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14th‑Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History</li></ol></nav><script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.history.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Topics","item":"https://www.history.com/topics"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"African History","item":"https://www.history.com/topics/africa"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"This 14th‑Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History"}]}</script><div class="page-header__content"><div class="page-header__content-container"><h1 class="page-header__title">This 14th‑Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History</h1><div class="page-header__summary">Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.</div></div></div><div class="page-header__post-info"><div class="page-header__post-info-container"><div class="page-header__author-date"><p class="page-header__author"><span aria-hidden="true">By: </span><a aria-label="Read more articles from Thaddeus Morgan" link-name="Thaddeus Morgan" href="/author/thaddeus-morgan">Thaddeus Morgan</a></p><p>Updated: <time dateTime="2023-07-18T21:14:59">July 18, 2023</time>  | <span>Original: <time dateTime="2018-03-19T16:06:59">March 19, 2018</time></span></p></div><div class="page-header__sharing hide-print"><button class="button is-style-standalone is-style-standalone--dark-background has-icon"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24"><path d="M16 1H4C2.9 1 2 1.9 2 3V17H4V3H16V1ZM19 5H8C6.9 5 6 5.9 6 7V21C6 22.1 6.9 23 8 23H19C20.1 23 21 22.1 21 21V7C21 5.9 20.1 5 19 5ZM19 21H8V7H19V21Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg>copy page link</button><button class="button has-icon button--print page-header__print-button has-dark-background-with-outline" type="button" aria-label="Print this page"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" title="Print" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="24" height="24"><path d="M19 7.5H5C3.34 7.5 2 8.84 2 10.5V16.5H6V20.5H18V16.5H22V10.5C22 8.84 20.66 7.5 19 7.5ZM16 18.5H8V13.5H16V18.5ZM19 11.5C18.45 11.5 18 11.05 18 10.5C18 9.95 18.45 9.5 19 9.5C19.55 9.5 20 9.95 20 10.5C20 11.05 19.55 11.5 19 11.5ZM18 2.5H6V6.5H18V2.5Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg><span class="button__desktop-text">Print Page</span></button></div></div></div></div><figure class="page-header__figure hide-print"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="Mansa Musa, King of Mali, on a map of North Africa circa 1375. (Credit: Fotosearch/Getty Images)" sizes="100vw" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=640&height=426.66666666666663&crop=640%3A426.66666666666663%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 640w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=750&height=500&crop=750%3A500%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 750w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=828&height=552&crop=828%3A552%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 828w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1080&height=540&crop=1080%3A540%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1080w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1248&height=624&crop=1248%3A624%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1248w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1920&height=960&crop=1920%3A960%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1920w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=2048&height=1024&crop=2048%3A1024%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=3840&height=1920&crop=3840%3A1920%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 3840w" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=3840&height=1920&crop=3840%3A1920%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/></span><figcaption class="image-credit"><span>Fotosearch/Getty Images</span></figcaption></figure></header><div class="article-content-box"><div class="article-content content"><p>In the vast fictional universe of Marvel Comics, T’Challa, better known as <a href="http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-behind-the-black-panther">Black Panther</a>, is not only king of Wakanda, he’s also the richest superhero of them all. And although today’s fight for the title of wealthiest person alive involves a tug-of-war between billionaire CEOs, the wealthiest person in history, Mansa Musa, has more in common with Marvel’s first Black superhero.</p><h2 id="the-rise-of-mansa-musa-and-the-mali-empire">The <strong>Rise of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire</strong></h2><p>Musa became ruler of the <a href="https://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-influential-african-empires">Mali Empire</a> in 1312, taking the throne after his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II, for whom he’d served as deputy, went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Musa’s rule came at a time when European nations were struggling due to raging civil wars and a lack of resources. During that period, the Mali Empire flourished thanks to ample natural resources like gold and salt.</p><p>And under the rule of Musa, the prosperous empire grew to span a sizeable portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub of Timbuktu and parts of the Sahara Desert. As the territory grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic standing of its citizens.</p><div class="block-story-grid"><div class="card-grid is-style-3-col"><div class="card-grid__container"><article class="card-grid-item"><a aria-label="40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="card-grid-item__link" link-name="" href="/news/african-prince-slavery-abdulrahman-ibrahim-ibn-sori"><figure class="card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit is-fallback"><div class="card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain" aria-hidden="true"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/><noscript><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/history-article-default.desktop.jpg"/></noscript></span></div></figure></a><div class="card-grid-item__contain"><a class="card-grid-item__title-link" link-name="40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom - 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Violence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Africa has taken a toll on historic buildings and monuments." href="/news/cultural-sites-heritage-wars"><h2 class="card-grid-item__title">7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War</h2><p class="card-grid-item__excerpt">Violence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Africa has taken a toll on historic buildings and monuments.</p><div class="card-grid-item__cta"><span class="button is-style-standalone has-icon">Read more<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" width="18" height="18" class="card-grid-item__cta-icon"><path d="M17.0297 4.72031L23.7797 11.4703C23.925 11.6156 24 11.8078 24 11.9578C24 12.1078 23.9268 12.3416 23.7803 12.488L17.0303 19.238C16.7373 19.5309 16.2624 19.5309 15.9699 19.238C15.6774 18.945 15.677 18.4702 15.9699 18.1777L21.4403 12.7073H0.75C0.335438 12.7073 0 12.3719 0 11.9995C0 11.585 0.335438 11.2495 0.75 11.2495H21.4406L15.9703 5.77921C15.6773 5.48625 15.6773 5.0114 15.9703 4.7189C16.2633 4.4264 16.7391 4.42687 17.0297 4.72031Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></article><article class="card-grid-item"><a aria-label="Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies" aria-hidden="true" tabindex="-1" class="card-grid-item__link" link-name="" href="/news/african-female-warriors"><figure class="card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit is-fallback"><div class="card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain" aria-hidden="true"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover"/><noscript><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%;object-fit:cover" class="card-grid-item__image image-fit__image" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/history-article-default.desktop.jpg"/></noscript></span></div></figure></a><div class="card-grid-item__contain"><a class="card-grid-item__title-link" link-name="Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies - From Queen Amanirenas to the Dahomey Amazons, women battled colonialists to maintain their power and prevent enslavement." href="/news/african-female-warriors"><h2 class="card-grid-item__title">Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies</h2><p class="card-grid-item__excerpt">From Queen Amanirenas to the Dahomey Amazons, women battled colonialists to maintain their power and prevent enslavement.