Kingdom of Africa: Map & History
The Kingdom of Africa was an extension of the frontier zone of the Kingdom of Sicily in the former Roman province of Africa, corresponding to Tunisia and parts of Algeria and Libya today.
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Historiographical synthesis & structured realm registry
The Kingdom of Africa was an extension of the frontier zone of the Kingdom of Sicily in the former Roman province of Africa, corresponding to Tunisia and parts of Algeria and Libya today. The main primary sources for the kingdom are Arabic (Muslim); the Latin (Christian) sources are scanter.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of Africa
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of Africa covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of Africa's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of Africa in Depth
Background
Regarding the motive for the Normans' military involvement in Africa, historian David Abulafia raises three possibilities: religious ("the extension of crusading activity into a relatively neglected arena"), economic (such as "the protection of key trade routes"), or imperialistic ("an attempt to build a vast Mediterranean empire").
Sicily and Africa had close and growing economic ties during the period 1050–1150. The Sicilians imported gold, shipped by caravan across the Sahara to Kairouan (Qayrawan) and Mahdia (al-Mahdiyya), and cloth manufactured of Egyptian and local flax or cotton imported from India and Sicily. Besides this cotton, the Sicilians exported large quantities of wheat, cheese and processed meats.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of Africa (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of Africa: Key Facts
| Capital | Mahdia |
|---|---|
| Form of government | feudal monarchy |
| Founded | 1146 |
| Dissolved | 1160 |
Facts from Wikidata Q3932090 (CC0).
Kingdom of Africa Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 39,613 km² in 1160 CE.
Kingdom of Africa: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of Africa exist?
The Kingdom of Africa is dated to 1152 CE – 1168 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of Africa?
The capital of the Kingdom of Africa was Mahdia.
How large was the Kingdom of Africa at its peak?
At its peak in 1160 AD the Kingdom of Africa covered about 39,613 km².
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