Editing Askia Muhammad I (section)

{{Infobox royalty
| name         = Askia Muhammad I
| title        = Askia
| image        = 
| full name    = Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Turi
| reign        = April 1493 – 1528
| predecessor = [[Sunni Baru]]
| successor = [[Askia Musa]]
| birth_date   = {{Circa|1443}}
| birth_place  = [[Gao]]
| death_date   = {{Circa|1538}} (aged 94–95)
| death_place  = Gao, [[Songhai Empire]]
| date of burial = 
| place of burial = {{unbulleted list|[[Tomb of Askia]] [[Gao]]|[[Mali]]}}
| spouse       = 
| issue        = [[Askia Musa]], [[Askia Isma'il]], [[Askia Ishaq I]], [[Askia Dawud]], hawah, Fatimatu and 465 other children
| royal house  = 
| dynasty      = [[Askia dynasty]]
| father       = Abi Bakr
| mother       = Kassey
| religion     = [[Sunni Islam]]
}}
[[File:Map of the Songhay Empire.png|thumb|right|Extent of the [[Songhai Empire]].]]

'''Askia Muhammad Ture I''' (1443–1538), born '''Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Turi'''{{efn|Or, it is said, al-Sillanki}} or '''Muhammad Ture''', was the first ruler of the [[Askia dynasty]] of the [[Songhai Empire]], reigning from 1493 to 1528. He is also known as '''Askia the Great''', and his name in modern [[Songhay languages|Songhai]] is '''Mamar Kassey'''. Askia Muhammad strengthened his empire and made it the largest empire in [[West Africa]]'s history. At its peak under his reign, the Songhai Empire encompassed the [[Hausa people|Hausa]] states as far as [[Kano (city)|Kano]] (in present-day Northern [[Nigeria]]) and much of the territory that had belonged to the Songhai empire in the east. His policies resulted in a rapid expansion of trade with [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], the creation of many schools, and the establishment of [[Islam]] as an integral part of the empire.

Muhammad was a prominent general under the Songhai ruler [[Sunni Ali]]. When [[Sunni Ali]] was succeeded by his son, [[Sunni Baru]], in 1492, Muhammad challenged the succession on the grounds that the new ruler was not a faithful Muslim.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=GX1fNzyNO5AC&pg=PA78&dq=%22Sunni+Baru%22 Towards an Understanding of the African Experience from Historical] By Festus Ugboaja Ohaegbulam</ref> He defeated Baru and ascended to the throne in 1493.<ref name="globaled">[http://www.globaled.org/nyworld/materials/african3.html Biographical information on historical African figures] from globaled.org</ref>

Ture subsequently orchestrated a program of expansion and consolidation which extended the empire from Taghaza in the North to the borders of [[Yatenga Province|Yatenga]] in the South; and from Air in the Northeast to [[Fouta Djallon|Futa Djallon]] in Guinea. Instead of organizing the empire along Islamic lines, he tempered and improved on the traditional model by instituting a system of bureaucratic government unparalleled in [[Western Africa]]. In addition, Askia established standardized trade measures and regulations, initiated the policing of trade routes and also established an organized tax system. He was overthrown by his son, [[Askia Musa]], in 1528.<ref>[http://global.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/396293/Muhammad-I-Askia#md-media-strip-tab-lists-content ''Muḥammad I Askia Songhai ruler''] from britannica.com</ref>