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Historical map · 1453

Map of Africa in 1453

In 1453, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 29 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 Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire. The Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 4.7 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 1453. 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 1453 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 1453

States and empires in Africa in 1453

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Mamluk Sultanate Wikipedia1.5 million km²1.5 million km²1241–1518
Mali Empire Wikipedia1.1 million km²1.1 million km²1236–1611
Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire Wikipedia729,000 km²4.7 million km²1375–1467
Ethiopian Empire Wikipedia394,000 km²394,000 km²1272–1935
Timurid Empire Wikipedia392,000 km²3.7 million km²1375–1506
Marinid Sultanate Wikipedia389,000 km²389,000 km²1250–1467
Rasulid Dynasty Wikipedia379,000 km²379,000 km²1236–1458
Hafsid Dynasty Wikipedia224,000 km²224,000 km²1236–1571
Aq Qoyunlu Wikipedia213,000 km²233,000 km²1407–1511
Makuria Kingdom Wikipedia213,000 km²213,000 km²347–1518
Adal Sultanate Wikipedia150,000 km²150,000 km²1415–1578
Kingdom of Kongo Wikipedia132,000 km²132,000 km²1440–1669
Zayyanid dynasty Wikipedia126,000 km²126,000 km²1236–1555
Alodia Wikipedia124,000 km²124,000 km²347–1506
Ottoman Empire Wikipedia54,000 km²568,000 km²1305–1923
Crown of Castile Wikipedia51,000 km²360,000 km²1236–1515
Bahrani Dynasty Wikipedia48,000 km²71,000 km²1260–1520
Beylik of Karaman Wikipedia45,000 km²100,000 km²1305–1467
Emirate of Granada Wikipedia27,000 km²27,000 km²1241–1491
Ramadanid Emirate Wikipedia24,000 km²24,000 km²1385–1515
Crown of Aragon Wikipedia21,000 km²243,000 km²1169–1515
Byzantine Empire Wikipedia16,000 km²24,000 km²633–1474
Kingdom of Portugal Wikipedia15,000 km²97,000 km²1147–1911
Bornu Empire Wikipedia14,000 km²14,000 km²1072–1894
Kingdom of Cyprus Wikipedia13,000 km²13,000 km²1192–1491
Beylik of Dulkadir Wikipedia10,000 km²30,000 km²1344–1515
Republic of Venice Wikipedia8,220 km²53,000 km²705–1796
Republic of Genoa Wikipedia810 km²26,000 km²1010–1795
Despotate of Epirus Wikipedia690 km²8,640 km²1206–1481

"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 1444

Between 1444 and 1453 the data shows the same states in Africa; their borders may still have moved.

What comes next: 1492

Appear by 1492: Songhai Empire, Wattasid dynasty, Tahirid Sultanate, Personal union of Crown of Aragon with Crown of Castile.

Gone by 1492: Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire, Marinid Sultanate, Rasulid Dynasty, Beylik of Karaman, Emirate of Granada, Byzantine Empire, Kingdom of Cyprus, Despotate of Epirus.

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 1453?

The map data draws 29 states and other polities in Africa in 1453. The largest by land were the Mamluk Sultanate, the Mali Empire, the Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire, the Ethiopian Empire and the Timurid Empire.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 1453?

Of the states on this map, the Vassalage of Qara Qoyunlu to Timurid Empire held the most land in total: about 4.7 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 1453 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 1453, 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 1453