lost to time. Himilco was also sent out by the Carthage to discover what he could in the name of Phoenicians but he would go the opposite direction of Hanno and sail north into the Atlantic to see what was above Europe. Even less is known about Himilco’s journey than of Hanno’s it is only mentioned by Pliny the Elder and in the Ora Maritima. Himilco is said to have traveled up around the Iberian peninsula and into the English channel even reaching Ireland and Wales. From there he may have turned around and later explored West Africa but the sources are too obscure to be certain of anything concerning the true path that his voyage took. It remains significant however that this Mediterranean sailor was able to travel so far without the advantages of more advanced technology that would benefit later European explorers. Explore the archaeological site at Carthage here.
Akyeampong, Emmanuel K. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Dictionary of African Biography. Oxford University Press, 2012. Web. 31 July 2015.
6. Hanno the Navigator
Hanno the Navigator around 500 BC sailed further down the West African coast than anyone else had or would until the Portuguese almost 2000 years later. Hanno was a Carthaginian sailor commissioned to plant new cities for the Phoenicians and would start his journey at the city of Carthage in the Mediterranean and sail all the way to Senegal or even as far as Liberia. Sources say that Hanno turned around at this point but it is possible (although unlikely) that he sailed completely around the African continent. The full extent of his travels is somewhat in question as he would only leave behind short traces on stele that he established at the end of his journey. He traded with local people and would even sail up rivers deep into the interior of the African continent. He encountered other Phoenician colonies and hostile peoples gaining a diverse perspective of the African continent. Hanno erected monuments to his gods along the way and would build several other smaller structures before moving on. The sheer distance that Hanno was able to travel into the Atlantic without the all-important triangle sail speaks highly of his prowess as a seaman and the utter success of his mission gives him a place among the other great travelers of history. There's actually a song about Hanno listen here.
"Hanno." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2001. U.S. History in Context. Web. 31 July 2015
5. Nehsi and Hatshepsut
500 years (give or take) after Henenu's revolutionary expedition to Punt trade contact had once again been lost and the Lady Pharaoh Hatshepsut took it upon herself to reestablish a connection with this great trade center. Being one of the few female pharaohs in Egyptian history Hatshepsut had a lot to prove and wanted her reign to be one of peace and plenty, part of this was forming trade relationships. The voyage to Punt was led by the royal Envoy Nehsi as Hatshepsut herself was unable to leave her royal seat. The expedition was a roaring success that became one of Hatshepsut's most proud achievements, being detailed in a large portion of her mortuary temple. Nehsi as the envoy was incredibly important as it was his job to establish friendly trade arrangements with the Puntites, he did so and returned to Egypt with aromatic resins, myrrh, frankincense, and in depth knowledge of the Puntites that would eventually be the only trace left of those people. Not only did Nehsi and Hatshepsut establish important relationships that would last for another 75 to 100 years but they also helped to preserve a vestige of this culture for the future, although I doubt they knew this at the time. Learn more about Hatshepsut with this short video.
"Hatshepsut's Expedition to Punt." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2001. U.S. History in Context. Web. 31 July 2015.
4. The Nino Brothers
The Nino Brothers are some of the unsung heroes of historic exploration and are very rarely credited for their role in the discovery of the Americas. That’s right the Nino brothers were the navigators for none other than Christopher Columbus, who has gotten a rather bad wrap over the past few years as the destroyer of the native peoples of the Caribbean. The Nino’s were a major part of the all three of Columbus’ trips to the New World, one brother, Juan, was actually the owner of the Nina; these brothers also served as indispensable navigators and top notch sailors. Their participation in the historical voyages of Christopher Columbus is often down-played but without them the journey never would have been the same. These seafaring African brother’s used their own native knowledge and sailing prowess to insure the success of Columbus’ expedition. Their ships returned to Europe so laden with treasures from the New World that another brother, Pedro Alonso, was actually accused of stealing His Majesty’s portion of the goods and was arrested for it. The Nino brothers certainly carved out a place for themselves within the ranks of the top explorers in the world. Watch a video about the debate on Christopher Columbus here.
Watson, K. (2014, Oct). Columbus, guided by black navigators the nino brothers, discovered america. Oakland Post Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1614647853?accountid=10920
3. Henenu
Henenu was the chief steward of the pharaoh Mentuhotep III around 2014 BC and he travelled to Punt with approximately 3000 men to reestablish trade for the Kingdom of Egypt. Henenu wrote extensively about his journey in his autobiography that was carved upon a stela at his tomb in Thebes. Henenu’s journey had significant economic repercussions for the Egypt, the luxury goods like gold, myrrh and leopard skins that could be obtained in Punt were in high demand. Henenu also wrote about the planning for his trip and how he made certain that the trade route that he took could be well established. He even made certain to build wells all along the way from Koptos to the Red Sea where they could sail to Punt. Henenu’s trip was not the first ever made to Punt but it helped to reestablish trade with a powerful empire and would help to set the way for later travelers. Learn more about the temple at Deir el-Bahari here.
"Hatshepsut's Expedition to Punt." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2001. U.S. History in Context. Web. 31 July 2015.
2. Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa ranks #2 on our list not because he traveled extreme distance but he did travel in lavish style. Mansa Musa remains the richest man to have ever lived when you convert his net wealth to current values he still wins. In the year 1307 Musa, as the King of the Mali Empire set out to Mecca for his own pilgrimage, and he could do nothing less than travel in the highest of luxury with almost 60,000 attendants all dressed in the greatest finery. They had golden ornaments and 80 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold each, gold was incredibly significant within Mansa Musa’s travels. Generosity was the name of the game, Musa was handing out gold to all on his way to Mecca, his generosity was so great in the city of Cairo that he sent the market into a depression that did not fully rebound for 12 years. This journey had important consequences for the kingdom of Mali, it helped to solidify the kingdom’s position as a leader in the African scene and it reverberates through history as one of the most fabulous displays of wealth the world has ever seen. See Time's top 10 Richest People of All Time here.
"Mansa Musa." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2001. U.S. History in Context. Web. 31 July 2015.
1. Ibn Batutta
Ibn Battuta is one of the most well-travelled men in history traversing upwards of
75,000 miles over his lifetime. Battuta began his journey at the age of 21 from his home town in Tangier, Morocco as a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. His pilgrimage would come to last almost 29 years and cover most of the Islamic world, Battuta before he was all said and done completed the Hajj four separate times and had lived an extraordinary life. He travelled from Morocco to Mecca, India, and even China, having adventures the whole way. He was and advisor to kings, a soldier, a judge, and even got married (and divorced) a time or two along the way. Ibn Battuta would eventually return home after nearly 30 years of travel only to find that his mother had died only a few months before, he soon travelled to Fez to share his stories with the Sultan and it was there that they were set down in a travel log called The Rihla. The extravagant tales that he told have fascinated readers in both the historical community and throughout the world. Travel along with Batutta here.
Delattre, Michele. The Travels of Ibn Battuta. Berkley U. 2012. Web. 15 July 2015.
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