Soundiata Keïta (or Sundjata Keïta ) was a emperor of Mali, born in 1190 with Niani (Kingdom of the Manding, current Guinea) and deceased in 1255.

The history of Soundiata Keïta is primarily known by the epopee told from generation to generation until our days by the Griot S. According to Seydou Camara, " this “epopee” with the legendary tonalities is a mixture of real memories and reasons for tale; it is, in other words, a literary construction which evokes the local history parasitized by the universal topic of the hero classique." .

Naré Maghann Konaté was a king of Manding, small kingdom of West Africa. It accepted one day the visit of a hunter soothsayer which predicts to him that an ugly woman would give him to one day a son who would become a large king. Naré Maghann Konaté was already married in Sassouma Berté and had a son Dankaran Toumani Keïta. However when, a few years later, two hunters coming from the country of C introduced an ugly and uneven woman to him, Sougoulou Konté, remembering prediction it married it. His second wife gave rise to a son baptized Soundiata Keïta. This one remained crippled during all its childhood unable to be held upright.

With died of Naré Maghann Konaté, in 1218, Dankaran Toumani Keïta, the first wire seized the power in spite of the will of the late king to respect the prediction. Sundjata and its mother, who had given rise to two girls and had adopted the son of the third woman of Naré Maghann Konaté, were the permanent object of the contempt of the new king and his mother. After an affront against his/her mother, Sundjata, at the seven years age, succeeds in rising. It miraculeusement recovers the use of its legs when it touched the royal stick. But the hatred of Sassouma Berté and Dankaran Toumani Keïta led Sundjata, his/her mother and his/her sisters with the exile with the Kingdom of Carried out.

Soumaoro Kanté, king of the Sosso, attacked the kingdom of Manding. Dankaran Toumani Keïta, fearing for its life, had to flee. According to the tradition, Soumaoro leads ten forwardings to the course of which he massacres eleven of wire of Naré Maghann Konaté, except Soundiata Keita.

The inhabitants of Manding went to seek Soundiata Keïta in its exile. The young prince became very popular near the Mandingues which hope that it will drive out one day the invaders of Sosso. Its growing popularity worries Soumaoro, king of Sosso, with which of the wizards predicted: “Your winner will be born in Mali”. To escape its revenge, Soundiata takes refuge at a nearby and friendly sovereign, reigning in the south of its country. There, it waits the favorable moment to release its kingdom.

Soundiata is aguerri as of its more young age with the shooting with the arc and mithridatized against the poisons. He lives during years with the idea to be avenged for the massacre of his family. One day, an emissary teaches him the revolt from Mandé against Soumaoro Kanté.

He gathers his warriors, conquers the Fouta-Djalon, and launches attacks on Sosso. To learn the secrecy from the invulnerability of Soumaoro Kanté, it sends his Djegue sister to him, who according to the legend learns that “Only an arrow carrying a pin of white cock will be able to kill the king of Sosso ”. Soundiata does what is necessary with the help of the magicians attached to his service.

Gathering the armies of various small kingdoms in fight against Sosso, Soundiata Keïta formed an army and succeeds in overcoming the army of Soumaoro Kanté in 1235 with Kirina. Soumaoro Kanté disappeared in a mountain with Koulikoro.

Soundiata Keïta joins together all the kingdoms to constitute the Empire of Mali. He is proclaimed “Mansa” what means “ King of the kings ”. He establishes the capital with Niani, his birthplace, today a small village in Guinea near the border Malian. During her establishment, the brotherhood of the hunters of Mandé proclaims the Charte of Manden, which abolishes slavery and is one of the first declarations of the Human rights.

Towards 1240, king Soundiata seizes Koumbi - Saleh, capital of the Ghana and destroyed the city. It takes the title of emperor and sends his lieutenants to conquer the Bambouk.

Soundiata is presented as a large administrator who develops the trade, the exploitation of gold and the new cultures (introduction of the cotton plant). It organizes politically and administratively the subjected people, by establishing a military solid organization. The chiefs of its armies are installed as governors of province. Soundiata, in addition to its warlike exploits, is known for its wisdom. Its tolerance allows the peaceful coexistence of Islam and the animism in its Empire.

Soundiata Keïta died in 1255, drowned in water of the Sankarani for the ones, killed out of an arrow by treachery (or accidentally) at the time of a festival with Niani according to the others. To its death, the empire of Mali extends from the Atlantic to the Niger Means and the forest to the desert.

Soundiata Keïta had three wire which followed one another on the throne of the Empire of Mali: Mansa Oulé Keïta, Ouati Keïta and Khalifa Keïta. Mansa Oulé (king Rouge), peaceful sovereign and piles extends the kingdom of Mali. On the other hand, its successors Ouati, Khalifa and Aboubakari will maqueront of authority and will let reign anarchy in the Empire.

The Mandingues make still today sacrifices with the memory of Soundiata, which according to the legend would have been metamorphosed in hippopotamus.