In 1076, the Almoravids captured this empire's last capital at Kumbi Saleh, which thrived due to the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade routes which passed through it.
This empire's ruler is surrounded by ten horses covered in gold and ten servants with gold swords and shields in a description of its court of appeals, which punished the crimes of denial of debt and shedding of blood with a trial by ordeal. According to the geographer al-Bakri, this empire's capital consisted of two separate cities six miles apart, one inhabited by merchants and the other by priests and royalty, that eventually merged into one. This empire is more properly called Awkar, but its most common name derives from the title of its rulers, who notably practiced a system of (*) matrilineal succession. This empire was first unified under Dinga Cisse, who belonged to this empire's founding ethnicity, the Soninke people. In 1076, the Almoravids captured this empire's last capital at Kumbi Saleh, which thrived due to the trans-Saharan gold and salt trade routes which passed through it. For 10 points, name this early African trading empire which preceded the Mali Empire.
This empire's ruler is surrounded by ten horses covered in gold and ten servants with gold swords and shields in a description of its court of appeals, which punished the crimes of denial of debt and shedding of blood with a trial by ordeal.
Ghana Empire [accept Wagadou Empire; accept Awkar before it is read] 