Co-host (5:28)

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Luke Pepperer (7:31)

The story of Sabkara's murder, a murder which led to Musa's own rise, shows more than anything how dangerous a pilgrimage to Mecca is. The general met his fate, falling to the blades of trusted allies. And even worse, his own family, a power hungry rival and Sabkura's own daughter had made a deal to marry and take his power for themselves. It's 5,000 miles from Mali to Mecca. That's twice the width of the United States. The journey will take something like eight months, and it's hard to say what's more dangerous. Bandits, wild animals, illness and disease, or, as in Sabkara's tale, attacks from your own people. And Musa doesn't just want to survive, he wants to show the world the might and splendor of Mali. He's not just packing the essentials, he's going big. He sends messengers to all his provinces to announce the pilgrimage, and all who are able are voluntold to join. Oh yeah, and they're partly paying for it too. Each subject is, to quote, unquote, donate some amount of food and water. He charges his dignitaries, artisans and traders with procuring the rest. There's a flurry of activity. Porters haul in hundreds of tons of shimmering gold dust, ores and ingots, their muscles straining under the weight of unimaginable wealth. Weavers surrounded by vibrant fabrics of woolen silk hunch over their looms, their fingers flying as they craft hats, robes and blankets. Smiths sweat and swear at their forges as they smelt and beat metals into weapons and ornaments. Malian merchants passionately barter with soft cult sellers to land the best deals. Officials bargain with caravan drivers. The camels are gathered, set aside and their herders begin to fatten them up. Family members carefully count their stores of grain. They ensure whoever remains behind will be able to survive on what's left. They set their affairs in order in case they don't make it back and donate whatever they owe to the emperor's collector. They pray to their ancestors and think of their goodbyes. For almost a year, the empire is in this crazed state. By the end of 1323, 60,000 of Musa's subjects and 100 camels assemble in Nani. They are ready to set out. Each subject wears a dress of Persian silk and carries a gold bar. 500 of Musa's personal servants also carry a gold rod. Each camel carries 100 kilograms of gold. At the back of the crowd, utterly resplendent on horseback, is Musa. He is dressed to impress. He wears a golden skullcap, a green silk robe and a golden quiver. Near him, standard bearers wave large flags of red and yellow. It's warm and the dust, the fidgeting mass, kicks up from the road, swirls in the air and clings to the pilgrim's clothes and skins. There's the sound of chatter as neighbors happily greet and catch up and new acquaintances are made. Final instructions are given out. The camels groan under the heavy load, blissfully unaware that this is just the start. In the midst of the crowd, you see suddenly in front of you that your fellow pilgrims are trudging forward. The journey of a lifetime has begun. Although the expedition to Mecca is undoubtedly dangerous, especially during the Sahara crossing, it's not because the route is untested. The pilgrims will travel along a well trodden trans Saharan trade path created by the economic and diplomatic links between towns. The first stop is walata. It's about 700 miles north of Niani and will take about a month to reach. Walata is a classic trans Saharan trade town. It's completely open, with no walls and fortresses, such that any foreign trader need not be put off from entering. During the day, traders are at the market in the town centre, announcing wares, shouting prices and thanking patrons. The richest amongst them live in two storey stone buildings close by. Meanwhile, the rest of Walata's population are farmers, growing millet rice and vegetables in the pastures of the mild climate. They live in fabric tents and straw huts surrounding the town. Musa and his entourage rest here for a month or two. A feast is held in the emperor's honor. There's the wafting scent of smoked fish and roast beef for Seke, Musa's main advisor and best friend, brings out his balafon, a Malian xylophone, and plays a tune and sings a song, praising his master. As the last note fades, young men in tunics and skullcaps play drums with infectious energy and 12 swords in a dazzling display of skill and coordination. And then comes the piece de Musa's concubines, who, according to one enthusiastic chronicler, number over a thousand. They dance. Their beautiful bodies move in light, see through garments. The entourage leaves Walata in high spirits. Their next stop is Tuat, an Algerian oasis where merchants like to hang out. It's about a thousand miles away, and they reckon it'll take a couple of months to reach. But on the way, the pilgrims meet their first batch of trouble, which could derail their entire journey.