</p><div class="card-grid-item__cta"><span class="button is-style-standalone has-icon">Read more<svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" width="18" height="18" class="card-grid-item__cta-icon"><path d="M17.0297 4.72031L23.7797 11.4703C23.925 11.6156 24 11.8078 24 11.9578C24 12.1078 23.9268 12.3416 23.7803 12.488L17.0303 19.238C16.7373 19.5309 16.2624 19.5309 15.9699 19.238C15.6774 18.945 15.677 18.4702 15.9699 18.1777L21.4403 12.7073H0.75C0.335438 12.7073 0 12.3719 0 11.9995C0 11.585 0.335438 11.2495 0.75 11.2495H21.4406L15.9703 5.77921C15.6773 5.48625 15.6773 5.0114 15.9703 4.7189C16.2633 4.4264 16.7391 4.42687 17.0297 4.72031Z" fill="currentColor"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></article></div></div></div><h2 id="musas-grand-voyage-to-mecca"><strong>Musa's Grand Voyage to Mecca</strong></h2><p>It wasn’t until 1324 that the world outside of Mali’s border would get a glimpse of the king’s expansive wealth. A devout <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/islam">Muslim</a> in a majority Muslim community, Musa set off on a journey to Mecca for his Hajj pilgrimage. But the king didn’t travel by himself.</p><p>The voyage, which would span an estimated 4,000 miles, was traveled by Musa and a caravan that included tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves and heralds, draped in Persian silk and carrying golden staffs. Although records of the exact number of people who participated in the voyage are scarce, the elaborate convoy that accompanied Musa marched alongside camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.</p><p>Of course, this spectacle was noticed by residents of the territories that Musa passed through—after all, a group so massive was impossible to overlook. The impact the Malian emperor left on the Egyptian people would reverberate for more than a decade.</p><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27747%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1080&height=788&crop=1080%3A788%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=2048&height=1494&crop=2048%3A1494%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=2048&height=1494&crop=2048%3A1494%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Print Collector/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca.</div></figure><p>Arriving in Cairo, Musa’s character was put on full display during his reluctant encounter with Cairo’s ruler, al-Malik al-Nasir. According to <a href="http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/">texts</a> from the ancient historian Shihab al-Umari, Musa was greeted in Cairo by a subordinate of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with his fellow monarch. Musa declined the proposition, claiming that he was only passing through on his pilgrimage to Mecca.</p><p>The reason why soon became clear to onlookers. “I realized that the audience was repugnant to him, because he would be obliged to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand,” said a man named Emir Abu, as chronicled in the <a href="http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/">documents</a>. “I continue to cajole him, and he continued to make excuses, but the sultan’s protocol demanded that I should bring him into the royal presence, so I kept on at him till he agreed.”</p><p>The meeting grew contentious when Musa refused to kiss the feet of the sultan, and only turned calm after Musa elected to properly greet al-Nasir. Following a conversation between the two men, al-Nasir offered lodging to Musa and everyone accompanying him, and Musa, in turn, left a piece of his incomprehensible wealth in Egypt.</p><p>From the markets of Cairo to royal offices to the impoverished people who crossed his path in Egypt, Musa’s generosity and purchase of foreign goods left the streets littered with gold—a resource that was greatly appreciated and in short supply. The people were thrilled—at least at first. Though well-intentioned, Musa’s gifts of gold actually depreciated the value of the metal in Egypt, and the economy took a major hit. It took 12 years for the community to recover.</p><h2 id="expansion-of-musas-empire-and-cultural-contributions"><strong>Expansion of Musa's Empire and Cultural Contributions</strong></h2><figure class="wp-block-image article__contained"><div class="wp-block-image__wrapper"><div class="wp-block-image__inner"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:inline-block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;max-width:100%"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;max-width:100%"><img style="display:block;max-width:100%;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0" alt="" aria-hidden="true" src="data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg%20xmlns=%27http://www.w3.org/2000/svg%27%20version=%271.1%27%20width=%271024%27%20height=%27576%27/%3e"/></span><img alt="The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%"/><noscript><img alt="The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)" loading="lazy" decoding="async" data-nimg="intrinsic" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0;box-sizing:border-box;padding:0;border:none;margin:auto;display:block;width:0;height:0;min-width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:100%;max-height:100%" sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 704px, calc(100vw - 2.5rem)" srcSet="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1080&height=608&crop=1080%3A608%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 1x, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp 2x" src="https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=2048&height=1152&crop=2048%3A1152%2Csmart&quality=75&auto=webp"/></noscript></span></div><figcaption class="image-credit wp-block-image__credit"><span>Marka/UIG/Getty Images</span></figcaption></div><div class="wp-block-image__caption">The Djinguereber Mosque.</div></figure><p>But the king’s trip wasn’t all about giving. On his voyage, he acquired the territory of Gao within the Songhai kingdom, extending his territory to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert along the Niger River. He would go on to have an empire that spanned several territories, including current-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania, in addition to Mali.</p><p>However, Gao would be of special importance to the king. This territory, in today’s Mali, is where Musa would build one of several mosques after completing his Hajj. Timbuktu was also an important city for the affluent king, who used his wealth to build schools, universities, libraries and mosques there. The burgeoning trading hub was where Musa commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque, a famed place built of mudbrick and wood that has stood the test of time, remaining active for more than 500 years.</p><p>Word of Musa’s wealth and influence only spread beyond Africa after his voyage to Mecca. Tales of his enormous convoy and generosity continued to be passed on long after his death, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 1332 and 1337. </p><p>By the late 14th century, Musa had been drawn in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, an important resource for navigators of medieval Europe. Created by Spanish cartographer Abraham Cresques, the atlas depicted Musa sitting on a throne with a gold scepter and crown, holding a gold nugget.</p><p>From the abundance of natural resources he cultivated to the growth and development of communities that he left behind, Musa has a legend that could give the fictional Black Panther a run for his money. </p><h2 id="how-rich-was-mansa-musa">How Rich was Mansa Musa?</h2><p>As far as wealth goes, it is nearly impossible to quantify the riches that Musa had during his lifetime. The vastness of Musa’s land and material holdings, University of Michigan associate history professor Rudolph Ware <a href="http://time.com/money/3977798/the-10-richest-people-of-all-time-2/">explained in <em>Time</em></a>, seems downright incomprehensible today: “Imagine as much gold as you think a human being could possess and double it, that’s what all the accounts are trying to communicate,” he said. “This is the richest guy anyone has ever seen.”</p><div class="block-banner light-section"><div class="block-banner__image"><span style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;overflow:hidden;width:initial;height:initial;background:none;opacity:1;border:0;margin:0;padding:0;position:absolute;top:0;left:0;bottom:0;right:0"><img alt="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" decoding="async" data-nimg="fill" 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14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History\u0026#8217;s Featured Photo"},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"credit":"Fotosearch/Getty Images","credit_url":"","getty_2025":""},"class_list":["post-29386","attachment","type-attachment","status-inherit","hentry"],"prepublish_checks":{},"description":{"rendered":"\u003cp class=\"attachment\"\u003e\u003ca href='https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg'\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"169\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=300\u0026amp;height=169\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Mansa Musa, King of Mali, on a map of North Africa circa 1375. (Credit: Fotosearch/Getty Images)\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=686 686w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" /\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n"},"caption":{"rendered":"Mansa Musa, King of Mali, on a map of North Africa circa 1375."