Date North East Africa: Egypt & Soudan East Africa: Ethiopia & Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania & Mozambique North Africa: Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Marokko West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Ghana, Benin etc. West Afrca: Nigeria, Tchad, Cameroon, etc. Central Africa: Zaire, Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Zambia, Angola Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa
3000 Dynastic Egyptian Civilisation begins Nigeria  
700 Late Dynastic period Egypt & Nubia Carthage in Tunisia founded by Phoenicians Nok Culture in Nigeria  
         
         
600 671 Egypt overrun by Assyrians; Nubian Cemetry built with Pyramid of King Taharqa; Iron working develops. Carthaginian expedition explores southwards from thei capital in North Africa by Sea, possibly circumnavigating Africa. Nok people of Nigeria begin to mine iron.  
500 538 Kushite kindom moves from Napata to Meroë; Persian Conquest of Egypt by Cambyses in 525; Worship of the Sacred Apis Bull at Memphis. Semitic people from Arabia migrte to Eritrea and Ethiopia, trading ivory, spices and incense.      
400 Kushite Kingdom expands, opening up trade contacts Eastward, Southward and Westward. The Bantu arrive in Tanzania 480 Voyage of Carthaginian admiral Hanno. 400 Copper smelting begins in Mauretania, Western Sahara.    
300 Ptole-maic; Alexander the Great Conquers Egypt in 332 BC and insitutes his General Ptolemy as Pharaoh and founds Alexandria Semitic people from Arabia migrate to Eritrea and Ethiopia, trading ivory, spices and incense.      
   Ptolemy orders restoration of the Temples of Luxor and Karnak        
   The Pharos of Alexandria (Lighthouse) constructed as well as Library        
200 248-220 Arkamani builds large pyramids at Meroe; Temple of Horus at Edfu in Egypt 237-57 BC   Carthage falls to rome during Punic Wars 264-146 BC202 Hannibal defeated at Battle of Zama    
100 Temple of Hathor, Dendera 110 BC-68 AD   146 Carthage is destroyed.   The Bantu introduce iron into central Africa  
0 33 Cleopatra Commits Suicide, Egypt becomes a Roman Province; Naga temples in Nubia; revolt of Tacfarinas, Numidian Leader against Roman Government in North Africa   42 Mauretania (Now northern Marocco and North Western Algeria annexed by Rome.    
100 Ptolemy's map 100 Aksum becomes capital of major state in Tigrai, Northern Ethiopia 193-211 The Libyan Septimus Severus becomes Emperor of Rome    
200 274 The bible is translated into Coptic (Egypt)   238 Revolt in africa against Roman Rule begins half a century of unrest; 295-300 Emperor Diocletian re-organizes local government in North Africa Nok culture comes to an end  
300 c. 350 End of Kushite civilisation at Meroe, possibly brought down by kingdom of Aksum 330-40 King Ezana of Aksum in Ethiopia converted to Christianity 380 Theodosius I appoints berber prince Gildo as Count of Africa. 397 Gildo begins major rebellion against Roman Emperor Honorius Bantu cereal cultivators in SE Africa begin to herd cattle  
  Use of Iron spreads through East Africa 354 Saint Augustine is born at Hippo in Northern Africa  
400 Traditional Egyptian Religion dies out Christianity becomes more widespread in Ethiopia  
500 550-600, Nubians in Sudan become Christian 525 King Kaleb of Aksum conquers Yemen in Southern Arabia, he builds many churches c. 500 Empire of Ghana becomes most important power in West Africa through gold trade  
600 641 Caliph Omar a successor to Mohammed, conquers Egypt, Islamic faith spreads rapidly westward over North Africa Stone obelisks of Aksum built 697 Arabs destroy Byzantine city of Carthage and build new city of Tunis Capital in Kumbi Saleh  
   642 Arabs erect first Mosque in Al Fustat, new capital of Muslim Egypt; 651 Christian Nubians and Arabs of Egypt agree that Aswan should define the boundary of Southern expansion of Arabs.      
