The fortunes of Africa : a 5000-year history of wealth, greed, and endeavour

Resource Information

The work The fortunes of Africa : a 5000-year history of wealth, greed, and endeavour represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Bryn Athyn College, Swedenborg Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

The fortunes of Africa : a 5000-year history of wealth, greed, and endeavour

Title remainder

a 5000-year history of wealth, greed, and endeavour

Statement of responsibility

Martin Meredith

Title variation

Africa

Creator

• Meredith, Martin

Author

• Meredith, Martin

Subject

• Africa -- Economic conditions
• Wealth -- Africa
• Africa -- History

Language

eng

Summary

Africa has been coveted for its riches ever since the era of the Pharaohs. In past centuries, it was the lure of gold, ivory, and slaves that drew fortune-seekers, merchant-adventurers, and conquerors from afar. In modern times, the focus of attention is on oil, diamonds, and other valuable minerals. Land was another prize. The Romans relied on their colonies in northern Africa for vital grain shipments to feed the population of Rome. Arab invaders followed in their wake, eventually colonizing the entire region. More recently, foreign corporations have acquired huge tracts of land to secure food supplies needed abroad, just as the Romans did. In this vast and vivid panorama of history, Martin Meredith follows the fortunes of Africa over a period of 5,000 years. With compelling narrative, he traces the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms and empires; the spread of Christianity and Islam; the enduring quest for gold and other riches; the exploits of explorers and missionaries; and the impact of European colonization. He examines, too, the fate of modern African states and concludes with a glimpse of their future

Cataloging source

BTCTA

Illustrations

• illustrations
• maps
• plates

Index

index present

LC call number

DT20

LC item number

.M47 2014

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography