Page "Ibn Battuta" Paragraph 17

When he arrived in 1331, Mogadishu stood at the zenith of its prosperity.

Ibn Battuta described it as " an exceedingly large city " with many rich merchants, noted for its high quality fabric that was exported to other countries including Egypt.

He added that the city was ruled by a Somali Sultan, originally from Berbera in northern Somalia, who spoke both Somali ( referred to as Mogadishan, the Benadir dialect of Somali ) and Arabic with equal fluency.

The Sultan also had a retinue of wazirs ( ministers ), legal experts, commanders, royal eunuchs, and assorted hangers-on at his beck and call.