Columbus

1. Ethiopians in the Americas
Before Columbus

2. It is said that Columbus “discovered”
the Americas and that prior to this
there was no contact with “The Old
World” and the Western Hemisphere

3. However, he and all other European
colonists came to the Americas
looking for gold.
Why?

4. It is because the Eurasian trade
network Columbus represented
learned from the famous hajj of
Mansa Musa in 1324 that there was a
fabled gold rich paradise in the West.

5. Mansa Musa inherited the throne in 1312 after his father Abu
Bakr II sailed off to a secret paradise in the West with
thousands of ships.
It is rare in history that a king willingly gives up the throne of a
prosperous and expansive empire. Furthermore, what
prompted Abu Bakr II to sail west with 1,000 ships full of men
and resources? What did he know?

6. Mansa Musa’s Account of Abu Bakr II
• The ruler who preceded me (that is, Abu Bakr II) did not believe that it was
impossible to reach the extremity of the ocean that encircles the earth (the Atlantic
Ocean). He wanted to reach that (end) and was determined to pursue his plan.
• So he equipped two hundred boats full of men, and many others full of gold, water
and provisions sufficient for several years. He ordered the captain not to return until
they had reached the other end of the ocean, or until he had exhausted the
provisions and water.
• So they set out on their journey. They were absent for a long period, and, at last just
one boat returned. When questioned the captain replied: "O Prince, we navigated
for a long period, until we saw in the midst of the ocean a great river which was
flowing massively.
• My boat was the last one; others were ahead of me, and they were drowned in the
great whirlpool and never came out again. I sailed back to escape this current." But
the Sultan would not believe him. He ordered two thousand boats to be equipped
for him and his men, and one thousand more for water and provisions. Then he
conferred the regency on me for the term of his absence, and departed with his
men, never to return nor to give a sign of life.

7. However, one of the titles of Mansa Musa plus other historical facts reveals a clearer
idea of Abu Bakr’s intention. Mansa Musa held over twelve titles, including
"Conqueror of Ghanata" and the "Emir of Melle".
The title of relavance is "Lord of the Mines of Wangara". The mines of Wangara is not
one single mine.
Many assume that Mansa Musa had one source of gold – the deposits coming out of
the Gold Coast of Africa.
However, the mines of Wangara were scattered throughout the world, with ones in
east and south Africa.

8. However, the mines of Wangara were scattered throughout the world, with ones in
east and south Africa. In the Tarik al Sudan, or the History of the Sudan, a 17th century
account of the Malian Empire it is said the Wangara are ones “who engages in trade
and travels from one horizon to another."
There is actually a location called Wangara in southern Australia. One may say it is
coincidental except for the fact that it is a gold-rich area of the continent and mines
have been found there from antiquity.
Tradition is that the Mines of Wangara network was established in the days of King
Solomon and is known historically as King Solomon’s mines.

9. The Wangara were silent traders, meaning they did not speak when
bartering for gold and other commodities. Some historians attribute
this to Wangara merchant’s inability to speak foreign tongues.
However, many recognize the custom of silent trade as a way of
keeping the Wangara’s sources of gold a well-kept secret. If they
were silent traders, why would the Lord of the Mines of Wangara
reveal their most cherished secret - That there is a mother load of
gold west of the Atlantic under dominion of the Mali empire.

10. Think about it: Abu Bakr II was king of one of the prosperous
kingdoms in the world. Would he abdicate his throne and travel
west with thousands of ships on hearsay and a whim? Or does it
make more sense that Mansa Musa - the Lord of a silent trading
network - was protecting one of their most precious secrets by
saying Abu Bakr simply sailed west because he believed he
might find land?

11. Did Abu Bakr reach the Americas and if so what was his fate? There is great debate about this
topic, and it cannot be settled here?
However, it is hard to resist seeing a link between Abu Bakr leaving Mali with 2,000 ships
around 1310 and the subsequent appearance of what is termed Azteca city-states around the
exact time in Mexico. Researchers have found many Mande loan words within the Nahuatl
language shared among Azteca city-states.
Azteca grew into an empire in the early 1400’s, primarily through friendly relationships and
inter-marriage rather than military conquest. By its heights in 1510 it spanned from the Atlantic
to Pacific coasts; south into modern-day Guatemalan and north into Southern California,
Nevada, Arizona and Texas.

