1. Ghana's Government and Military

Arab scholars described ​Ghana​ as a fabled “land of gold.” Their accounts paint a picture of a rich kingdom with a strong government and a large, powerful army.

The King and His Government

Ghana was ruled by a powerful king. The king was the head of the army, made the final decisions in matters of justice, and led the people in religious worship.

Ghana's king acquired great wealth through control of the gold trade. Gold was especially plentiful in areas to the south of Ghana. As you will see, Ghana's government collected taxes on the gold that passed through the kingdom.

To preserve his wealth, the king tightly controlled the supply of gold. All the gold nuggets, or chunks, found in the kingdom had to be given to the king. Ordinary people could have only gold dust. One of the king's gold nuggets is said to have weighed almost forty pounds. According to legend, another was large enough to be used as a hitching post for his horse.

Each day, the king held court with his people. The king, splendidly dressed in colorful robes, gold jewelry, and a cap decorated with gold, arrived at court to the beating of royal drums. His people demonstrated their respect for him by kneeling and throwing dust on their heads as he approached.

Once at court, the king conducted the business of his empire and heard the people's concerns. One Arab historian described the scene at the court like this:

Behind the king stand ten pages [young servants] holding shields and swords decorated with gold and on his right are the sons of the vassal kings of his empire wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited [braided] with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king and around are ministers seated likewise. At the door . . . are dogs of excellent pedigree [ancestry] who hardly ever leave the place where the king is, guarding him. Round their necks, they wear collars of gold and silver.

A large hierarchy of officials, some Muslim, helped the king govern. These officials were probably in charge of different parts of Ghana's society, such as the armed forces, industry, tax collection, and foreigners. The king appointed governors to rule some parts of his empire, such as the capital city and some conquered areas.

When the king died, his son did not inherit the throne because the royal inheritance was ​matrilineal​,which means that it was traced through women's bloodlines rather than men's. Therefore, in Ghana, the son of the king's sister was the heir to the throne.

Ghana's Military

Ghana's military included a regular army, reserve forces, and elite soldiers. The regular army was comprised of several thousand career soldiers who kept the borders secure, suppressed minor revolts, and maintained peace and order. These soldiers wore knee-length cotton pants, sleeveless tunics (long shirts), sandals, and headdresses adorned with feathers. Both the color of a soldier's tunic and the number of feathers in his headdress indicated his rank. The soldiers used weapons such as spears, daggers, swords, battle clubs, and bows and arrows. They were well paid and highly respected.

During wartime, the king called up additional reserve forces and the troops of other governors under his rule. Every man in the empire was required to complete military training so that he would be prepared to serve when called. Stories describe a king who could call up an army of 200,000 warriors. This number no doubt grew as the story was passed on, but the king certainly could summon a sizable army, including infantry archers.

Special groups of soldiers were selected for their courage, honesty, and intelligence. These soldiers served the king as bodyguards, escorts, and military advisors.