Mansa

Mansa (N'Ko: ߡߊ߲߬ߛߊ; pl. mansaw) is a Maninka and Mandinka word for a hereditary ruler, commonly translated as "king". It is particularly known as the title of the rulers of the Mali Empire, such as Mansa Musa, and in this context is sometimes translated as "emperor". It is also a title held by traditional village rulers, and in this context is translated as "chief". Mansa contrasts with another Manding word for ruler, faama. Faama emphasizes the military, coercive authority of a ruler, and can be translated as "tyrant", whereas mansa refers to a hereditary ruler whose authority is derived from tradition and mystical power. A ruler can be both a faama and a mansa, but a mansa was not necessarily a faama. The word mansa (Arabic: منسا, romanized: mansā) was recorded in Arabic during the 14th...