12. Aztec means “people from Atzlan”, a mythical kingdom, the location of which is hotly
debated. Most scholars say Atzlan is in the North American continent and that Aztec
founders migrated South by foot to establish the early city-states. However, in the
“Depiction of the departure from Aztlán” in the 16th-century Codex Boturini,
Aztlan is depicted as being in a far-away sea. It has step pyramids in the style of
Sakkara, Egypt and people making salat, probably muslims. There is a large man –
probably representing a great king - in a large boat rowing towards another land,
which has footprints leading up and away from where the trajectory of the boat
would have it land.

13. Another connection to consider: It is said that during Hajj, Mansa
Musa had an all female security detail comprised of melanin-rich
women who were bare except for gold-metal adornments on their
arms, breasts and loins. The leader of the detail is named Khalifa. This
is significant when considering the first account of Queen Califa of
California: The legend of Queen Califia appears to date back to the
novel Las sergas de Esplandián (The Adventures of Esplandián),
written around 1510 by the Spanish writer Garci Rodríguez de

14. It is known that to the right of the Indies there exists an island called California very near the
terrestrial paradise; and peopled by black women among whom there was not a single man
since they lived in the way of the Amazons. They had beautiful robust bodies, spirited courage
and great strength. Their island was the most impregnable in the world with its cliffs and
headlands and rocky coasts. Their weapons were all of gold . . . because in all the island there
was no metal except gold. And there ruled over that island of California a queen of majestic
proportions, more beautiful than all others, and in the very vigor of her womanhood. She was
not petite, nor blond, nor golden-haired. She was large, and black as the ace of clubs. But the
prejudice of color did not then exist even among the most brazen-faced or the most copper-
headed. For, as you shall learn, she was reputed the most beautiful of women; and it was she,
O Californias! who accomplished great deeds, she was valiant and courageous and ardent
with a brave heart, and had ambitions to execute nobler actions than had been performed by
any other ruler — Queen Califia.

15. When Mansa Musa made Hajj in 1324, he was said to have traveled with 12,000 servants each
with 4 pounds of gold bars. He was also said to have 80 camels with 50-300 lbs of Gold dust
each.
He made several stops on his year-long journey to Mecca. He traveled North along the Niger
river delta, and stopped in many significant trade centers including Meme, Tuat, Walata and
Taghaza.
From the Niger delta he crossed the Sahara north to Fez, then traveled along the southern rim
of the Mediterranean coast east to Egypt. From Cairo he made his way down to Mecca. At each
stop Mansa Musa showered the hosting markets with gold.

16. Concerning the gold market, Mansa Musa’s manipulation made him the first and only man to
solely control the price of gold in the Mediterranean world.
This gave him leverage to reroute key east-west trade paths through regions controlled by the
Wangara and circumvent Judaic merchants of the Mediterranean world.
Prior to his hajj, Mali’s connection to the Mediterranean market was Judaic merchants who
facilitated trans-Saharan routes. These Judaic merchants, with African bases of Fez and Joppa,
suffered economically as a result of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage. Who are these merchants
historically?

17. Generally speaking, they could be called a network Sephardic merchants – from Sephora which
is the biblical name for modern day France, Spain and Portugal. That is because their economic
and cultural roots stem from these lands. However, this merchant network runs throughout
Europe and is connected to the power center in Prague in the east and has nexus along the
entire Silk Road of Asia into modern-day China.
In this context, historically these Judaic merchants are referred to as the Radhanites.
Radhanites were medieval Judaic merchants in a trans-Eurasian trade network. They
maintained several trade routes of classical Rome after its demise from 476AD through the
Great Interregnum. Their network and trade routes are accounted for by Ibn Khordadbeh’s
Book of Roads and Kingdoms, written around 870AD. Here is account of Radhanite routes.

18. These merchants speak Arabic, Persian, Roman, the Frank, Spanish, and Slav languages. They
journey from West to East, from East to West, partly on land, partly by sea. They transport from
the West eunuchs, female slaves, boys, brocade, castor, marten and other furs, and swords.
They take ship from Firanja (France), on the Western Sea, and make for Farama (Pelusium).
There they load their goods on camel-back and go by land to al-Kolzum (Suez), a distance of
twenty-five farsakhs.
They embark in the East Sea and sail from al-Kolzum to al-Jar and al-Jeddah, then they go to
Sind, India, and China. On their return from China they carry back musk, aloes, camphor,
cinnamon, and other products of the Eastern countries to al-Kolzum and bring them back to
Farama, where they again embark on the Western Sea.

