African Merchants

Definition

African merchants were key figures in the trans-Saharan and Indian Ocean trade networks, dealing in goods such as gold, ivory, slaves, and spices. They played a significant role in the economic development of Africa during the Middle Ages.

Analogy

Think of African merchants like Amazon today. Just as Amazon connects buyers and sellers globally, these merchants connected different regions through their trade networks.

Related terms

Trans-Saharan Trade: This was a major route across the Sahara desert that connected communities in North Africa with sub-Saharan Africa. Goods like gold, salt, and slaves were traded along this route.

Indian Ocean Trade: A network of sea routes connecting East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia and China. It was used for trading goods such as spices, silk and precious stones.

Gold-Salt Trade: This refers to the exchange between West African countries selling gold and North African countries selling salt. The two commodities were considered equally valuable at that time.