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Historical map · 1400

Map of Africa in 1400

In 1400, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 35 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Mamluk Sultanate, the Mali Empire and the Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire. The Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 12.5 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1400. 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 1400 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1400

States and empires in Africa in 1400

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Mamluk Sultanate Wikipedia1.5 million km²1.5 million km²1241–1518
Mali Empire Wikipedia977,000 km²977,000 km²1236–1611
Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire Wikipedia564,000 km²4.0 million km²1010–1802
Timurid Empire Wikipedia564,000 km²4.0 million km²1375–1506
Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire Wikipedia564,000 km²12.5 million km²1294–1695
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia393,000 km²393,000 km²1272–1935
Marinid Sultanate Wikipedia389,000 km²389,000 km²1250–1467
Rasulid Dynasty Wikipedia379,000 km²379,000 km²1236–1458
Jalayirid Sultanate Wikipedia238,000 km²238,000 km²1344–1401
Hafsid Dynasty Wikipedia224,000 km²224,000 km²1236–1571
Makuria Wikipedia213,000 km²213,000 km²347–1518
Zayyanid dynasty Wikipedia126,000 km²126,000 km²1236–1555
Alodia Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²347–1506
Ifat Sultanate Wikipedia121,000 km²121,000 km²1285–1414
Qara Qoyunlu Wikipedia77,000 km²152,000 km²1375–1467
Germiyanids Wikipedia71,000 km²120,000 km²1305–1439
Bahrani Dynasty Wikipedia50,000 km²74,000 km²1260–1520
Crown of Castile Wikipedia47,000 km²356,000 km²1236–1515
Beylik of Karaman Wikipedia45,000 km²100,000 km²1305–1467
Beylik of Teke Wikipedia31,000 km²31,000 km²1326–1428
Emirate of Granada Wikipedia28,000 km²28,000 km²1241–1491
Ramadanid Emirate Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²1385–1515
Crown of Aragon Wikipedia20,000 km²131,000 km²1169–1515
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia14,000 km²92,000 km²1147–1911
Bornu Empire Wikipedia14,000 km²14,000 km²1072–1894
Kingdom of Cyprus Wikipedia13,000 km²13,000 km²1192–1491
Principality of Achaea Wikipedia10,000 km²14,000 km²1206–1439
Beylik of Dulkadir Wikipedia10,000 km²30,000 km²1344–1515
Republic of Venice Wikipedia8,720 km²24,000 km²705–1796
Beylik of Aydin Wikipedia7,010 km²7,950 km²1305–1428
Beylik of Menteshe Wikipedia5,880 km²5,880 km²1305–1414
Byzantine Empire Wikipedia5,020 km²11,000 km²633–1474
Republic of Genoa Wikipedia810 km²25,000 km²1010–1795
House of Tocco Wikipedia690 km²2,210 km²1363–1414
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia400 km²403,000 km²1305–1923

"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 1300

New on the map: Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire, Timurid Empire, Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire, Marinid Sultanate, Jalayirid Sultanate, Qara Qoyunlu, Germiyanids, Beylik of Karaman, Beylik of Teke, Ramadanid Emirate, Beylik of Dulkadir, Beylik of Aydin, Beylik of Menteshe, Republic of Genoa, House of Tocco, Ottoman Empire.

Gone from the map: Allegiance of Ilkhanate to Yuan Dynasty, Almohad Caliphate, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, Duchy of the Archipelago, Duchy of Athens.

What comes next: 1444

Appear by 1444: Aq Qoyunlu, Adal Sultanate, Kingdom of Kongo, Despotate of Epirus.

Gone by 1444: Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire, Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire, Jalayirid Sultanate, Ifat Sultanate, Germiyanids, Beylik of Teke, Principality of Achaea, Beylik of Aydin, Beylik of Menteshe, House of Tocco.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1400?

The map data draws 35 states and other polities in Africa in 1400. The largest by land were the Mamluk Sultanate, the Mali Empire, the Vassalage of Kingdom of Georgia to Timurid Empire, the Timurid Empire and the Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1400?

Of the states on this map, the Alliance between Golden Horde and Timurid Empire held the most land in total: about 12.5 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1400 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1400, 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 1400