},"alt_text":"Mansa Musa, King of Mali, on a map of North Africa circa 1375. (Credit: Fotosearch/Getty Images)","media_type":"image","mime_type":"image/jpeg","media_details":{"file":"2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","sizes":{"thumbnail":{"width":"150","height":"150","crop":"1","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=150\u0026height=150\u0026crop=1:1","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"medium":{"width":"300","height":169,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=300\u0026height=169","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"medium_large":{"width":"768","height":"0","crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=768","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"large":{"width":"1024","height":575,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1024\u0026height=575","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"1536x1536":{"width":1536,"height":863,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1536\u0026height=863","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"2048x2048":{"width":2048,"height":1150,"crop":false,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=2048\u0026height=1150","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"corpnews_large":{"width":1250,"height":625,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=1250\u0026height=625\u0026crop=2:1","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"corpnews_medium":{"width":800,"height":400,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=800\u0026height=400\u0026crop=2:1","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"corpnews_small":{"width":500,"height":250,"crop":true,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=500\u0026height=250\u0026crop=2:1","file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"},"full":{"file":"this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","width":686,"height":385,"mime_type":"image/jpeg","source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"}},"width":686,"height":385,"filesize":288558},"post":29385,"source_url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg"}},"post":{"id":29385,"date":"2018-03-19T16:06:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T16:06:59","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-07-18T21:14:59","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T21:14:59","slug":"who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","title":{"rendered":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the vast fictional universe of Marvel Comics, T’Challa, better known as \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-behind-the-black-panther\"\u003eBlack Panther\u003c/a\u003e, is not only king of Wakanda, he’s also the richest superhero of them all. And although today’s fight for the title of wealthiest person alive involves a tug-of-war between billionaire CEOs, the wealthiest person in history, Mansa Musa, has more in common with Marvel’s first Black superhero.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eRise of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eMusa became ruler of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-influential-african-empires\"\u003eMali Empire\u003c/a\u003e in 1312, taking the throne after his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II, for whom he’d served as deputy, went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Musa’s rule came at a time when European nations were struggling due to raging civil wars and a lack of resources. During that period, the Mali Empire flourished thanks to ample natural resources like gold and salt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd under the rule of Musa, the prosperous empire grew to span a sizeable portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub of Timbuktu and parts of the Sahara Desert. As the territory grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic standing of its citizens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-story-grid\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid post-grid is-style-3-col \"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Sori\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2019/02/abdulrahman_ibrahim_sori_prince_slave_library-of-congress_3a39953u.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Sori\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2020/01/cultural-sites-destroyed-in-war-gettyimages-518512616.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003e21st Century\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Dahomey Amazons, as depicted in 1897.\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2022/02/warriors-gettyimages-526614820.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Dahomey Amazons, as depicted in 1897.\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eAfrican History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003eFemale Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusa\u0026#8217;s Grand Voyage to Mecca\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn’t until 1324 that the world outside of Mali’s border would get a glimpse of the king’s expansive wealth. A devout \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/topics/islam\"\u003eMuslim\u003c/a\u003e in a majority Muslim community, Musa set off on a journey to Mecca for his Hajj pilgrimage. But the king didn’t travel by himself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe voyage, which would span an estimated 4,000 miles, was traveled by Musa and a caravan that included tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves and heralds, draped in Persian silk and carrying golden staffs. Although records of the exact number of people who participated in the voyage are scarce, the elaborate convoy that accompanied Musa marched alongside camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, this spectacle was noticed by residents of the territories that Musa passed through—after all, a group so massive was impossible to overlook. The impact the Malian emperor left on the Egyptian people would reverberate for more than a decade.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"875\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-29387\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eMansa Musa on his way to Mecca.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eArriving in Cairo, Musa’s character was put on full display during his reluctant encounter with Cairo’s ruler, al-Malik al-Nasir. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003etexts\u003c/a\u003e from the ancient historian Shihab al-Umari, Musa was greeted in Cairo by a subordinate of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with his fellow monarch. Musa declined the proposition, claiming that he was only passing through on his pilgrimage to Mecca.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe reason why soon became clear to onlookers. “I realized that the audience was repugnant to him, because he would be obliged to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand,” said a man named Emir Abu, as chronicled in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003edocuments\u003c/a\u003e. “I continue to cajole him, and he continued to make excuses, but the sultan’s protocol demanded that I should bring him into the royal presence, so I kept on at him till he agreed.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe meeting grew contentious when Musa refused to kiss the feet of the sultan, and only turned calm after Musa elected to properly greet al-Nasir. Following a conversation between the two men, al-Nasir offered lodging to Musa and everyone accompanying him, and Musa, in turn, left a piece of his incomprehensible wealth in Egypt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the markets of Cairo to royal offices to the impoverished people who crossed his path in Egypt, Musa’s generosity and purchase of foreign goods left the streets littered with gold—a resource that was greatly appreciated and in short supply. The people were thrilled—at least at first. Though well-intentioned, Musa’s gifts of gold actually depreciated the value of the metal in Egypt, and the economy took a major hit. It took 12 years for the community to recover.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpansion of Musa\u0026#8217;s Empire and Cultural Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-29388\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe Djinguereber Mosque.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut the king’s trip wasn’t all about giving. On his voyage, he acquired the territory of Gao within the Songhai kingdom, extending his territory to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert along the Niger River. He would go on to have an empire that spanned several territories, including current-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania, in addition to Mali.