700 Arabs impose a tribute of slaves on Nubia   788 Idris, Arab chief becomes ruler in Morocco 734 Omayyad expedition against Ghana fails; c. 800 Sanhadja Empire founded under the Berber Tiklan c. 800 Kingdom of Kanem founded by the Teda of Tibesti  
800 868 Ahmed ibn-Tulun, and Egyptian noble of Turkish descent breaks away from Abbasid caliphate and sets up Tulunid dynasty. Arab and Persian merchants explore east coast of Africa setting up cities such as Mogadishu, Malindi, Mombasa and Kilwa c. 790's Al Fazari, Arabian geographer mentions Ghana as "Land of Gold"; 850 The Dia Ogo found the Kingdom of Takrur   Peoples living on Zimbabwe plateau learn to mine gold and begin construction of part of Great Zimbabwe
900 969 Fatimid dynasty expands from Tunis and conquers Egypt. 800-950 Christian Empire in Ethiopia continues after the decline of Aksum 800-909 Aghlabid dynasty rules in Tunis and invade Sicily and Southern Italy c.900 Kasar Hausa on the lower Niger River prospers due to trade c. 950-1050 Igbo-Ukwu culture in Nigeria uses the lost wax method for casting bronze  
  970's Fatimids found university at Alhazar Mosque in Cairo, one of the oldest universities still extant   918 Sanhadja empire collapses the Ghanese take over; 920's City states of Kano, Katsina, Zaria, Gobir and Korofa founded    
1000     1050's-1146, Almoravid Berber Muslims from Western Sahara take over Morocco and Algeria and Southern Spain 1076 Almoravids led by Abu Bakr invade Ghana and establish power at Kumbi; Ghana empire declines; Kindoms of Takrur and Gao flourish due to gold trade, The Soninké Nyakaté replace the Dia Ogo of Takrur; The chief of Kawa KAw (Gao) converts to Islam   Bantu kingdoms in Southern Africa: Lunda, Kouba, Louba
      1062, Almoravids found city of Marrakech 1050's Culture of Yoruba people of Ife in Nigeria flourishes until 1400's  
1100   1150's Zagwe dynasty rules in Ethiopian highlands Almohads, berber muslims opposed to Almovarids seize Marrakech Berber traders sold precious metals, ivory and slaves from West Africa to Europe   c. 1100 city of Katanga in Zaire founded 1100's Zimbabwe culture builds Mazibabwe, large stone enclosures
   1171 Saladin overthrows Fatimid dynasty in Egypt    Konbolo, chief of city state of Djenne (Mali empire) Mali converts to Islam and destroys his palace to build mosque    
1200 1260 Mamluk commander Baybars takes over as Sultan of Egypt c. 1200-30 King Lalibela of Ethiopia builds churches cut from rock ;c.1220 City state of Kilwa in Tanzania prospers c. 1230 Hafsid monarchy takes over from Almohads in Tunisia and trades across the Sahara c. 1235 Sun Diata of the Keita founds Mali Empire; 1240 Mali destroys Kumbi c. 1250 Kanem Kingdom in Lake Chad begins to break up into rival factions; Zimbabwe gold exported to Asia in return for goods such as porcelein.
1300 1348 Egypt devastated by the plague c. 1400 Engaruka community farms land in Tanzania terracing the mountainsides for building and agriculture 1352-53 Ibn Battuta, Berber scholar travels across Africa writing of all he sees. 1324 Emperor of Mali, Mansa Musa goes on a pilgrimage to Mecca, returns with architect Abu Issak nicknamed Es-Saheli, from Spain, who builds mosque of Djingueber in Timbuctu. c. 1300 Ife Culture in Nigeria produces famous brasses 1380's Foundation of Kongo Kingdom in Congo river mouth region of Zaire. Bantu Kingdoms Bachwzi, Kongo
1400   c. 1430 Sultans of Kilwa begin a grand building program 1420's Songhai people in Gao region, West Afric begin raids on Mali Empire;   1420's Portuguese sailors begin to explore West Coast of Africa; 1482 Portuguese explore Congo river c. 1400 Kindom of Great Zimbabwe thrives on gold trade
    1434-68, The reign of Christian Emperor Zera Yacub, expands the Church and promotes monasteries 1462 Sonni Ali becomes ruler of the Songhai and goes on to build an Empire     1450 buidling at Great Zimbabwe at its height.  
