Final answer:
The Soninke monarchs of ancient Ghana became wealthy and powerful due to their control of the trans-Saharan gold trade. Their geographic position enabled them to act as intermediaries between gold sources and North African traders. The wealth generated fortified their military and established the foundation for the later wealth of the Mali Empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
How the Soninke Monarch Became Wealthy and Powerful
The Soninke monarchs of ancient Ghana were able to become immensely wealthy and powerful at a time before the fifth century CE largely due to their pivotal role in the trans-Saharan trade. The Soninke people's strategic location in the western Sahel placed them halfway between the Sahara, the principal source of salt, and the Bambuk goldfields along the upper Senegal River. This advantageous position allowed them to trade their gold surplus for salt and soon become intermediaries in a burgeoning trade of gold across the Sahara, catering to the North African demand. As the Soninke facilitated the trans-Saharan gold trade, their kings amassed great wealth which in turn funded a substantial military expansion. By the eleventh century, the Ghanaian empire reached its zenith, with a military might of around 200,000 soldiers.
However, changes in the location of the primary gold sources, as well as shifting trade routes, would eventually lead to the decline of Ghana and the rise of new powers such as the Mali Empire founded by Sundiata Keita. After conquering former Ghanaian territories, Mali's leaders captured key trading towns and maintained indirect control over the peripheral states, further centralizing wealth and power. The wealth of the Ghana Empire set a precedent for the subsequent wealth and power of the Mali Empire, yet it was the latter that reached heights of prosperity unseen in the region till then, especially under the rule of Mansu Musa.