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, Gao would be of special importance to the king. This territory, in today’s Mali, is where Musa would build one of several mosques after completing his Hajj. Timbuktu was also an important city for the affluent king, who used his wealth to build schools, universities, libraries and mosques there. The burgeoning trading hub was where Musa commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque, a famed place built of mudbrick and wood that has stood the test of time, remaining active for more than 500 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eWord of Musa’s wealth and influence only spread beyond Africa after his voyage to Mecca. Tales of his enormous convoy and generosity continued to be passed on long after his death, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 1332 and 1337. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the late 14th century, Musa had been drawn in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, an important resource for navigators of medieval Europe. Created by Spanish cartographer Abraham Cresques, the atlas depicted Musa sitting on a throne with a gold scepter and crown, holding a gold nugget.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the abundance of natural resources he cultivated to the growth and development of communities that he left behind, Musa has a legend that could give the fictional Black Panther a run for his money. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eHow Rich was Mansa Musa?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs far as wealth goes, it is nearly impossible to quantify the riches that Musa had during his lifetime. The vastness of Musa’s land and material holdings, University of Michigan associate history professor Rudolph Ware \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/money/3977798/the-10-richest-people-of-all-time-2/\"\u003eexplained in \u003cem\u003eTime\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, seems downright incomprehensible today: “Imagine as much gold as you think a human being could possess and double it, that’s what all the accounts are trying to communicate,” he said. “This is the richest guy anyone has ever seen.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__content\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"block-banner__heading h4\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\tHISTORY Vault: Mankind The Story of All of Us\t\t\t\t\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__text\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cp\u003eA look at how the human race has survived throughout the ages.\u003c/p\u003e\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__cta\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ca href=\"https://watch.historyvault.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us\" class=\"button is-style-alt\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWATCH NOW\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/a\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__image\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2012/05/Mankind_The_Story_Of_All_Of_Us_3840x2160-scaled-1.jpeg?width=1024\u0026#038;height=576\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t","protected":false,"blocks":[{"clientId":"53c7f67b-8768-499f-9ac4-8e6845a6c73c","name":"corpnews-blocks/subhead","attributes":[],"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"1a7437cc-8d24-485c-9bc4-86a9f0296faf","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"In the vast fictional universe of Marvel Comics, T’Challa, better known as \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-behind-the-black-panther\"\u003eBlack Panther\u003c/a\u003e, is not only king of Wakanda, he’s also the richest superhero of them all. And although today’s fight for the title of wealthiest person alive involves a tug-of-war between billionaire CEOs, the wealthiest person in history, Mansa Musa, has more in common with Marvel’s first Black superhero.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"5447a558-9b9d-430b-842b-7a59421ba1d8","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The \u003cstrong\u003eRise of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"the-rise-of-mansa-musa-and-the-mali-empire"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"bfb97e83-93ee-40d1-a6ab-c0c349d6c0c8","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Musa became ruler of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-influential-african-empires\"\u003eMali Empire\u003c/a\u003e in 1312, taking the throne after his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II, for whom he’d served as deputy, went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Musa’s rule came at a time when European nations were struggling due to raging civil wars and a lack of resources. During that period, the Mali Empire flourished thanks to ample natural resources like gold and salt.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f258d0f0-9809-4447-af6e-2bbb04285ecb","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"And under the rule of Musa, the prosperous empire grew to span a sizeable portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub of Timbuktu and parts of the Sahara Desert. As the territory grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic standing of its citizens.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"49ff12b6-619b-4b8c-b787-cd6d49fe0ff1","name":"corpnews-blocks/story-grid","attributes":{"posts":"[{\"id\":34744,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/african-prince-slavery-abdulrahman-ibrahim-ibn-sori\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori was West African royalty before he was enslaved on a Mississippi plantation.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":33071,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/cultural-sites-heritage-wars\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"Violence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Africa has taken a toll on historic buildings and monuments.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":34001,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/african-female-warriors\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"From Queen Amanirenas to the Dahomey Amazons, women battled colonialists to maintain their power and prevent enslavement.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"}]","className":"is-style-3-col","preview":false,"postType":["any"],"cardsHeading":""},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"4c7c4284-6394-4f8c-82e1-f774f05ba370","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"\u003cstrong\u003eMusa's Grand Voyage to Mecca\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"musas-grand-voyage-to-mecca"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"69ff1e3e-e277-46f0-8aa1-1773eb977a85","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"It wasn’t until 1324 that the world outside of Mali’s border would get a glimpse of the king’s expansive wealth. A devout \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/topics/islam\"\u003eMuslim\u003c/a\u003e in a majority Muslim community, Musa set off on a journey to Mecca for his Hajj pilgrimage. But the king didn’t travel by himself.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"45c28847-3aee-4104-b31e-6a9699d742ad","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The voyage, which would span an estimated 4,000 miles, was traveled by Musa and a caravan that included tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves and heralds, draped in Persian silk and carrying golden staffs. Although records of the exact number of people who participated in the voyage are scarce, the elaborate convoy that accompanied Musa marched alongside camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c80802ba-d838-4791-93e6-e0aa30e76d80","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Of course, this spectacle was noticed by residents of the territories that Musa passed through—after all, a group so massive was impossible to overlook. The impact the Malian emperor left on the Egyptian people would reverberate for more than a decade.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9afbae5f-2518-4da4-a3d4-029f839aaa4e","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29387,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Print Collector/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)","caption":"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca.","width":1024,"height":747},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"63000bdc-dbb3-47c9-a398-2e587bd6afe7","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Arriving in Cairo, Musa’s character was put on full display during his reluctant encounter with Cairo’s ruler, al-Malik al-Nasir. