October 18, 2023 | Carl Wyndham

Extravagant Facts About Mansa Musa, The Richest Man In History


"You’re writing a book about Mansa Musa? I didn’t know anyone in America knew who he was. He was our Lincoln!"—quoted in P. James Oliver's book Mansa Musa and the Empire of Mali

When you think of wealth, you probably think of the Gates, Rothschilds, and Rockefellers of the world—people whose riches we can count in dollars and cents (Ok, mostly dollars). But in the 14th century, there was an emperor in West Africa who was so enormously wealthy that it has proved nearly impossible to accurately put a number on his riches. That man was Mansa Musa I, king of the Mali Empire from 1312-1337, who, while largely unknown in the West, was very likely the single richest person in the history of the world. Keep reading to learn how he became so unimaginably wealthy, and what he did with all those untold riches.


Mansa Musa Facts

24. Vast Reaches

While emperor of the Mali Empire, Musa I ruled over 24 major cities, from Timbuktu to the Atlantic Ocean, and the regions we now know as Mali, Niger, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, The Gambia, and Mauritania, covering around 439,400 square miles.

1

23. Urban Revolution

Under Mansa Musa, the Mali Empire had over 400 cities. By building along the Niger Delta and bringing culture to his cities through education and beautifully constructed architecture, Musa laid the foundation for modern urban civilization with cities such as Timbuktu and Gao.

Mansa Musa factsWikimedia Commons

Advertisement

22. Wealth of the Earth

The source of the Empire's, and by extension Musa's wealth was from both gold and salt. Under the empire, all gold nuggets unearthed for officially the property of the Emperor. The gold was glamorous, sure, but though we take it for granted now, salt was considered as valuable as the precious metal during this time period, and it also helped provide Musa's fabulous wealth.

Mansa Musa facts Wikimedia Commons

21. Reigning Title

Though many people believe that Mansa Musa was the man's name, “Mansa” is actually a Mandinka word that roughly translates to “ruler,” “sultan” or "emperor," so Mansa Musa really meant something like Emperor Musa, and he was the 10th Mansa of the Mali Empire.

Mansa Musa facts Wikimedia Commons

20. Imperial Lineage

The blood of royalty, Mansa Musa’s grandfather was the founder of the Mali Empire. His father, however, never rose to power and was subsequently never ruled the empire. His son would more than make up for his father's lack of power, though.

Mansa Musa facts Wikipedia

Advertisement

19. Atlantic Exploration

Mansa Musa only came to be the ruler of the Mali Empire after the previous King disappeared. When a ruling Emperor went on a journey, they would name a deputy to remain home, effectively making them the heir to the throne. When Emperor Abu Bakr II went to explore the outer reaches of the Atlantic Ocean, he named Musa as his deputy. Needless to say, Bakr never returned, and in 1307 Musa was named Mansa.Asmahan FactsPixnio

18. Mecca Pilgrimage

The first Emperor to embark on such a long pilgrimage to Mecca, Mansa Musa became famous after he traveled more than 4,000 miles from West Africa to Mecca in 1324. As a devout Muslim, this pilgrimage was of supreme importance to him.

Greatest Explorers In History FactsWikimedia Commons

17. King of the People

Along his pilgrimage, Mansa Musa would often stop and make sure to give the poor people of the cities he came across some of his gold. He also gave some of his gold away in exchange for souvenirs. He was basically a tourist who got swindled into buying fridge magnets and mugs.

Mansa Musa factsGetty Images

Advertisement

16. A Pious Man

Every Friday, Musa would make a stop and use his wealth and manpower to build a new Mosque in one of the cities along the route of his pilgrimage.

Banned Books FactsWikipedia

15. Educate the Masses

The pilgrimage was about more than just faith and displaying his wealth; Musa took it as a mission to recruit the brightest minds he came across during the journey and subsequently brought many of these teachers and leaders back to Mali in order to raise the level of education for his peoples. This made him well respected as a statesman and, subsequently many travelers would documented that Mali was a place of peace and learning during his reign.

Mansa Musa factsWikipedia

14. Bringing Culture to the Empire

In order to build the incredible Djinguereber Mosque, which is still standing in Mali today, Musa recruited the most renowned architects from Andalusia and Cairo along his pilgrimage. This mosque helped to make Timbuktu an important shrine for Muslims, and the city grew into one of the most important hubs of trade, religious, and education in the world.

Mansa Musa factsWikipedia

Advertisement

13. Generous Payment

In return for his work on the Djinguereber Mosque, the architect brought in from Andalusia was paid handsomely. How handsomely? How does 200 kilograms of gold sound to you?

Mansa Musa factsWikimedia Commons

12. New Library Heights

By the end of his reign, Musa had built the largest library the world had seen since the great Library of Alexandria. It was known as Sankore University, and it could hold over 25,000 pupils and more than one million different manuscripts. This would help Mali become a vital point of education and culture in the Muslim world.

Mansa Musa factsWikipedia

11. Man of Many Names

Mansa Musa's full name was Kankan Musa Keita, as he was a part of the Laye lineage. In addition to Mansa, Musa was also referred to as the Lion of Mali, Emir of Melle (Mali), the Lord of the Mines of Wangara, and the Conqueror of Ghanata, as he took over what was initially the empire of Ghana.

Mansa Musa factsWikimedia Commons

Advertisement

10. Moses of Mali

The name Musa is a Muslim name, as the Mali Empire was of the Islamic faith. Musa would be the biblical equivalent to the name Moses.

