Which African kingdom was noted for its famous university in Timbuktu?

Timbuktu, located in present-day Mali, became one of the greatest centres of Islamic learning in Africa. Its most famous institution, the University of Sankore, attracted scholars from across the Muslim world. While Timbuktu was part of both the Mali Empire and the Songhai Empire at different periods, the question of which kingdom was most "noted for" the university depends on when the institution reached its greatest prominence.

The Songhai Empire (approximately 1464-1591) is most closely associated with Timbuktu's scholarly reputation. Under the Songhai ruler Askia Muhammad (reigned 1493-1528), Timbuktu experienced its golden age of learning. The University of Sankore reached its peak during this period, housing tens of thousands of students and an enormous collection of manuscripts. Scholars such as Ahmad Baba al-Timbukti produced influential works in Islamic jurisprudence, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.

While the Mali Empire (particularly under Mansa Musa in the early 14th century) initially developed Timbuktu as a centre of learning and trade, the city's scholarly institutions reached their fullest development under Songhai rule. The Ghana Empire predated Timbuktu's rise as a scholarly centre. The Axum Empire was located in present-day Ethiopia and Eritrea, far from Timbuktu.

The correct answer is Songhai, the empire under which Timbuktu's university achieved its greatest renown.