19. Some make sail for Constantinople to sell their goods to the Romans; others go to the palace of
the King of the Franks to place their goods. Sometimes these Jew merchants, when embarking
from the land of the Franks, on the Western Sea, make for Antioch (at the head of the Orontes
River); thence by land to al-Jabia (al-Hanaya on the bank of the Euphrates), where they arrive
after three days’ march. There they embark on the Euphrates and reach Baghdad, whence they
sail down the Tigris, to al-Obolla. From al-Obolla they sail for Oman, Sindh, Hind, and China.
These different journeys can also be made by land. The merchants that start from Spain or
France go to Sus al-Aksa (in Morocco) and then to Tangier, whence they walk to Kairouan and
the capital of Egypt. Thence they go to ar-Ramla, visit Damascus, al-Kufa, Baghdad, and al-
Basra, cross Ahvaz, Fars, Kerman, Sind, Hind, and arrive in China.
Sometimes, also, they take the route behind Rome and, passing through the country of the
Slavs, arrive at Khamlidj, the capital of the Khazars. They embark on the Jorjan Sea, arrive at
Balkh, betake themselves from there across the Oxus, and continue their journey toward Yurt,
Toghuzghuz, and from there to China.

22. Mansa Musa’s hajj created the global relationships needed to completely circumvent the Radhanite
merchants and allow the Wangara network to connect directly to the east into China, thus allowing the
traders to engage in “trade and travels from one horizon to another" as described in the Tarik al Sudan.
The complex dynamics of these trade routes can be traced to Solomonic times and are recounted in Kings 9-
10. It recounts how Hiram, King of Tyre and a great merchant of the Queen of Sheba. Hiram furnished
Solomon with cedar and fir trees as well as all the gold he desired. This is what Solomon used to build his
temple and palace. In return, Solomon gave Hiram 20 cities in the land of Galilee. Furthermore, Pharaoh had
conquered neighboring Canaanite territory and allied with Solomon, giving the conquered cities and his
daughter to Solomon as a gift. Solomon’s kingdom thus could connect both the Mediterranean world with
Sheba. Moreover, Solomon then built a naval fleet along the coast of the Red Sea and partnered with Hiram
of Tyre. As chapter nine of Kings concludes:

23. And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord,
she came to prove him with hard questions. And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train,
with camels that bare spices, and very much gold…
And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and
precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of
Sheba gave to king Solomon. And the navy also of Hiram, that brought gold from Ophir,
brought in from Ophir great plenty of almug trees, and precious stones. And the king made of
the almug trees pillars for the house of the Lord, and for the king's house, harps also and
psalteries for singers: there came no such almug trees, nor were seen unto this day.
And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside
that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country,
she and her servants. Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred
threescore and six talents of gold, Beside that he had of the merchantmen, and of the traffick of
the spice merchants, and of all the kings of Arabia, and of the governors of the country. And king
Solomon made two hundred targets of beaten gold: six hundred shekels of gold went to one
target. And he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three pound of gold went to one
shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon.
Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold. The throne
had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side
on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on
the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom.
And all king Solomon's drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the
forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver: it was nothing accounted of in the
days of Solomon. For the king had at sea a navy of Tharshish with the navy of Hiram: once in
three years came the navy of Tharshish, bringing gold, and silver, ivory, and apes, and
peacocks. So king Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And
all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart…

