Isaac Samuel
@rhaplord.bsky.social
Finance | History | Trance
Patreon http://patreon.com/isaacsamuel64
Substack https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/
Patreon http://patreon.com/isaacsamuel64
Substack https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/
Pinned
The history of Suakin (ca. 850-1905): Journal of African Cities chapter 18
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
November 27, 2025 at 4:04 PM
November 26, 2025 at 3:16 PM
State building in pre-colonial Somalia: the Sultanate of Geledi (ca. 1750-1908)
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/state-buil...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/state-buil...
November 26, 2025 at 12:43 PM
State building in pre-colonial Somalia: the Sultanate of Geledi (ca. 1750-1908)
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/state-buil...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/state-buil...
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
There's a good article on maps in pre-modern Japan that's relevant for African history on this point about boundaries:
"Many of our conventional mapping practices are ill-suited to the complexities and nuances of pre-modern politics"
culturalanalytics.org/article/8486...
"Many of our conventional mapping practices are ill-suited to the complexities and nuances of pre-modern politics"
culturalanalytics.org/article/8486...
November 25, 2025 at 2:03 PM
There's a good article on maps in pre-modern Japan that's relevant for African history on this point about boundaries:
"Many of our conventional mapping practices are ill-suited to the complexities and nuances of pre-modern politics"
culturalanalytics.org/article/8486...
"Many of our conventional mapping practices are ill-suited to the complexities and nuances of pre-modern politics"
culturalanalytics.org/article/8486...
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
This is a general truth of political borderlands until at least the late eighteenth century. Both the notion that you can place an accurate borderline on a map, AND that that represents a complete & abrupt change of regime on the ground, are profoundly modern concepts.
“Ancient boundaries were more ambiguous than what is often shown in historical maps.
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
November 25, 2025 at 2:10 PM
This is a general truth of political borderlands until at least the late eighteenth century. Both the notion that you can place an accurate borderline on a map, AND that that represents a complete & abrupt change of regime on the ground, are profoundly modern concepts.
One enthusiastic Portuguese chronicler who visited Suakin in 1541 compared it to Lisbon:
“so dense that there is no corner without a building … All the city is an island and all the island is a city”
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
“so dense that there is no corner without a building … All the city is an island and all the island is a city”
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
November 23, 2025 at 6:06 PM
One enthusiastic Portuguese chronicler who visited Suakin in 1541 compared it to Lisbon:
“so dense that there is no corner without a building … All the city is an island and all the island is a city”
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
“so dense that there is no corner without a building … All the city is an island and all the island is a city”
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
Cathedral and Fortress of Qasr Ibrim, Lower Nubia
In 1814, the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt found that Janissaries of Ibrim (apparently of Bosnian origin), who had intermarried with the Nubians, “have long forgotten their native language.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
In 1814, the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt found that Janissaries of Ibrim (apparently of Bosnian origin), who had intermarried with the Nubians, “have long forgotten their native language.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
November 23, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Cathedral and Fortress of Qasr Ibrim, Lower Nubia
In 1814, the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt found that Janissaries of Ibrim (apparently of Bosnian origin), who had intermarried with the Nubians, “have long forgotten their native language.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
In 1814, the Swiss traveler Johann Burckhardt found that Janissaries of Ibrim (apparently of Bosnian origin), who had intermarried with the Nubians, “have long forgotten their native language.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
“Ancient boundaries were more ambiguous than what is often shown in historical maps.
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
November 23, 2025 at 5:47 PM
“Ancient boundaries were more ambiguous than what is often shown in historical maps.
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
The fortress of Murzuq in the Fezzan region of Libya.
“Numerous gardens, squares, and wells still today bear names in Kanuri, the language of Kanem and Bornu.”
Nachtigal, 1870.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
“Numerous gardens, squares, and wells still today bear names in Kanuri, the language of Kanem and Bornu.”
Nachtigal, 1870.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
November 23, 2025 at 5:40 PM
The fortress of Murzuq in the Fezzan region of Libya.
“Numerous gardens, squares, and wells still today bear names in Kanuri, the language of Kanem and Bornu.”
Nachtigal, 1870.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
“Numerous gardens, squares, and wells still today bear names in Kanuri, the language of Kanem and Bornu.”
Nachtigal, 1870.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
Itineraries of the Bornu embassies to Istanbul and Morocco in the 16th century
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
November 23, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Itineraries of the Bornu embassies to Istanbul and Morocco in the 16th century
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
Fascinating. Liked this detail:
November 23, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Fascinating. Liked this detail:
“Ancient boundaries were more ambiguous than what is often shown in historical maps.
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
African-Ottoman borderlands during the early modern period: stories from the frontier.
In 1574, the first of two embassies from the kingdom of Bornu in the Lake Chad basin arrived at the Ottoman sultan’s court in Istanbul, seeking, among other aims, to delineate the frontier between the...
www.africanhistoryextra.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:22 PM
“Ancient boundaries were more ambiguous than what is often shown in historical maps.
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
While the modern understanding of borders relies on recent concepts of territorial sovereignty, the frontiers of pre-modern states were fluid and frequently contested.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
African-Ottoman borderlands during the early modern period: stories from the frontier.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
African-Ottoman borderlands during the early modern period: stories from the frontier.
In 1574, the first of two embassies from the kingdom of Bornu in the Lake Chad basin arrived at the Ottoman sultan’s court in Istanbul, seeking, among other aims, to delineate the frontier between the...
www.africanhistoryextra.com
November 23, 2025 at 4:02 PM
African-Ottoman borderlands during the early modern period: stories from the frontier.
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/african-ot...
The history of Suakin (ca. 850-1905): Journal of African Cities chapter 18
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
November 23, 2025 at 3:37 PM
The history of Suakin (ca. 850-1905): Journal of African Cities chapter 18
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
www.patreon.com/posts/histor...
Tomorrow's Patreon article is about Suakin and its hinterland
November 22, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Tomorrow's Patreon article is about Suakin and its hinterland
November 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM
November 21, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
So many scripts to learn, so little time…
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 12:36 PM
So many scripts to learn, so little time…
“Ajami sources represent an untapped mine of information for a comprehensive reconstruction of Africa’s past, offering alternative perspectives on historical developments that are mostly known from external sources.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 1:04 PM
“Ajami sources represent an untapped mine of information for a comprehensive reconstruction of Africa’s past, offering alternative perspectives on historical developments that are mostly known from external sources.”
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
While Africa has an extremely long tradition of writing with Egyptian, after the arrival of Arabic in the 10th century local scholars quickly adapted Arabic into a more versatile form called ʿAjamī to represent their vernaculars, a form first found in Mali in the 11th and 12th centuries.
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM
While Africa has an extremely long tradition of writing with Egyptian, after the arrival of Arabic in the 10th century local scholars quickly adapted Arabic into a more versatile form called ʿAjamī to represent their vernaculars, a form first found in Mali in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Reposted by Isaac Samuel
thread:
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 12:21 PM
thread:
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
November 19, 2025 at 12:08 PM
The most widely used writing system in pre-colonial Africa was the ʿAjamī script
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...
www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/theajami-s...