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003etexts\u003c/a\u003e from the ancient historian Shihab al-Umari, Musa was greeted in Cairo by a subordinate of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with his fellow monarch. Musa declined the proposition, claiming that he was only passing through on his pilgrimage to Mecca.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f9174c9d-139f-4284-939e-c37c774177d4","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The reason why soon became clear to onlookers. “I realized that the audience was repugnant to him, because he would be obliged to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand,” said a man named Emir Abu, as chronicled in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003edocuments\u003c/a\u003e. “I continue to cajole him, and he continued to make excuses, but the sultan’s protocol demanded that I should bring him into the royal presence, so I kept on at him till he agreed.”","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"d3f993c7-4240-480c-a23a-dea9ae2f7a17","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The meeting grew contentious when Musa refused to kiss the feet of the sultan, and only turned calm after Musa elected to properly greet al-Nasir. Following a conversation between the two men, al-Nasir offered lodging to Musa and everyone accompanying him, and Musa, in turn, left a piece of his incomprehensible wealth in Egypt.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"2c201a2a-0933-42ca-9f9f-2c50349e2199","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"From the markets of Cairo to royal offices to the impoverished people who crossed his path in Egypt, Musa’s generosity and purchase of foreign goods left the streets littered with gold—a resource that was greatly appreciated and in short supply. The people were thrilled—at least at first. Though well-intentioned, Musa’s gifts of gold actually depreciated the value of the metal in Egypt, and the economy took a major hit. It took 12 years for the community to recover.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"94ac80fa-bb4d-4b6a-97c7-69be330e78e4","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"\u003cstrong\u003eExpansion of Musa's Empire and Cultural Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"expansion-of-musas-empire-and-cultural-contributions"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"d3d066df-32ca-4aac-a437-9b39e8d96b5c","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29388,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Marka/UIG/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)","caption":"The Djinguereber Mosque.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"52b376f6-ecdf-4ef8-86e4-c7958d0f9a09","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"But the king’s trip wasn’t all about giving. On his voyage, he acquired the territory of Gao within the Songhai kingdom, extending his territory to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert along the Niger River. He would go on to have an empire that spanned several territories, including current-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania, in addition to Mali.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f3a0d425-5477-413c-9c42-2dbeb6719bec","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"However, Gao would be of special importance to the king. This territory, in today’s Mali, is where Musa would build one of several mosques after completing his Hajj. Timbuktu was also an important city for the affluent king, who used his wealth to build schools, universities, libraries and mosques there. The burgeoning trading hub was where Musa commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque, a famed place built of mudbrick and wood that has stood the test of time, remaining active for more than 500 years.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"67ae1c70-779c-4ecc-99d1-dd551a15e007","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Word of Musa’s wealth and influence only spread beyond Africa after his voyage to Mecca. Tales of his enormous convoy and generosity continued to be passed on long after his death, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 1332 and 1337. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"8eda656b-12e4-40a1-aa62-d9a09e945b55","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"By the late 14th century, Musa had been drawn in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, an important resource for navigators of medieval Europe. Created by Spanish cartographer Abraham Cresques, the atlas depicted Musa sitting on a throne with a gold scepter and crown, holding a gold nugget.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c4a2f968-d627-4486-a590-e6b8a0fbe3af","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"From the abundance of natural resources he cultivated to the growth and development of communities that he left behind, Musa has a legend that could give the fictional Black Panther a run for his money. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"04ef47f3-2dac-4abe-9f1a-ee24edf22860","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"How Rich was Mansa Musa?","level":2,"id":"how-rich-was-mansa-musa"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f69819d3-d8d9-48c5-90a4-b671d4480dcc","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"As far as wealth goes, it is nearly impossible to quantify the riches that Musa had during his lifetime. The vastness of Musa’s land and material holdings, University of Michigan associate history professor Rudolph Ware \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/money/3977798/the-10-richest-people-of-all-time-2/\"\u003eexplained in \u003cem\u003eTime\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, seems downright incomprehensible today: “Imagine as much gold as you think a human being could possess and double it, that’s what all the accounts are trying to communicate,” he said. “This is the richest guy anyone has ever seen.”","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"88cc6c1f-bd3c-49cf-a494-48cf7e7129c0","name":"corpnews-blocks/banner","attributes":{"heading":"HISTORY Vault: Mankind The Story of All of Us","text":"\u003cp\u003eA look at how the human race has survived throughout the ages.\u003c/p\u003e","bgMediaID":52825,"bgMediaURL":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2012/05/Mankind_The_Story_Of_All_Of_Us_3840x2160-scaled-1.jpeg","ctaEnabled":true,"ctaURL":"https://watch.historyvault.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us","ctaButtonText":"WATCH NOW","ctaNewTab":false},"innerBlocks":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":29386,"template":"","meta":{"video_platform_id":"","video_duration":0,"video_content_rating":"","video_disable_autoplay":false,"curated_related_posts":"","disable_related_posts":"","subhead":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","exclude_from_rss":false,"distribute_scheduled_post":[],"downloadable_assets":[],"footnotes":"","reading_time":6},"tags":[],"article_type":[],"story_byline":[1218],"story_category":[98],"class_list":["post-29385","story","type-story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","story_byline-thaddeus-morgan","story_category-africa"],"prepublish_checks":{},"is_external":false,"article_type_meta":"","tags_meta":"","disable_interrupter":"","primary_term":98,"video_thumbnail":false,"hide_on_google_news":false,"yoast_head_json":{"title":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History | HISTORY","description":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History | HISTORY","og_description":"Forget today’s tech billionaires, the wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","og_url":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","og_site_name":"HISTORY","article_modified_time":"2023-07-18T21:14:59+00:00","og_image":[{"width":686,"height":385,"url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","type":"image/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_description":"Forget today’s tech billionaires, the wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","twitter_image":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg?width=800\u0026height=400\u0026crop=1\u0026w=800\u0026h=400\u0026q=100","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https://schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa"},"author":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/#/schema/person/d8f28665f1d745192d13821ffa7ad35d"},"headline":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History","datePublished":"2018-03-19T16:06:59+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-18T21:14:59+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa"},"wordCount":1026,"image":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","url":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","name":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History | HISTORY","isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.history.com#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","datePublished":"2018-03-19T16:06:59+00:00","dateModified":"2023-07-18T21:14:59+00:00","description":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa/#primaryimage","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","contentUrl":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","width":686,"height":385,"caption":"Mansa Musa, King of Mali, on a map of North Africa circa 1375."