25. Kings 10 gives great insight to the global trade route established between the Ethiopian merchant Hiram and King Solomon. Through
the Red Sea ports they had unfettered shipping routes to India and China. The navy of Tharshish, which is Gibraltar at the Western
ridge of the Mediterranean world, provided Solomon and Hiram access to the Americas. They describe the Tarshish navy as returning
every three years bringing gold, silver, and ivory. No doubt that three-year voyage included a trans-Atlantic leg. Since the days of
Solomon there has been trade with the people of the Americas, and Hiram’s Ethiopian merchants facilitated the trade. Is there
evidence?
The legacy of Columbus’ voyage to the Americas in 1492 provides some. History has noted that Martin Pinzon was a de facto leader
of Columbus Expedition. Born around 1441, Martin Alonso Pinzon was a prominent man in his hometown of Palos, Spain. Descended
from people who made their living on the sea, he was an able pilot, shipbuilder, ship owner, and trader who sailed extensively before
ever meeting Columbus. In 1488 Martin as a pilot on an expedition exploring the African coast accidently traveled to the Americas.
Once past Cape Verde, their ship got swept in a strong Atlantic current across the ocean and eventually carried to what would later
be named Brazil. Finding a reverse current, they were able to navigate back across the great waters.
Having been to the Americas and knowing a route that utilized the ocean’s own current gave Pinzon needed experience. Moreover,
being fluent in archaic Hebrew, Pinzon acted as interpreter when natives were encountered. As captain of the flagship Pinta, Pinzon’s
contributions to the success of the expedition was great. However, Pinzon was ethnically Moorish, and he and Columbus did not
relate well. Pinzon died shortly upon returning in 1493 and his family brought charges against Columbus in court. They claimed the
expedition was actually Pinzon’s idea and that he also partly financed it. Moreover, Pinzon was robbed of credit for the success as
well as promised financial compensation.

26. Having been to the Americas and knowing a route that utilized the ocean’s own current gave Pinzon needed experience.
Moreover, being fluent in archaic Hebrew, Pinzon acted as interpreter when natives were encountered. As captain of the
flagship Pinta, Pinzon’s contributions to the success of the expedition was great. However, Pinzon was ethnically Moorish,
and he and Columbus did not relate well. Pinzon died shortly upon returning in 1493 and his family brought charges against
Columbus in court. They claimed the expedition was actually Pinzon’s idea and that he also partly financed it. Moreover,
Pinzon was robbed of credit for the success as well as promised financial compensation.
In the testimony against Columbus, Martin’s son, Arias Perez Pinzon claimed he and his father visited the Vatican in Spring
of 1492. Supposedly, a great ‘cosmograph’ and friend at the Vatican showed Pinzon an Ethiopian manuscript. The Vatican
Library document shown to Pinzon asserted that in the time of King Solomon, the Queen of Sheba sailed westward in the
Atlantic, visiting lands more beautiful than Africa and Europe. Referred to as Cipango, this land was said to be reached by
sailing ninety-five degrees westward. Arias’ testimony was affirmed by several others, and stands as historical evidence that
it was Ethiopians who first explored and charted the Americas.

27. More evidence can be found within Ethiopian manuscripts themselves. The Kebra Negast, Ethiopian Book of
Kings describes the Americas as part of the dominion of the Negust Negast:
And thus the eastern boundary of the kingdom of the King of ETHIOPIA is the beginning of the city of GÂZÂ in
the land of JUDAH, that is, JERUSALEM; and its boundary is the Lake of JERICHO, and it passeth on by the
coast of its sea to LÊBÂ and SÂBÂ; and its boundary goeth down to BÎSÎS and ’ASNÊT; and its boundary is the
Sea of the Blacks and Naked Men, and goeth up Mount KÊBÊRÊNÊYÔN into the Sea of Darkness, that is to
say, the place where the sun setteth; and its boundary extendeth to FÊNÊ’ÊL and LASÎFÂLÂ; and its borders
are the lands of the Garden (i.e., Paradise), where there is food in plenty and abundance of cattle, and [near]
FÊNÊḲÊN; and its boundary reacheth as far as ZÂWÊL and passeth on to the Sea of INDIA; and its boundary is
as far as the Sea of TARSÎS, and in its remote part lieth the Sea of MEDYÂM, until it cometh to the country of
GÂZÂ; and its boundary is the place where [our enumeration] began. And moreover, the dominion of the
King of ETHIOPIA belongeth to him and to his seed for ever.

