The Fabled life of Mansa Musa - The Richest Man in History

In the history of the world, there have been many incredibly wealthy individuals who have amassed great fortunes through a variety of means. However, one man stands out as the richest of them all: Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Mali Empire in West Africa in the 14th century.

Born in 1280 in the small kingdom of Kangaba near the city of Timbuktu in present-day Mali, Mansa Musa was the grandson of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire. His father, Faga Laye, was the ruler of the small kingdom of Kangaba. As a young man, Mansa Musa was known for his intelligence, bravery, and strategic thinking and he rose quickly through the ranks of the Mali Empire's military.

When his father died in 1312, Mansa Musa was chosen to succeed him as the ruler of Kangaba. However, he soon set his sights on the larger goal of unifying the disparate kingdoms of West Africa under his rule and began a series of military campaigns to expand his territory.

One of the key factors in Mansa Musa's rise to power was his mastery of the gold trade. Under his leadership, the Mali Empire became the largest producer of gold in the world and he established trade relationships with other African kingdoms as well as with Arab and European traders. This allowed him to accumulate vast wealth, which he used to finance his military campaigns and support the development of his kingdom.

Mansa Musa was also known for his piety and devotion to Islam, which he embraced at an early age. He made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, which cemented his reputation as a devout Muslim ruler. This journey was a major undertaking as it involved travelling thousands of miles across the Sahara desert with a large entourage of soldiers, servants and slaves. Along the way, Mansa Musa gave away vast amounts of gold and other treasures to the people he met  in order to demonstrate his wealth and generosity.

The Hajj to Mecca 

When he finally arrived in Mecca, Mansa Musa caused a sensation. He brought with him hundreds of camels loaded with gold and distributed it freely to the people of Mecca, including the poor and the needy. His generosity was so great that it caused a temporary inflation of the local economy as it took several years for the gold to be absorbed back into circulation.

Mansa Musa's wealth was estimated to be worth over $400 billion in today's currency, largely due to his vast reserves of gold, which he acquired through trade with other African kingdoms and through the exploitation of the region's rich mineral resources. In fact, he was so rich that he is often referred to as the "Golden King" or the "King of Kings."

Another of Mansa Musa's great achievements was the establishment of the University of Timbuktu, which became a centre of learning and scholarship in the Mali Empire. The university attracted scholars and students from all over Africa and the Middle East and was renowned for its studies of medicine, astronomy and mathematics. Mansa Musa's patronage of the university helped to elevate the status of Timbuktu as a centre of cultural and intellectual exchange and promote the development of a sophisticated and cosmopolitan culture in West Africa.

Despite his many achievements, Mansa Musa faced numerous rebellions and uprisings throughout his reign as well as the constant threat of invasion from neighbouring kingdoms. However, his military prowess and strategic thinking allowed him to defeat his enemies and maintain his grip on power.

Mansa Musa died in 1337 at the age of 57 and he was succeeded by his son, Maghan.  

After succeeding his father, Maghan struggled to maintain the same level of success as Mansa Musa. He faced numerous challenges during his reign, including rebellions and uprisings which threatened the stability of the Mali Empire. Maghan's reign was also marked by a decline in the gold trade. This had been the main source of the Empire's wealth under his father.

Despite these difficulties, Maghan was able to maintain the basic structures of the Mali Empire and ensure its survival for several more decades. He continued his father's patronage of the arts and sciences, and Timbuktu remained a centre of cultural and intellectual exchange in West Africa. However, the Empire gradually declined in power and influence, and by the end of the 14th century, it had been largely replaced by other West African kingdoms.