Mongol and Mali Empire Compare and Contrast

Even though the Mongol Empire and the Mali Empire were on to separate continents they had key idea in the rise of their empire that resembled each other. The Mali and the Mongol empire both raised their empires on the sense of religious tolerance and they both accomplished cultural growth through trade. However they differed with their use of violence as a method of conquering and their origins. The rise of the Mongol and the Mali Empire were similar in their sense on religious tolerance. In Mali, even though the king was Islam the other traditional religions of the people were still accepted. In the Mongol empire all religions were accepted with no exceptions. This happened because it prevented conquered lands from revolting out of hatred. This allowed people to practice freely and without force. Another similarity in the rise of the Mongol Empire and the Mali Empire was their cultural development through trade. The Mongol Empire controlled the Silk roads and therefore became a center of trade since as they controlled where massive trading between cultures took place. The Mali Empire was a major source and trade hub of gold. This allowed them to trade with Islamic people and eventually adopted Islam as a predominant religion. In addition to similarities the Mongol Empire and the Mali Empire differed in their rise with the use of violence as methods of conquering. Unlike the Mali Empire which had peaceful methods of rise, the Mongolian Empire’s army was brutal and was much more influential and forceful in establishing their empire. As an effect of the Mongol empire being ruled by Genghis Khan other civilizations experienced destruction as a part of the Mongol method of conquering. Furthermore, a difference that distinguished the rise of the Mongol Empire was their origins. The Mongol Empire originated as Barbarians. Their way of life known as nomadism gave them the rise to imperial expansion. Mali on the other hand was founded by Sundiata in 1235 from an earlier indigenous African dynasty that had earlier adopted Islam through peaceful influence if Muslim merchants and scholars. In conclusion, the rise of the Mongol and the Mali Empire faced similarities in which they both raised their empires on the sense of religious tolerance and they both accomplished cultural growth through trade. They differed with their use of violence as a method of conquering and their origins. Even with differences both developed to be very influential and powerful empires.