Faba Suleiman (13:43)

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Luke Pepperer (14:46)

Inari Conte, the Emperor's young and beautiful favorite wife, seems to be ill, refusing to leave her bed in Musa's magnificent tent. She hasn't been seen for several days. She will not eat, and she hardly speaks. Musa is worried. He consults his advisors, doctors, and priests, but they cannot see anything obviously wrong with her. He remains by Inari's side, attempting to console her, and persistently asks her what's wrong One day she tells him she's sick of their journey and she hates the desert. It's impossible to escape the heat. The rough sand is getting everywhere. Her food and her bed fleas are impossible to escape. And the landscape is barren. Not a plant, animal or rock in sight. It's depressing. She likes to be cool and clean, which is all but impossible. Each day they travel, as her husband knows, In Mali, she was often happiest when frolicking with some of her ladies in waiting in the Niger River. She misses Mali, the palace and especially this river, desperately. She's miserable and homesick and doesn't feel like leaving her bed. Musa urgently summons his chief of servants, a man called Faber Suleiman. He explains the predicament and tells him to sort it out. The always resourceful Faba devises a brilliant plan, which is only possible because his master happens to be the world's richest and most powerful leader. Faba selects a spot in the desert. He orders the servants to pick up any iron tools that can be used for digging spades, but also sickles and even swords. He also recruits as many of the pilgrims as he can. He tells the men to shift the earth. They dig and dig, transforming the desert floor into a giant sandbox. It's back breaking work. The sand is heavy and prone to collapsing at the sides of the hole. Anyone trapped under such a collapse would be condemned to a painful death. So they have to move carefully. Hours pass, and finally they have dug a hole big enough to satisfy Faba. He orders the next step of his plan. The hole is to be filled with the caravan's water supplies. So now, throughout the night, the men go to their camels and unload the water skins. They pour gallon after gallon of their precious water into the hole again and again and again, until the dawn light emerges onto what looks exactly like a beautiful sparkling lake. With glee, Faba shows Musa what he's done. If they can't bring Inari Conte to the water, they'll bring the water to Inari Conte. Musa is delighted and goes to Inari's bed. He tells her he has a surprise and she reluctantly agrees to get up and goes with him to see. As they approach the lake, Musa gently covers Inari's eyes, leading her forward with careful steps. When the shimmering water finally comes into view, he removes his hands, revealing the miraculous sight. Inari stands speechless, her eyes wide, wide with amazement. A lake conjured out of thin air in the middle of the desert. Surprise quickly gives way to pure joy as she summons her ladies laughing and shouting with delight. They strip off their clothes and plunge into the refreshing water. Musa watches the scene unfold, a happy smile across his face. Some men say they have to move mountains to please their wives. Creating a lake from thin air doesn't seem so hard. Inari is allowed to swim and play for as long as she likes. After a few days, she's had her fill of the lake. With all its members well rested, relieved and excited to move on, the caravan packs up and resumes its journey. Before long, they arrive in Tuat. Tuat as the perfect, perfect place to stock up. The oasis has plenty of water, so thankfully the fake lake won't cost Musa any lives. Merchants mill around with plenty of supplies. It's a well earned rest for the party. But the good feelings don't last long. At the oasis, the pilgrims meet their second batch of trouble. It begins with just one man who complains of his feet feeling funny. They are swollen, discoloured and blistered. Another person complains of the same feeling. And then another. It's a plague. It spreads rapidly throughout the camp and soon 500 pilgrims are affected. They can't even walk without severe pain. This is serious. It could jeopardize the whole trip. Musa assembles a concerned council. Faces are tense as they discuss the options. They could continue traveling with the sick as long as they are quarantined and carried. But the nearest medical facilities are in Cairo, 2,000 miles away. They face a grim reality. Many might not survive the journey and the risk of spreading the illness looms. Could they organize a return to Mali? It's too far, they conclude. The last option is brutal. They leave the sick here in Tuat. It doesn't feel good, but it's definitely the most practical solution. They could have the chance to recover here. There are people who can look after them. And anyone who heals can easily join a caravan either back to Mali or towards Mecca. The council decide it's for the best. When it's time to leave Tuat after about a month, the sick are left behind. They'll either recover or die there in the desert, thousands of miles from home. The rest of the convoy travel another 500 miles to the trans Saharan trade town of Gadamis in Libya. In this country, Musa is especially alert. Remember Sabkara, whose story I told at the beginning of the episode? He's the 13th century Malian emperor who began life as a servant. Libya is where his daughter betrayed and murdered him. Musa knows the story and it haunts him. Fortunately, Musa passes through Ganymis without incident. Over a thousand miles and a couple of months later, an amazing sight comes into view. The leaders of the convoy halt and squint at it, trying to make sense of the perspective. Can they really be so big? Or are they closer than they think? Musa smiles. He had heard these described to him many times, but nothing does justice to the sight. The pyramids of Giza lie ahead. They are approaching Cairo. But the pyramids are not all they see rumbling in the distance. Troops are heading straight for the convoy. It doesn't look like a welcome party. Musa doesn't yet know it, but he's about to face not only the biggest challenge to his pilgrimage, but also the biggest threat to his life. But that's for next time on this Is History presents Empire of Goal.