Editing Askia Muhammad I (section)

==Exile and death==
Askia Muhammad had many sons, who jockeyed for position and influence at court. When a younger one, Bala, was appointed to a presitigious governorship, [[Askia Musa|Musa]] threatened to have the king's powerful advisor 'Ali Folon killed and drove him to exile in [[Tindirma]] in 1526. He had been concealing the fact that Muhammad, well over 70 years old, had gone blind.{{sfn|Levtzion|1977|p=434}} Ill and increasingly politically isolated, Askia Muhammad was forced to abdicate by his son [[Askia Musa]] in August 1528. Musa reigned only 3 years before being killed by his brothers.<ref name = Page/>{{rp|22}} [[Askia Mohammad Benkan|His successor]], the son of Omar Kondjago and Muhammad's nephew, exiled the old king to an island in the Niger. From here, he plotted with his son [[Askia Isma'il|Ismail]] to retake the throne. This was accomplished in April 1537, and Muhammad returned to Gao where he ceremonially conferred on Ismail the title and regalia of Caliph.{{sfn|Levtzion|1977|p=436}} He died [[Tomb of Askia|and was buried]] in Gao in 1538.<ref name="Britannica" />