History of Timbuktu centre linked to the North-African cities and had caught Europe's attention. With the power of the Mali Empire waning in the first half of the 15th century, Timbuktu became relatively autonomous, although Maghsharan Tuareg had a dominating position.l During this period it was led by the Tuareg Akil Akamalwa. Thirty years later the rising Songhai Empire expanded, absorbing Timbuktu in 1468 or 1469. The city was led, consecutively, by Sunni Ali Ber (1468–1492), Sunni Baru (1492–1493) and Askia Mohammad I (1493–1528). Although Sunni Ali Ber was in severe conflict with Timbuktu after its conquest, Askia Mohammad I created a golden
University of Timbuktu scholars and manuscripts. It acquired a reputation for learning and scholarship across the Muslim world. According to African scholar Shamil Jeppie in "The Meanings of Timbuktu": ...Timbuktu is a repository of history, a living archive which anybody with a concern for African history should be acquainted with. Timbuktu may be hard to get to but it played an essential role as a centre of scholarship under the Songhay state until the invasion from the rulers of Marrakesh in 1591, and even thereafter it was revived. After Timbuktu was occupied because of the 1591 Battle of Tondibi, the university went into