Mansa Musa Biography - The Richest Man to Ever Lived

Most of you probably have heard of the richest man in the world with the names of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet. However, not many have heard of Mansa Musa as if most of us have forgotten about his historical event.

Did you know that during the 14th century, somewhere between 1312 and 1337, there was a king that ruled the African empire known as the Mali empire? Mansa who happened to be the king during that time was the ruler of this great empire.

ADVERT

Background

Mansa Musa was the 10th king of the Mali Empire that managed to conquer 24 cities when he was the ruler at the time. Mali was considered the biggest gold producer in the world and Mansa was the richest person in history.

However, most economists were unable to estimate exactly what his net worth really is but some might say that he has a net worth of 400 Billion USD. Despite all of that, his stories are told in many manuscripts and the west called him by many names such as Mansa Musa, Kanku Musa, Mali-Koy Kankan Musa, Gonga Musa, Kankan Musa, and The Lion of Mali.

Mansa Musa was a Muslim

Some might not know the fact that Mansa was a Muslim and it is considered an obligation for every Muslim to perform the pilgrimage in Mecca seeking peace and enhancing one's faith. In the olden times, there weren't any modern vehicles that we can see now, and traveling can be very hectic and tiring.

It was considered a very long journey from South Africa all the way to the Mediterranean sea until the Indus River.

At that time there were as many as 60,000 people all dressed up very nicely following Mansa Musa to Mecca. There were also 12,000 servants that carried 1.8kg of gold bars, clothing, silks, jewelry, horses, and other things. Musa provided food and shelter to all that followed him on his journey.

On top of that, camels can also be seen carrying kilograms of gold and along the journey, the gold was given to the poor. This is not just in Mecca but also in Cairo and Medina included.

Aside from that, he also exchanged souvenirs with gold and it can be said that he will take the initiative to build a mosque every Friday.

The Economy was Prosperous

It was at that moment in time, there was someone who was controlling the price of gold in the Mediterranean. Due to Mansa who just loves to provide for others and do every transaction in gold, there was an economic recession of gold 10 years after that.

ADVERT

This was quickly realized by Musa and during his journey back home, he decided to borrow back the gold from all the money lenders in Cairo with a very high-interest rate.

Some even said that it was a strategy in order to make the Mali empire well-known and the economic recession has finally made the city of Cairo take the lead in the gold market at the time. This happens because people who wish to buy lots of gold will visit Cairo before moving to Timbuktu or Gao.

Lastly, the land and Mali empire made its name in the Catalan Atlas in 1375 which the Catalan Atlas was considered the most important map of the medieval period. He also received a visit from famous Islamic scholars such as Ibn Battuta and Maghribi.

During the journey of Musa to Mecca, he has taken with him his architect from Andalusia to build a palace in Timbuktu as well as the Djinguereber mosque that still stands today. Timbuktu was the center of trade, culture, and Islam.
The market is where all the traders from Hausaland, Egypt, and Africa run their businesses. The presence of universities in these cities also indicates that the king really emphasizes knowledge.

The University of Sankore in Timbuktu was also flourishing since many intellectuals were brought in who happened to be al-fiqh, astronomists, mathematicians, and many more. The university became the center for Islamic studies and cultures across Africa and for Arabs in Timbuktu.

Mansa Musa was certainly a great man despite his stories not being told widely in comparison with other billionaires nowadays. It might be due to his skin color or even his faith perhaps?

In a nutshell, Mansa Musa was definitely a great king who is not just wealthy but also has a rich heart by giving back to those in need. He has made so many contributions from building universities, mosques, markets, and many more benefits to his countries and the people around them.

ADVERT

What do you think inspired you most regarding this story?