Mansa Musa: Wealthiest Person Ever

Musa, after II. Abu Bakr did not return from his voyage to find the end of the Atlantic Ocean; he took the throne in 1312 and became the ruler of the Mali Empire. Musa's rule came when the nations of Europe were struggling with fierce civil war and a lack of resources. The Mali Empire had the opportunity to develop rapidly in this period, thanks to abundant natural resources such as gold and salt. As for these two sources, it had half of the world's exports.

Source: Wikimedia Common

Under Musa's rule, the prosperous empire grew to encompass most of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub Timbuktu and the Sahara Desert. As the country grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic situation of its citizens.

It was only in 1324 that the outside world would become aware of the wealth of this king of Mali. A devout Muslim in a predominantly Muslim community, Musa decided to set out for Mecca for the first time on a pilgrimage. However, the king would not travel alone; he would almost bring his country with him.

Musa set out on a pilgrimage of approximately 6,400 km with 60,000 men. Thousands of soldiers, 500 enslaved people carrying golden staffs, and private musicians accompanied his car, covered with Iranian silk and filled with gold. Although the exact number of participants on the journey is scarce, Musa's caravan was long enough for the eye to see the horizon, and 100 camels, each loaded with gold, were moving beside it.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This display of Musa was noticed by the inhabitants of the land where the caravan passed. After all, it was impossible to miss such a large community. The Mali emperor Musa's influence on the Egyptian people resonated for more than 10 years.

From the markets of Cairo to the poor people who intercepted them in Egypt and to the royal offices, Musa's vast generosity and significant purchases of foreign goods filled the streets with gold—a resource Egypt badly needed. People were excited, at least at first. Because Musa's seemingly well-intentioned gifts of gold actually reduced the value of gold in Egypt to less than silver, the economy was hit hard. It took 12 years for Egyptian society to come out of this inflation.

Moreover, the gold he distributed devalued the gold in the world. Upon hearing the news of what had happened to the gold, Musa returned to Mecca and bought as much gold as he could carry from the lenders at high interest. It was the first in history where a single man controlled the price of gold in the Mediterranean.

But Mansa Musa's pilgrimage wasn't just about donations. During his voyage, he acquired Gao lands within the Songhai Empire, expanding his country along the Niger River to the southern tip of the Sahara Desert. Continuing with these acquisitions, he had an empire that included many regions besides Mali, including present-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, and Mauritania.

Source: Wikimedia Common

Gao, however, was of particular importance to Musa. Located in present-day Mali, this area was home to one of the few mosques that Musa built after completing the pilgrimage. Timbuktu was also an important city for the wealthy king. He used his wealth by building schools, universities, libraries, and mosques. This thriving commercial center is the famous Djingareyber Mosque, which Musa had built of mud, brick, and wood and has stood for more than 500 years.

Musa gained a reputation with the abundance of natural resources he had and the communities he helped to grow and develop by using this abundance. Although his fortune is measured at $400 billion, it seems impossible to pinpoint the wealth Musa enjoyed during his lifetime. According to many history professors, the extent of his territory and material wealth is incomprehensible. So, it is argued that the only plausible answer is: Imagine a person has as much gold as possible and double that. The richest man in the world for 700 years will probably remain so.