      1482 Portuguese in Ghana build slaving house.     Empire of Mwene Mutapa in Zimbabwe
      Timbuctu a centre of Learning and Culture during 15th and 16th centuries   1491 Ruler of Congo kingdom baptized as a Christian by the Portuguese  
1500 1517 Ottomans conquer Egypt 1529 Muslims defeat Christian Ethiopian forces at the battle of Shimbra Kure and overrun the kingdom until 1543 when Portugese troops help to defeat them 1500's Songhai Empire enters period of greatest expansion under Askia Mohammed Turré: Tomb of Askia; 1500's Hausa States grow as a result of trade   1507 Nzinga Mbemba, a Christian and ally of Portuguese becomes king of Kongo; 1505-7 Portuguese Capture Sofala and found Mozambique
Portuguese & Spanish Dominate World Trade     1530 Beginning of Transatlantic slave trade organized by Portuguese; 1560 First Portuguese embassies in Timbuctu 1591 Songhai Empire overthrown by Moroccan Army     1570-1610 Kanem-Bornu kingdom in Western Central Africa at its most powerful, alliance with Ottomans provides it with firearms, military training and Camel troops  
      1598 First Dutch Trade Posts set up on Guinea Coast.   c. 1575 Portuguese colonise Angola  
      Benin City flourishes; 1562 Sir John Hawkins starts English Slave Trade to Americas   Kalonga kingdom north of Zambezi river becomes rich through ivory trade  
1600   Ethiopia expels Portuguese missionaries and diplomats 1670 French settle in Senegal; Hausaland centred on Kano dominate traderoutes through Sahara.    1650's Portuguese clash with Muslims in Zambezi Region Great Zimbabwe replaced by regional capitals in Transvaal, Botswana and Zimbabwe
French & Dutch Dominate World Trade     1670's Fulani Pastoral People gain control of Bondu in southern Senegal   1623-1663 Queen Nzinga of Ndongo (Angola, fights Portuguese, tyakes over kingdom of Matamba 1680's Butua Kingdom flourishes in Zimbabwe
    1698 Portuguese expelled from Mombasa  1680's Rise of the Asante Kingdom to escape domination of Denkyira    1652 Dutch under Van Riebeeck found Cape Town in South Africa
1700 1768 Ali Bey, a Mamluk officer makes himself ruler of Egypt   1777 Sidi Mohammed, ruler of Morocco abolishes the enslavement of Christians 1701 Osei Tutu Creates free Asante nation with capital at Kumasi 1720's Yoruba state of Oyo flourishes 1705 Kongo Prophetess Dona Beatrice founds new religious cult and helps to end the civil war 1740's Lunda create new Kingdom
    1746 Mazrui dynasty in Mombasa becomes independent from Oman (Arabia) Tijaniyya Islamic order set up in Algeria 1723 Asante conquer kingdom of Bono Mansu; 1724-34 King Agaja of Dahomey temporarily disrupts slave trade, it is reintroduced in 1740's   1755 First outbreak of the smallpox in Cape Town, spreads wildly killing many Khoisan hunters
      1750 more than 200,000 muskets imported into Africa each year; 1770's Tukolor kingdom gains power in former Songhai region   1779 Dutch farmers clash with Xhosa
     1785 Omani rulers reassert influence in Zanzibar 1764-77 Reign of Osei Kwadwo of the Asante    
British Dominate World Trade     1787 Tuaregs, nomads in the Sahara, abolish Moroccan pashalik of Timbuctu c. 1788 Usuman dan Fodio, a Fulani cleric in Hausaland stirs holy war against Hausa King 1795 British seize Cape Colony from Dutch.
