16. Timbuktu was once one of the world’s most important centres of learning
If you wanted a cutting-edge education between the 1400s and about 1593, there was one place that stood head-and-shoulders above its rivals. Timbuktu in Mali had its humble origins in about 1100 BC, when it was founded as a seasonal camp by Tuareg nomads. However, its location just on the edge of a desert meant that it became an important trading capital, and by the 14th century it was fundamental to the salt and gold trade. Its educational tradition dates back to its 13th-century incorporation into the Mali Empire, where the dominant religion was Islam, and several mosques were founded.
The Islamic scholars at these mosques had terrific libraries, owing to the city’s wealth. Their reputation for learning meant that a university was founded, and soon people were flocking from far and wide to study with them. In 1450, there were around 25, 000 scholars in Timbuktu, roughly a quarter of the city’s population. Timbuktu’s status as a centre of education ended with Morocco conquering the city in 1591, arresting most of the scholars in 1593 and leaving the city to the mercy of attacking rivals. Today, about 70, 000 manuscripts on all manner of subjects from Timbuktu survive.
