Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval empire of Mali in West Africa, is believed to be the wealthiest individual who ever lived, with estimates of his fortune reaching as high as $400 billion. His generosity during a pilgrimage to Mecca flooded the Egyptian economy with gold, and his empire included modern-day nations such as Mali, Mauritania, and Nigeria. “Mansa” is a title meaning “sultan,” “emperor,” or “conqueror.”
Everyone knows the wealth of modern tech giants like Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. And there have been many fabulously wealthy kings throughout history. But the richest man who ever lived is someone you might not be very familiar with: Musa I of Mali, better known as Mansa Musa, ruler of the medieval empire of Mali in West Africa. The Mali Empire was rich in natural resources such as gold and salt (a precious commodity at the time) and was at the center of a network of trans-Saharan trade routes linking it with Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim and undertook the hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca in 1324, via Egypt. This is how the world beyond Mali learned of his fabulous wealth – appearing with thousands of courtiers and servants, as well as a hundred camels each laden with 300 pounds (136 kg) of gold. While it is nearly impossible to determine how wealthy Mansa Musa was, it is widely agreed that he was one of the wealthiest individuals who ever lived, if not the wealthiest. Some estimates have put his fortune as high as $400 billion in today’s money.
The magnificence of Mansa Musa:
Mansa Musa’s generosity during his journey through Egypt flooded so much gold into the Egyptian economy that its value fell for over a decade.
During Mansa Musa’s reign, the Mali empire included the modern-day nations of Mali, Mauritania, Chad, Senegal, Niger, Nigeria, Gambia, and Guinea.
“Mansa” is a title meaning “sultan”, “emperor” or “conqueror”.
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