28. The Americas are described as the place where the sun setteth (the West) and the Garden where there is
food and cattle in abundance. Its boundaries are the Sea of India (the Pacific) and the Sea of Tarsis (the
Atlantic). This is where the three-year voyage of Solomon’s navy of Tarshish was traveling based on Hiram’s
guidance…
The Kebra Negast also gives insight into the way the global trade network should be arranged and the
Radhani, who are referred to as the Jews of Nagran. The Negus of Ethiopia intended to ally with east
Rome/Byzantium to maintain the global trade network, while the Radhanite network worked to interject
themselves at key points to break the trade routes. Once in strategic lands, they could tax and surcharge all
trade coming and going. Here are the key verses:

29. Chapter 20 says: From the middle of JERUSALEM, and from the north thereof to the south-east is the
portion of the Emperor of RÔM; and from the middle of JERUSALEM from the north thereof to the south
and to WESTERN INDIA is the portion of the Emperor of ETHIOPIA... The Emperor of RÔM is the son of
SOLOMON [from Rehoboam], and the Emperor of ETHIOPIA is the firstborn and eldest son of SOLOMON.
Rom is Byzantium/Eastern Rome, which concerning the Negust, is the legitimate Rome.
“And we will begin to tell you what we have heard, and what we have found written, and what we have seen
concerning the King of RÔMÊ. The kingdom of RÔMÊ was the portion and dominion of JAPHET, the son of
NOAH. And sitting down they made twelve great cities, and DARIUS built the greatest cities of their
kingdoms: ’ANṬÔKYÂ (ANTIOCH), DÎRESYÂ (TYRE ?), and BÂRTONYÂ (PARTHIA ?), and RÂMYÂ (ROMA ?), and
those who reigned dwelt there; and King CONSTANTINE built CONSTANTINOPLE after his own name. “
(chapter 72).

30. Ethiopia and Byzantine were to unite to create the global trading network connecting Africa to Asia.
And those two kings, JUSTINUS the King of RÔMÊ and KÂLÊB the King of ETHIOPIA, met together in
JERUSALEM. And their Archbishop was to make ready offerings and they were to make offerings, and they
were to establish the Faith in love, and they were to give each other gifts and the salutation of peace, and
they were to divide between them the earth from the half of JERUSALEM, even as we have already said at
the beginning of this book. And for love's sake they were to have jointly the royal title [of King of ETHIOPIA].
They were to be mingled with DAVID and SOLOMON their fathers. The one whom in faith they chose by lot to
be named from the Kings of RÔMÊ was to be called "King of ETHIOPIA", and the King of RÔMÊ likewise was
to bear the name of "King of ETHIOPIA", and he was to have part in the lot whereby he should be named
with DAVID and SOLOMON their fathers…

31. The Negus and King of Byzantium unite to eliminate Radnite influence among the global trade network.
And the King of RÔMÊ, and the King of ETHIOPIA, and the Archbishop of ALEXANDRIA—now the men of
RÔMÊ were orthodox—were informed that they were to destroy them. And they were to rise up to fight, to
make war upon the enemies of God, the JEWS, and to destroy them, the King of RÔMÊ ’ÊNYÂ, and the King of
ETHIOPIA PINḤAS (PHINEHAS); and they were to lay waste their lands, and to build churches there, and they
were to cut to pieces JEWS at the end of this Cycle in twelve cycles of the moon.

32. The Radhani attempted to overtake two key locations – Armenia which would give them control over the
Eurasian land bridge; and Nagran the modern-day Saudi peninsula, thus giving control of Red Sea traffic.
Chapter 116 says:. A few JEWS shall lift up their heads against our faith in NÂGRÂN and in ARMENIA in the
days after this, and this God will do by His Will so that He may destroy them, for ARMENIA is a territory of
RÔMÊ and NÂGRÂN is a territory of ETHIOPIA."
The Negus and King of Byzantium unite to eliminate Radnite influence among the global trade network.

33. The Negus and King of Byzantium unite to eliminate Radnite influence among the global trade network.
And the King of RÔMÊ, and the King of ETHIOPIA, and the Archbishop of ALEXANDRIA—now the men of
RÔMÊ were orthodox—were informed that they were to destroy them. And they were to rise up to fight, to
make war upon the enemies of God, the JEWS, and to destroy them, the King of RÔMÊ ’ÊNYÂ, and the King of
ETHIOPIA PINḤAS (PHINEHAS); and they were to lay waste their lands, and to build churches there, and they
were to cut to pieces JEWS at the end of this Cycle in twelve cycles of the moon.
MANSA MUSA’S HAJJ WAS A CONTINUATION OF THIS POLICY ESTABLISHED BY THE NEGUS.