| Askiya Dawud | |
|---|---|
| Emperor of the Songhai Empire | |
| Reign | 1549 – 1582 or 1583[1] |
| Died | 1582 or 1583 (died a natural death) |
| Place of death | Tondibi[2] |
| Predecessor | Askiya Ishaq I (ruled 1539–1549) |
| Successor | Askiya [Muhammad] Al-Hajj (ruled 1582–1586) |
| Offspring | 333[3] or "at least 61"[4] |
| Dynasty | Askiya Dynasty |
| Father | Ashiya al-hajj Muhammad |
Askia Daoud (also Askia Dawud) was ruler of the Songhai Empire from 1549 to 1582. Daoud came to power unopposed following the death of his brother Askia Ishaq I in 1549. The Empire continued to expand under Daoud's rule, and saw little internal strife.
He organised a series of military campaigns against tributary territories of his large empire. The Songhai forces were frequently successful, but in the 1561-1562 campaign against the Mossi, a number of his commanders were killed.[5]
In 1556-1557 troops of Mulay Muhammad al-Shaykh, the sultan of Marrakesh captured the salt mines of Taghaza but then withdrew.[6] Soon after his accession in 1578 Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur of Morocco demanded the tax revenues from the salt mines. Ashiya Dawud responded by sending a large quantity of gold as a gift.[7]
Daoud's 1582 death began a struggle for succession that critically weakened the Empire and prepared the way for the 1591 Moroccan invasion by the troops of Sultan Ahmad I al-Mansur Saadi.