Born: Unknown (1300s), Unknown
Died: Unknown (1300s)
Country most active: Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, the Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Ghana
Also known as: Qasa
As the principal wife and paternal cousin of Mansa Suleyman, Kassi co-ruled the Kingdom of Mali jointly with her husband in the mid-1300s. Called Qasa (“the Queen”), her name was read in the pulpit at mosque during Muslim services, according to Ibn Battuta – an honor reserved for ruling sovereigns as opposed to consorts who were simply the spouse of the ruler. She was one of 20 Muslim women rulers documented as such.
Although popular with the royal court – which included many of her relatives – she fell out of favor with her husband, who divorced her to marry a commoner named Bendjou. The women of the court refused to honour Suleyman’s new wife, continuing to recognise Kassi as their queen by throwing earth on their heads to honor her while throwing it on their hands to insult Bendiou. This angered Suleyman and Kassi was forced to seek sanctuary in a mosque.
This contributed to a civil war circa 1352 or 1353, as Kassi reputedly encouraged the nobles – including her relatives – to revolt, with Suleyman’s supporters on one side and Kassi’s, who also supported the sons of the former ruler Maghan I (Suleyman’s nephew), on the other. Suleyman won, discrediting his former wife by showing that she was in league with her cousin Djathal, who had been banished for treason.
Her son, Kassa, succeeded his father circa 1360 but was soon replaced by a cousin, Mari Diata II.