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Historical map · 1100

Map of Africa in 1100

In 1100, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 23 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Almoravid Dynasty, the Great Seljuk Empire and the Fatimid Caliphate. The Great Seljuk Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 3.0 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1100. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 1100 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1100

States and empires in Africa in 1100

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Almoravid Dynasty Wikipedia1.7 million km²1.9 million km²1056–1205
Great Seljuk Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²3.0 million km²1040–1201
Fatimid Caliphate Wikipedia808,000 km²808,000 km²911–1176
Makuria Wikipedia213,000 km²213,000 km²347–1518
Hamdanid Emirates Wikipedia211,000 km²239,000 km²936–1259
Najahid Dynasty Wikipedia205,000 km²205,000 km²1066–1168
Ghana Empire Wikipedia205,000 km²205,000 km²793–1201
Byzantine Empire Wikipedia140,000 km²702,000 km²633–1474
Alodia Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²347–1506
Takrur Wikipedia75,000 km²75,000 km²1040–1235
Uyunid Emirate Wikipedia50,000 km²74,000 km²1072–1235
Hammadid Dynasty Wikipedia33,000 km²33,000 km²1018–1151
Sultanate of Rum Wikipedia32,000 km²129,000 km²1094–1313
Zirid dynasty Wikipedia30,000 km²30,000 km²1056–1151
Norman Italy Wikipedia20,000 km²79,000 km²1034–1138
Empire of Kanem Wikipedia20,000 km²20,000 km²1072–1894
County of Edessa Wikipedia17,000 km²17,000 km²1099–1151
Kingdom of Jerusalem Wikipedia15,000 km²15,000 km²1099–1293
Zagwe dynasty Wikipedia15,000 km²15,000 km²947–1271
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Wikipedia8,650 km²21,000 km²1099–1374
Ziyadid dynasty Wikipedia8,300 km²8,300 km²866–1138
Principality of Antioch Wikipedia7,610 km²7,610 km²1099–1271
Zurayid dynasty Wikipedia3,320 km²3,320 km²1085–1176

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 1000

New on the map: Almoravid Dynasty, Great Seljuk Empire, Najahid Dynasty, Takrur, Uyunid Emirate, Hammadid Dynasty, Sultanate of Rum, Zirid dynasty, Norman Italy, Empire of Kanem, County of Edessa, Kingdom of Jerusalem, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Principality of Antioch, Zurayid dynasty.

Gone from the map: Buyid Dynasty, Caliphate of Córdoba, Barghawata Conference, Emirate of Sicily, Emirate of Nekor, Kingdom of Vaspurakan, Qarmatians.

What comes next: 1200

Appear by 1200: Ayyubid Sultanate, Almohad Caliphate, Kingdom of Sicily, Kingdom of Cyprus, County of Tripoli.

Gone by 1200: Almoravid Dynasty, Fatimid Caliphate, Hamdanid Emirates, Najahid Dynasty, Hammadid Dynasty, Zirid dynasty, Norman Italy, County of Edessa, Ziyadid dynasty, Zurayid dynasty.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1100?

The map data draws 23 states and other polities in Africa in 1100. The largest by land were the Almoravid Dynasty, the Great Seljuk Empire, the Fatimid Caliphate, Makuria and Hamdanid Emirates.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1100?

Of the states on this map, the Great Seljuk Empire held the most land in total: about 3.0 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1100 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1100, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Africa in other years

Other regions in 1100