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.history.com"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Posts","item":"https://www.history.com/news"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://www.history.com#website","url":"https://www.history.com","name":"HISTORY","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https://www.history.com/search/{search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.history.com/#/schema/person/d8f28665f1d745192d13821ffa7ad35d","name":"Thaddeus Morgan","url":"https://www.history.com/author/thaddeus-morgan"}]},"news_article_schema":{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History","description":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","url":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa/","thumbnailUrl":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/this-14th-century-african-emperor-remains-the-richest-person-in-historys-featured-photo.jpg","datePublished":"2018-03-19 16:06:59","dateModified":"2023-07-18 21:14:59","articleSection":"African History","creator":["Thaddeus Morgan"],"keywords":[],"author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https://www.history.com/#/schema/person/d8f28665f1d745192d13821ffa7ad35d","name":"Thaddeus Morgan","url":"https://www.history.com/author/thaddeus-morgan"}}}},"posts":[{"id":29385,"date":"2018-03-19T16:06:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-19T16:06:59","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-07-18T21:14:59","modified_gmt":"2023-07-18T21:14:59","slug":"who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https://www.history.com/news/who-was-the-richest-man-in-history-mansa-musa","title":{"rendered":"This 14th-Century African Emperor Remains the Richest Person in History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the vast fictional universe of Marvel Comics, T’Challa, better known as \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-behind-the-black-panther\"\u003eBlack Panther\u003c/a\u003e, is not only king of Wakanda, he’s also the richest superhero of them all. And although today’s fight for the title of wealthiest person alive involves a tug-of-war between billionaire CEOs, the wealthiest person in history, Mansa Musa, has more in common with Marvel’s first Black superhero.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003eRise of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eMusa became ruler of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-influential-african-empires\"\u003eMali Empire\u003c/a\u003e in 1312, taking the throne after his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II, for whom he’d served as deputy, went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Musa’s rule came at a time when European nations were struggling due to raging civil wars and a lack of resources. During that period, the Mali Empire flourished thanks to ample natural resources like gold and salt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd under the rule of Musa, the prosperous empire grew to span a sizeable portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub of Timbuktu and parts of the Sahara Desert. As the territory grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic standing of its citizens.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-story-grid\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid post-grid is-style-3-col \"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Sori\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2019/02/abdulrahman_ibrahim_sori_prince_slave_library-of-congress_3a39953u.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Sori\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eBlack History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2020/01/cultural-sites-destroyed-in-war-gettyimages-518512616.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003e21st Century\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003e7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003carticle class=\"card-grid-item post-grid-item post-grid-item-sm-50 post-grid-item-md-33\" itemscope itemtype=\"http://schema.org/BlogPosting\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__link\" itemprop=\"url\" aria-label=\"Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\" \u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cfigure class=\"card-grid-item__image-fit image-fit\" itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"\" itemtype=\"http://schema.org/ImageObject\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__image-contain image-fit__image-contain\" aria-label=\"Dahomey Amazons, as depicted in 1897.\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2022/02/warriors-gettyimages-526614820.jpg?width=768\" class=\"card-grid-item__image image-fit__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"Dahomey Amazons, as depicted in 1897.\" /\u003e\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__title-contain\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat card-grid-item__meta-cat--narrow\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cspan class=\"card-grid-item__meta-cat-text\"\u003eAfrican History\u003c/span\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"card-grid-item__title h5\"\u003eFemale Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\u003c/h3\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/article\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMusa\u0026#8217;s Grand Voyage to Mecca\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt wasn’t until 1324 that the world outside of Mali’s border would get a glimpse of the king’s expansive wealth. A devout \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/topics/islam\"\u003eMuslim\u003c/a\u003e in a majority Muslim community, Musa set off on a journey to Mecca for his Hajj pilgrimage. But the king didn’t travel by himself.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe voyage, which would span an estimated 4,000 miles, was traveled by Musa and a caravan that included tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves and heralds, draped in Persian silk and carrying golden staffs. Although records of the exact number of people who participated in the voyage are scarce, the elaborate convoy that accompanied Musa marched alongside camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf course, this spectacle was noticed by residents of the territories that Musa passed through—after all, a group so massive was impossible to overlook. The impact the Malian emperor left on the Egyptian people would reverberate for more than a decade.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"875\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-29387\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eMansa Musa on his way to Mecca.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eArriving in Cairo, Musa’s character was put on full display during his reluctant encounter with Cairo’s ruler, al-Malik al-Nasir. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003etexts\u003c/a\u003e from the ancient historian Shihab al-Umari, Musa was greeted in Cairo by a subordinate of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with his fellow monarch. Musa declined the proposition, claiming that he was only passing through on his pilgrimage to Mecca.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe reason why soon became clear to onlookers. “I realized that the audience was repugnant to him, because he would be obliged to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand,” said a man named Emir Abu, as chronicled in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003edocuments\u003c/a\u003e. “I continue to cajole him, and he continued to make excuses, but the sultan’s protocol demanded that I should bring him into the royal presence, so I kept on at him till he agreed.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe meeting grew contentious when Musa refused to kiss the feet of the sultan, and only turned calm after Musa elected to properly greet al-Nasir. Following a conversation between the two men, al-Nasir offered lodging to Musa and everyone accompanying him, and Musa, in turn, left a piece of his incomprehensible wealth in Egypt.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the markets of Cairo to royal offices to the impoverished people who crossed his path in Egypt, Musa’s generosity and purchase of foreign goods left the streets littered with gold—a resource that was greatly appreciated and in short supply. The people were thrilled—at least at first. Though well-intentioned, Musa’s gifts of gold actually depreciated the value of the metal in Egypt, and the economy took a major hit. It took 12 years for the community to recover.