Why Mansa Musa Remains The Richest Man In History

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is currently the wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes.

His wealth is estimated to be $359.5 billion, making him the richest man in modern history. However, he’s not the richest person to have ever existed.

The title of richest person in history goes to Mansa Musa, a West African ruler from the 14th century.

A 2012 estimate put Mansa Musa’s wealth at $400 billion, but historians say it’s impossible to put a number on it.

Mansa Musa was the ruler of the ancient Mali Empire in West Africa from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E.

Under Mansa Musa’s rule, Mali became one of Africa’s wealthiest kingdoms, and he was one of the world’s richest rulers.

In 1312, Mansa Musa became king after the previous king, Abu Bakr II, went missing on a sea voyage.

When he became king, Mali was already wealthy, but he made it the richest kingdom in Africa by growing trade.

Mansa Musa’s trip to Mecca in 1324 showcased his wealth to the world. He brought a huge group, many camels, and lots of gold, showing the world how rich Mali was. The camels each carried 300 pounds of gold.

In Cairo, Mansa Musa met the Sultan of Egypt. His group spent and gave away so much gold that the value of gold dropped in Egypt for 12 years. He revitalised his city after he returned from Egypt.

Mansa Musa made cities like Timbuktu and Gao important places for culture and learning.

He even brought in architects from far away to design new buildings. Mali became a major centre for Islamic studies under his leadership.

Mansa Musa’s Source of Wealth

Mansa Musa’s wealth came from the gold and salt mines in his kingdom.

His wealth came from gold mines in Bambuk and Bure. Also from taxing those who traded gold from the Wangara Gold Fields.

The gold from Mali was considered the best and most valuable, and its mines supplied much of the world’s gold.

Mansa Musa also made money by taxing the salt trade coming from the north. Elephant ivory was also another major source of wealth for Mansa.

His kingdom became the richest in Africa because he traded valuable items like gold, copper, ivory, and nuts. Traders from all over Europe came to trade manufactured goods for gold in Mali.

Mansa Musa died in 1337, and his sons took over as rulers. He managed his empire wisely, but after he died, it slowly fell apart.

Even after he died, Mansa Musa was still remembered as incredibly wealthy.

Mansa Musa’s legacy goes beyond his riches. He’s also known for his devotion to Islam and promoting education, arts, and culture.