The Impact of the Commercial Relations of North African Merchants with the Kingdoms and Peoples of Sub-Saharan Africa in the Middle Ages

Abstract

Trans-Saharan trade in the medieval period represented the core of cultural and civilizational exchange between North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its role was not limited to the exchange of goods alone; it also formed a channel for spreading Arab-Islamic culture deep into the African continent. Muslim merchants, through their dealings based on honesty and exemplary conduct, contributed to gaining the trust of African societies, paving the way for the voluntary and peaceful acceptance of Islam. Trading cities like Timbuktu and Awdaghust transformed into centers of cultural and religious influence, while treaties such as the Baqt treaty regulated the movement of trade and cultural exchange. This research seeks to highlight the importance of this civilizational role, aiming to analyze the mechanisms of commercial and cultural communication and answer the central question regarding the impact of these relations on shaping the region's civilizational reality. The research relied on the analytical historical method and reached several key results, including: that trade was a decisive factor in creating lasting cultural links; that it refuted European claims about the region's backwardness and isolation; and that the shift of trade routes from overland to maritime was the main reason behind the decline of its civilizational centers.