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eExpansion of Musa\u0026#8217;s Empire and Cultural Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"\u003e\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1\" alt=\"The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)\" class=\"wp-image-29388\" srcset=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=300 300w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1024 1024w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1536 1536w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=2048 2048w, https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" /\u003e\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"\u003eThe Djinguereber Mosque.\u003c/figcaption\u003e\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBut the king’s trip wasn’t all about giving. On his voyage, he acquired the territory of Gao within the Songhai kingdom, extending his territory to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert along the Niger River. He would go on to have an empire that spanned several territories, including current-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania, in addition to Mali.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, Gao would be of special importance to the king. This territory, in today’s Mali, is where Musa would build one of several mosques after completing his Hajj. Timbuktu was also an important city for the affluent king, who used his wealth to build schools, universities, libraries and mosques there. The burgeoning trading hub was where Musa commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque, a famed place built of mudbrick and wood that has stood the test of time, remaining active for more than 500 years.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eWord of Musa’s wealth and influence only spread beyond Africa after his voyage to Mecca. Tales of his enormous convoy and generosity continued to be passed on long after his death, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 1332 and 1337. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eBy the late 14th century, Musa had been drawn in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, an important resource for navigators of medieval Europe. Created by Spanish cartographer Abraham Cresques, the atlas depicted Musa sitting on a throne with a gold scepter and crown, holding a gold nugget.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom the abundance of natural resources he cultivated to the growth and development of communities that he left behind, Musa has a legend that could give the fictional Black Panther a run for his money. \u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"\u003eHow Rich was Mansa Musa?\u003c/h2\u003e\n\n\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs far as wealth goes, it is nearly impossible to quantify the riches that Musa had during his lifetime. The vastness of Musa’s land and material holdings, University of Michigan associate history professor Rudolph Ware \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/money/3977798/the-10-richest-people-of-all-time-2/\"\u003eexplained in \u003cem\u003eTime\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, seems downright incomprehensible today: “Imagine as much gold as you think a human being could possess and double it, that’s what all the accounts are trying to communicate,” he said. “This is the richest guy anyone has ever seen.”\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__content\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\u003ch3 class=\"block-banner__heading h4\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\tHISTORY Vault: Mankind The Story of All of Us\t\t\t\t\u003c/h3\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__text\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003cp\u003eA look at how the human race has survived throughout the ages.\u003c/p\u003e\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__cta\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003ca href=\"https://watch.historyvault.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us\" class=\"button is-style-alt\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWATCH NOW\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/a\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\n\t\t\t\u003cdiv class=\"block-banner__image\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2012/05/Mankind_The_Story_Of_All_Of_Us_3840x2160-scaled-1.jpeg?width=1024\u0026#038;height=576\"\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t\u003c/div\u003e\n\t\t","protected":false,"blocks":[{"clientId":"53c7f67b-8768-499f-9ac4-8e6845a6c73c","name":"corpnews-blocks/subhead","attributes":[],"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"1a7437cc-8d24-485c-9bc4-86a9f0296faf","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"In the vast fictional universe of Marvel Comics, T’Challa, better known as \u003ca href=\"http://www.history.com/news/the-real-history-behind-the-black-panther\"\u003eBlack Panther\u003c/a\u003e, is not only king of Wakanda, he’s also the richest superhero of them all. And although today’s fight for the title of wealthiest person alive involves a tug-of-war between billionaire CEOs, the wealthiest person in history, Mansa Musa, has more in common with Marvel’s first Black superhero.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"5447a558-9b9d-430b-842b-7a59421ba1d8","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"The \u003cstrong\u003eRise of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"the-rise-of-mansa-musa-and-the-mali-empire"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"bfb97e83-93ee-40d1-a6ab-c0c349d6c0c8","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Musa became ruler of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-influential-african-empires\"\u003eMali Empire\u003c/a\u003e in 1312, taking the throne after his predecessor, Abu-Bakr II, for whom he’d served as deputy, went missing on a voyage he took by sea to find the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Musa’s rule came at a time when European nations were struggling due to raging civil wars and a lack of resources. During that period, the Mali Empire flourished thanks to ample natural resources like gold and salt.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f258d0f0-9809-4447-af6e-2bbb04285ecb","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"And under the rule of Musa, the prosperous empire grew to span a sizeable portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic coast to the inland trading hub of Timbuktu and parts of the Sahara Desert. As the territory grew while Musa was on the throne, so did the economic standing of its citizens.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"49ff12b6-619b-4b8c-b787-cd6d49fe0ff1","name":"corpnews-blocks/story-grid","attributes":{"posts":"[{\"id\":34744,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/african-prince-slavery-abdulrahman-ibrahim-ibn-sori\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"40 Years a Slave: The Extraordinary Tale of an African Prince Stolen from His Kingdom\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori was West African royalty before he was enslaved on a Mississippi plantation.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":33071,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/cultural-sites-heritage-wars\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"7 Cultural Sites Damaged or Destroyed by War\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"Violence in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and West Africa has taken a toll on historic buildings and monuments.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"},{\"id\":34001,\"link\":\"https:\\/\\/www.history.com\\/news\\/african-female-warriors\",\"title\":{\"rendered\":\"Female Warriors Who Led African Empires and Armies\"},\"type\":\"story\",\"excerpt\":{\"rendered\":\"From Queen Amanirenas to the Dahomey Amazons, women battled colonialists to maintain their power and prevent enslavement.\"},\"article_type_meta\":\"\"}]","className":"is-style-3-col","preview":false,"postType":["any"],"cardsHeading":""},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"4c7c4284-6394-4f8c-82e1-f774f05ba370","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"\u003cstrong\u003eMusa's Grand Voyage to Mecca\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"musas-grand-voyage-to-mecca"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"69ff1e3e-e277-46f0-8aa1-1773eb977a85","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"It wasn’t until 1324 that the world outside of Mali’s border would get a glimpse of the king’s expansive wealth. A devout \u003ca href=\"https://www.history.com/topics/islam\"\u003eMuslim\u003c/a\u003e in a majority Muslim community, Musa set off on a journey to Mecca for his Hajj pilgrimage. But the king didn’t travel by himself.