1800 1805-1848 Mohammed Ali, Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt  breaks away from Ottoman Empire   1807 Asante invade Fante confederacy of states 1804 Fulani begin Jihad in Northern Nigeria; 1814 Cape Colony ceded to British by Netherlands; 1816-1828 Reign of Shaka, Zulu ruler
  1825 Egyptians found Khartoum in Sudan   1830 French invade Algeria 1822 Liberia founded in West Africa as home for freed slaves 1808 Fulani invade Bornu near lake Chad 1836-37 The Boer Trek (Dutch farmers leaving British South Africa
    1840 Imam Sayyid Said, ruler of Oman, makes Zanzibar,  small island of the East Coast his capital 1832-47 Abd-al-Kadir leads Arab resistance to French in Algeria  1805-6 Mungo Park explores Niger River 1820 Fulani Emirate founded in Adamawa. 1838 Boers found republic of Natal which is taken over by British in 1843
    1855-68 Reign of Emperor Theodore of Ethiopia 1828 Basel Mission to Ghana 1820-64 The Fulani in Mali found and rule the Hamdallahi Caliphate 1854 Boers found Orange Free State
      1852 Tukolor leader Al-Hajj 'Umar launches Jihad along Senegal and Upper Niger to establish Islamic State; 1863 Al Hajj 'Umar takes Timbuctu 1853-56 Dr David Livingstone Crosses Africa along Zambezi river reaching Victoria Falls 1865-68 Wars between Orange Free State and Moshwebe's Basuto People
  1869 Suez Canal Opened   1873-4 War between Asante and Britain 1867 Diamonds discovered in Kimberly S.Africa
      1874 Mande State in Old Mali under Samori Turé 1879 Zulu War with British
1880 Beginnings of the European for Africa. In 1885 Berlin Conference  
  1885 Sudanese leader Mahdi takes Khartoum from British 1896 Ethiopian ruler Menelik helped by Haile Selassi's father Ras Makonnen crushes Italian Army at Adowa 1894 French set up protectorate in Dahomey (Benin) 1881 First Boer War, British Defeated by Transvaal
    1896 France take Madagascar; 1897 Slavery banned in Zanzibar 1897 Punitative expedition of the British against the Benin 1886 Gold Found in Transvaal;
1900   1905 Maji Maji rebllion is crushed in Tanzania by colonial forces who create famine; 1905 Kenya under British rule, White settlers given land t the expense of Masai, Nandi and Kikuyu 1900-1 Asante rise up but are annexed by British; 1903 Sokoto caliphate in Hausaland taken over by Britain 1885-1908 King Leopold of Belgium's barbaric rule over countries of Central Africa (Zaire etc.) Huge de-population 1899-1902 Second Boer War;  1904-1908 Herero and Nama rise in Namibia are crushed by German forces
First World War 1914 Abd el Krim leads Berbers against Europeans in North Africa 1917 Ras Tafari later Haile Selassie becomes regent of Ethiopia 1904 French create federation of French West Africa 1902-03 Ovimbundu kingdoms in Angola rise against Portuguese 1910 Union of South Africa Created; 1913 South African Government introduced laws to reserve 87 % of land for white South Africans
  1923 Egypt becomes independent from Britain under King Fuad 1923 Ethiopia admitted to League of Nations Griault "discovers" the Dogon of Mali 1919 ANC demonstrates against pass laws in Transvaal
  1930 Ras Tafari crowned emperor of Ethiopia and takes name Haile Selassie 1934 British Colonial Government of Ghana suppresses radical African Critics 1931 First trans-African Railway completed from Angola to Mozambique 1930 White women given the vote in S.Africa
  1935-6 Italians under Mussolini invade adn annex Ethiopia 1936 Representation of Natives Act
Second World War 1943 Germans and Italians driven from North Africa 1941 Ethiopia liberated from Italian Occupation by Allies  
From 1950's African States Achieve Political Independence   Sharpville Massacre