Moon Landings FactsPixabay

9. Parallel Times

During the time of Mansa Musa’s rule, he was building and educating Western Africa while Europe was falling apart due crises of famine, great fighting, the so called "Little Ice Age" which preceded the ravaging effects of the black end.

Mansa Musa factsWikipedia

8. Religious Freedom

Though he was a deeply religious man, Mansa Musa did not attempt to force the Muslim faith on the greater population. Instead, he attempted to only make it the religion of Mali’s nobility.

Mansa Musa factsWikipedia

Advertisement

7. Putting Mali on the Map

After his pilgrimage, Mali appeared on the world maps of the Europe world for the first time. From Spain to Germany, it marks a major moment of acknowledgment for Western and sub-Saharan Africa.

Mansa Musa factsFlickr, Mission de l

6. Got Bars?

Mansa Musa became famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca because he flaunted his enormous wealth during the journey, as he brought with him 60,000 men, 12,000 of which were slaves, who carried four pounds of gold on them each. Ya, that's a lot of gold.

Mansa Musa factsGetty Images

5. Golden Camel

Not only did he have an enormous envoy of men carrying gold for him, Musa also brought 80 camels who held up to 300 pounds of gold dust each.

Poop FactsFlickr

Advertisement

4. Accidental Inflation

Because of his great generosity, Musa accidentally brought the economies of the cities he came across to ruins. By giving away so much gold, he inadvertently inflated the price of the precious metal so much that it took a full decade for gold to stabilize in value.

Mansa Musa factsShutterstock

3. Gold Control

Mansa Musa became the only man in history to have complete control over the price of gold along the Mediterranean societies by his actions along his pilgrimage. In an attempt to help the economies he accidentally inflated, he borrowed as much gold as he could carry, at high-interest rates, on his return trip back to Mali.

Mansa Musa factsWikimedia Commons

2. Richie Rich

But just how rich was he? Although it's extremely difficult to put a number on it, the best estimate of Mansa Musa’s wealth puts his riches at an absurd $400 billion. That is more than triple the net worth of the current richest man in the world, Jeff Bezos.

Amazon FactsWikimedia Commons

Advertisement

1. Squandered Wealth

Though Mansa Musa's riches were incredibly immense, it took only two generations for the Mali Empire to burn through it all and waste their financial resources. This was done through the methods in which most empires, and nations, light fire to their money: decadence, invasion, and battle.

Mansa Musa factsWikimedia Commons

Sources1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10


READ MORE

productivity hacks

25 Productivity Hacks For The Workplace

Boost your workday efficiency with the 25 proven productivity hacks for the workplace. From time management strategies to workspace optimization tips, discover practical solutions to enhance your focus and output. Uncover expert insights and actionable advice to transform your work habits, streamline tasks, and achieve peak productivity.
February 1, 2024 Kaddy Gibson
Things Your Boss Should Never Ask You

15 Things Your Boss Should Never Ask You

Explore the 15 boundaries every employee should know when it comes to what your boss can and can't ask you. From personal matters to legal lines, empower yourself with knowledge on workplace rights and professional conduct.
May 1, 2024 Peter Kinney

20 Side Hustles To Try While Working Full-Time

Over one-third of American adults have a side hustle alongside their full-time job. Whether you're one of those people already looking for new ideas, or you want to bring in a little extra money every month, here are 20 side hustles you can try—without giving up your 9-to-5 job.
October 1, 2024 Jack Hawkins
Things Baby Boomers Shouldn’t Waste Money On

16 Things Baby Boomers Shouldn’t Waste Money On

Discover the top 16 expenses baby boomers should avoid for a secure financial future. From unnecessary gadgets to overspending on luxury items, learn how to prioritize your spending wisely and make the most of your hard-earned money.
May 1, 2024 Sammy Tran
fact-internal

People Share The Most Useless Facts They'll Never Forget

As brilliant as the human brain is, it often holds on to information so random you wonder why your brain stored it in the first place—just ask these people.
November 1, 2019 Eul Basa

10 Vintage Sports Cards That Are Worth a Fortune Today

Explore the lucrative world of vintage sports cards with a deep dive into 10 cards that have skyrocketed in value over the years. From baseball legends to basketball icons, uncover the stories and prices behind these treasured collectibles.
November 1, 2023 Sammy Tran



Dear reader,


It’s true what they say: money makes the world go round. In order to succeed in this life, you need to have a good grasp of key financial concepts. That’s where Moneymade comes in. Our mission is to provide you with the best financial advice and information to help you navigate this ever-changing world. Sometimes, generating wealth just requires common sense. Don’t max out your credit card if you can’t afford the interest payments. Don’t overspend on Christmas shopping. When ordering gifts on Amazon, make sure you factor in taxes and shipping costs. If you need a new car, consider a model that’s easy to repair instead of an expensive BMW or Mercedes. Sometimes you dream vacation to Hawaii or the Bahamas just isn’t in the budget, but there may be more affordable all-inclusive hotels if you know where to look.


Looking for a new home? Make sure you get a mortgage rate that works for you. That means understanding the difference between fixed and variable interest rates. Whether you’re looking to learn how to make money, save money, or invest your money, our well-researched and insightful content will set you on the path to financial success. Passionate about mortgage rates, real estate, investing, saving, or anything money-related? Looking to learn how to generate wealth? Improve your life today with Moneymade. If you have any feedback for the MoneyMade team, please reach out to [email protected]. Thanks for your help!


Warmest regards,

The Moneymade team