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"45c28847-3aee-4104-b31e-6a9699d742ad","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The voyage, which would span an estimated 4,000 miles, was traveled by Musa and a caravan that included tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves and heralds, draped in Persian silk and carrying golden staffs. Although records of the exact number of people who participated in the voyage are scarce, the elaborate convoy that accompanied Musa marched alongside camels and horses carrying hundreds of pounds of gold.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c80802ba-d838-4791-93e6-e0aa30e76d80","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Of course, this spectacle was noticed by residents of the territories that Musa passed through—after all, a group so massive was impossible to overlook. The impact the Malian emperor left on the Egyptian people would reverberate for more than a decade.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"9afbae5f-2518-4da4-a3d4-029f839aaa4e","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29387,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Print Collector/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/mansa-musa-on-his-way.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca. (Credit: Print Collector/Getty Images)","caption":"Mansa Musa on his way to Mecca.","width":1024,"height":747},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"63000bdc-dbb3-47c9-a398-2e587bd6afe7","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Arriving in Cairo, Musa’s character was put on full display during his reluctant encounter with Cairo’s ruler, al-Malik al-Nasir. According to \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003etexts\u003c/a\u003e from the ancient historian Shihab al-Umari, Musa was greeted in Cairo by a subordinate of al-Nasir, who invited him to meet with his fellow monarch. Musa declined the proposition, claiming that he was only passing through on his pilgrimage to Mecca.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f9174c9d-139f-4284-939e-c37c774177d4","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The reason why soon became clear to onlookers. “I realized that the audience was repugnant to him, because he would be obliged to kiss the ground and the sultan’s hand,” said a man named Emir Abu, as chronicled in the \u003ca href=\"http://www.bu.edu/africa/outreach/k_o_mali/\"\u003edocuments\u003c/a\u003e. “I continue to cajole him, and he continued to make excuses, but the sultan’s protocol demanded that I should bring him into the royal presence, so I kept on at him till he agreed.”","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"d3f993c7-4240-480c-a23a-dea9ae2f7a17","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"The meeting grew contentious when Musa refused to kiss the feet of the sultan, and only turned calm after Musa elected to properly greet al-Nasir. Following a conversation between the two men, al-Nasir offered lodging to Musa and everyone accompanying him, and Musa, in turn, left a piece of his incomprehensible wealth in Egypt.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"2c201a2a-0933-42ca-9f9f-2c50349e2199","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"From the markets of Cairo to royal offices to the impoverished people who crossed his path in Egypt, Musa’s generosity and purchase of foreign goods left the streets littered with gold—a resource that was greatly appreciated and in short supply. The people were thrilled—at least at first. Though well-intentioned, Musa’s gifts of gold actually depreciated the value of the metal in Egypt, and the economy took a major hit. It took 12 years for the community to recover.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"94ac80fa-bb4d-4b6a-97c7-69be330e78e4","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"\u003cstrong\u003eExpansion of Musa's Empire and Cultural Contributions\u003c/strong\u003e","level":2,"id":"expansion-of-musas-empire-and-cultural-contributions"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"d3d066df-32ca-4aac-a437-9b39e8d96b5c","name":"core/image","attributes":{"id":29388,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none","credit":"Marka/UIG/Getty Images","url":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2018/03/the-djinguereber-mosque-credit-marka-uig.jpg?width=800\u0026amp;height=400\u0026amp;crop=2:1","alt":"The Djinguereber Mosque. (Credit: Marka/UIG via Getty Images)","caption":"The Djinguereber Mosque.","width":1024,"height":576},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"52b376f6-ecdf-4ef8-86e4-c7958d0f9a09","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"But the king’s trip wasn’t all about giving. On his voyage, he acquired the territory of Gao within the Songhai kingdom, extending his territory to the southern edge of the Sahara Desert along the Niger River. He would go on to have an empire that spanned several territories, including current-day Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad and Mauritania, in addition to Mali.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f3a0d425-5477-413c-9c42-2dbeb6719bec","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"However, Gao would be of special importance to the king. This territory, in today’s Mali, is where Musa would build one of several mosques after completing his Hajj. Timbuktu was also an important city for the affluent king, who used his wealth to build schools, universities, libraries and mosques there. The burgeoning trading hub was where Musa commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque, a famed place built of mudbrick and wood that has stood the test of time, remaining active for more than 500 years.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"67ae1c70-779c-4ecc-99d1-dd551a15e007","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"Word of Musa’s wealth and influence only spread beyond Africa after his voyage to Mecca. Tales of his enormous convoy and generosity continued to be passed on long after his death, which is believed to have taken place sometime between 1332 and 1337. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"8eda656b-12e4-40a1-aa62-d9a09e945b55","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"By the late 14th century, Musa had been drawn in the 1375 Catalan Atlas, an important resource for navigators of medieval Europe. Created by Spanish cartographer Abraham Cresques, the atlas depicted Musa sitting on a throne with a gold scepter and crown, holding a gold nugget.","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"c4a2f968-d627-4486-a590-e6b8a0fbe3af","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"From the abundance of natural resources he cultivated to the growth and development of communities that he left behind, Musa has a legend that could give the fictional Black Panther a run for his money. ","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"04ef47f3-2dac-4abe-9f1a-ee24edf22860","name":"core/heading","attributes":{"content":"How Rich was Mansa Musa?","level":2,"id":"how-rich-was-mansa-musa"},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"f69819d3-d8d9-48c5-90a4-b671d4480dcc","name":"core/paragraph","attributes":{"content":"As far as wealth goes, it is nearly impossible to quantify the riches that Musa had during his lifetime. The vastness of Musa’s land and material holdings, University of Michigan associate history professor Rudolph Ware \u003ca href=\"http://time.com/money/3977798/the-10-richest-people-of-all-time-2/\"\u003eexplained in \u003cem\u003eTime\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/a\u003e, seems downright incomprehensible today: “Imagine as much gold as you think a human being could possess and double it, that’s what all the accounts are trying to communicate,” he said. “This is the richest guy anyone has ever seen.”","dropCap":false},"innerBlocks":[]},{"clientId":"88cc6c1f-bd3c-49cf-a494-48cf7e7129c0","name":"corpnews-blocks/banner","attributes":{"heading":"HISTORY Vault: Mankind The Story of All of Us","text":"\u003cp\u003eA look at how the human race has survived throughout the ages.\u003c/p\u003e","bgMediaID":52825,"bgMediaURL":"https://assets.editorial.aetnd.com/uploads/2012/05/Mankind_The_Story_Of_All_Of_Us_3840x2160-scaled-1.jpeg","ctaEnabled":true,"ctaURL":"https://watch.historyvault.com/shows/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us","ctaButtonText":"WATCH NOW","ctaNewTab":false},"innerBlocks":[]}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. The wealth of Mansa Musa of Mali was too vast to be imagined—or equaled.","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":29386,"template":"","meta":{"video_platform_id":"","video_duration":0,"video_content_rating":"","video_disable_autoplay":false,"curated_related_posts":"","disable_related_posts":"","subhead":"Forget today’s tech billionaires. 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