Saadi Sultanate

State · 1556–1740 CE · at its largest around 1595 CE

A Moroccan dynasty of Arab sharifs that displaced the Wattasids, defeated the Portuguese at the Battle of Alcácer Quibir in 1578 and under Ahmad al-Mansur invaded the Songhai Empire.

On its lands while it lasted

Volubilis (400 BCE – 1710 CE): Capital of Mauretania (212 BCE–42), Idrisids (793–974).
Trans-Saharan trade (c. 700–1600 CE): Camel caravans crossed the Sahara between Morocco and the Niger bend, exchanging North African goods and Saharan salt from mines such as Taghaza for West African gold, enriching the empires of Ghana, Mali and Songhai.
Songhai Empire (c. 1464–1591 CE): Empire centred on Gao that under Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad became one of the largest states in African history before falling to a Moroccan invasion in 1591.
Battle of Alcácer Quibir (1578 CE): A Moroccan army defeated the invading forces of King Sebastian of Portugal, who died along with two rival Moroccan sultans; the battle led to the Iberian Union.
Battle of Tondibi (1591 CE): Moroccan army of the Saadi dynasty, equipped with firearms, defeated the Songhai near Gao, bringing about the collapse of the Songhai Empire.
Ségou (1620 CE): Capital of Bamana Empire (1713–1821).