ABSTRACT
Among the surviving correspondence from al-Manr's court is one rather strange letter from the pen of the scribe Muammad Ibn's. The period between 990-1001/1582-93 was dominated by al-Manr's plans for and undertaking of a massive military invasion across the Sahara Desert to conquer the West African Songhay Empire, the largest and wealthiest of the West African tribal kingdoms. By comparing the writings of Ibn al-Q and al-Fishtl, the chapter shows that the two scholars were seeking to accomplish the same goal, despite the difference in their methods and writing styles. Success in battle was believed to be an important sign of caliphal supremacy. Accordingly, al-Manr placed emphasis upon military power in his royal correspondence. Describing his armies in the most elaborate terms, al-Manr asserted that their success in battle confirmed his caliphal identity. The chapter reviews the diplomatic correspondence between al-Manr and the rulers of Spain and England provides some interesting comparisons and contrasts to his correspondence with Islamic rulers.
