Sundiata Keita
c. 1217 – 1255 · 38 years · Niani · Africa
The 'Lion King' who defeated the Sosso kingdom and founded the Mali Empire; hero of a West African epic.
Wikipedia (Russian) · Wikipedia (English) · 13th century
Contemporaries around the world
Europe
- Saint Louis (Louis IX) — crusader king canonised as a saint, 3 years older
- Rudolf I — first Habsburg king, who won Austria for his house, 1 year younger
- Frederick II — "Wonder of the World", polyglot emperor who regained Jerusalem without a fight, 23 years older
- Thomas Aquinas — theologian and philosopher, 8 years younger
- Edward I Longshanks — conqueror of Wales, called the Hammer of the Scots, 22 years younger
- Henry III — king under whom the English Parliament was born, 10 years older
Eastern Europe & Russia
- Alexander Nevsky — Prince of Novgorod, Grand Prince, 4 years younger
- Yaroslav II of Vladimir — first Russian prince to receive a patent to rule from the Horde, 26 years older
- Yuri II of Vladimir — grand prince of Vladimir killed fighting the Mongols on the Sit, 28 years older
Middle East
- Rumi — Sufi poet, 10 years older
Asia
- Kublai Khan — Great Khan, founder of the Yuan dynasty, 2 years older
- Genghis Khan — founder of the Mongol Empire, 55 years older
- Razia Sultana — Sultan of Delhi, 12 years older
The world in their lifetime
- 1223 Battle of the Kalka River — aged 6, Eastern Europe & Russia
- 1237–1240 Mongol invasion of Rus' — aged 20, Eastern Europe & Russia
- 1240 Batu Khan takes Kiev — aged 23, Eastern Europe & Russia
- c. 1242 The Golden Horde is founded — aged 25, Eastern Europe & Russia
- c. 1250 The moai of Easter Island — aged 33, Oceania
- c. 1251 The Tripitaka Koreana — aged 34, Asia