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If someone asks about the rich people, you probably think of Bill Gates,
Rockefeller, Warren Buffet, Carlos Slim, or the Rothschild family. But
according to historians, the richest man to have ever lived was a Muslim
Malian king named Mansa Musa. He ruled over the empire of Mali from 1312
till 1337.
This article is based on the factual events of the life of Mansa Musa,
the richest man World has ever seen!
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Mansa Musa means “King of Kings”
Musa I of Mali was known by numerous names during his life including
Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, Conqueror of Ghanata, Lion
of Mali and Kankan Musa. In the west he is popular by the name Mansa
Musa. Musa is a Muslim name while Mansa means “King of Kings”. |
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Mansa Musa’s famous pilgrimage to Mecca
Mansa Musa is most famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca which he undertook
in 1324. Such was the wealth that he displayed during the journey that
eyewitnesses were awestruck and there are several references to it in
journals, oral accounts and histories. It was this pilgrimage that
showcased the extreme wealth of Mali to the world and made Mansa Musa a
popular figure. |
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He carried immense wealth with him and spent it
lavishly
Mansa Musa’s caravan consisted of 60,000 men including 12,000 slaves who
dressed in Persian silk. Musa rode on a horseback with 500 slaves
carrying gold adorned staff directly preceding him. He also took along
with him 80 camels which carried 300 pound of gold each. Musa spent
lavishly during his journey distributing gold to people and exchanging
it for souvenirs in the cities he crossed on his way to Mecca including
Cairo and Medina. |
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Mansa Musa’s extravagance caused inflation in the
Mediterranean
The gold and gifts that Musa distributed lavishly upset their value in
the market in the cities he had visited. The sudden influx of gold in
the cities of Cairo, Medina and Mecca caused a decline in the value of
the metal. This caused super inflation with the price of goods
skyrocketing. |
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Many famous structures were constructed during his
reign
After his return from Mecca, Musa undertook building projects. Many
mosques and educational centers were built in Timbuktu and Gao. He
brought architects from Spain and Cairo who built his grand palace and
the famous Djinguereber Mosque. The great University of Sankore was also
built during his reign.
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Mansa Musa was ranked the richest person in
history
In 2012 Celebrity Net Worth took out a list of world’s 25 wealthiest
people of all time after adjusting for inflation and Mansa Musa was
placed on top of the list above Bill Gates and Warren Buffettt. It was
calculated that Musa had a personal net worth of $400 billion at the
time of his death which is still unmatchable. The primary reason behind
Musa’s extraordinary wealth was that Mali was responsible for more than
half of the world’s salt and gold supply.
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