You will surely be surprised to learn that the richest person in human history is an African, a continent often considered arid and impoverished.
Who is the richest person in human history? No, it is not Jeff Bezos or Bill Gates. It is also not Carnegie, Rockefeller, or even Augustus Caesar – although our ancient Roman emperor is in second place.
The person richer than Augustus Caesar is the wealthiest individual to have ever lived on Earth. He was so wealthy that when he spent money, the economy of medieval Egypt was immediately disrupted.
With his absurd wealth, this man distributed gold and silver to all the impoverished people he encountered. Unfortunately, this generosity caused the gold market in Egypt and the entire Middle East to plummet for 12 years.
You will surely be surprised to learn who the richest person in human history is.
We are talking about Mansa Musa, the king of the Mali Empire, who ruled West Africa from 1312 until his death in 1337. During his reign, Musa accumulated such immense wealth that historians still struggle to comprehend it.
Mansa Musa I (c. 1280 – c. 1337) was the 10th Mansa (meaning “king of kings” or “emperor”) of the wealthy Mali Empire. At the time Mansa Musa ascended to the throne, the Mali Empire controlled territories that were previously part of the Ghana Empire and Melle (Mali) and surrounding lands. Musa held numerous titles, including: the chieftain of Melle, Lord of the Wangara mines, Conqueror of Ghanata, Futa-Jallon, and a host of other titles.
History records Mansa Musa as the richest person of all time with a net worth equivalent to $400 billion (adjusted to current value), a staggering figure that far exceeds the combined wealth of billionaires Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Amancio Ortega.
Even after more than 700 years, no one has matched Mansa Musa’s wealth and influence.
To this day, no one has matched Mansa Musa.
Mansa Musa came from royal lineage, being a cousin of King Abubakari Keita II and appointed as the governor during the king’s absence. He later inherited the throne when King Abubakari, who had long harbored plans to explore the Atlantic Ocean, led 2,000 ships on a journey of exploration from which he never returned, simply because he did not believe that 199 of the ships he had sent ahead had mysteriously disappeared in a whirlpool in the ocean, leaving only one ship at the end of the fleet to return with news.
Mansa Musa ascended to the throne in 1312, during a time when Mali was a powerful empire controlling key trade routes. At that time, Mali was the largest provider of gold in the world, with even half of the gold and salt in the world passing through Mali.
To expand the influence of the Mali Empire, Mansa Musa undertook the control of additional territories, including Timbuktu and a large part of western Sudan. The trade routes across the Sahara Desert were concentrated in the city of Timbuktu, a center for the trade of gold, salt, ivory, kola nuts, and even slaves. This was not only an economically and culturally significant center in Africa but also a focal point for Muslim nations. Under Mansa Musa’s rule, Timbuktu grew and became a meeting place for scholars, intellectuals, and artists from the Middle East.
Many scholars, architects, and artists from Arab regions followed Mansa Musa back home.
Mansa Musa ascended to the throne in 1312, during a time when Mali was a powerful empire controlling key trade routes.
Although he reigned for only 25 years, the achievements Mansa Musa made for the economy and culture of the Mali Empire remain a bright spot in the history of Africa and helped him become a great king in the history of the continent.
Mansa Musa was a devout king who always believed that Islam was the gateway to the cultural world of the Eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, he worked hard to promote Islam on his journey back to the Holy Land. His pilgrimage to the sacred city of Mecca in 1324 was the most significant event of his reign.
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage is considered the most lavish and grand journey of a monarch. All 60,000 of the king’s entourage, including 12,000 slaves, 500 emissaries dressed in silk, and a long line of camels, were required to carry gold bars or bags filled with gold so that Mansa Musa could easily distribute wealth to any poor people he encountered along the way. This made him known as a generous and magnanimous king. Even people lined the streets leading to Mecca, waiting for Mansa Musa’s appearance. Some even revealed that 12 years after Mansa Musa’s presence in Cairo, millions of residents there were still singing songs praising the great king of the Mali Empire.
While focusing on the development of Islam, Mansa Musa established a policy of religious freedom.
During his stops in Cairo (Egypt) and Medina (Saudi Arabia), Mansa Musa spent so much gold that he inadvertently damaged the economies of those regions. The influx of precious metals led to skyrocketing prices and inflation that persisted for a decade thereafter. To rectify his mistakes, Mansa Musa bought back gold from moneylenders in Cairo. This was perhaps the first and only time in history that an individual could control the prices of gold and silver across the vast Mediterranean region.
After his pilgrimage to Mecca, King Mansa Musa began constructing many grand mosques, enormous libraries, royal palaces, and Islamic schools throughout his empire. While always focusing on the development of Islam, Mansa Musa established a policy of religious freedom and belief. Some visiting Muslim scholars were surprised to see the colorful attire of the local people, and women here did not even have to wear veils. Education under Mansa Musa was entirely free and received numerous incentives; the wealthy king even founded the prestigious Sankore University. These aspects attracted people from all over the world to come here to gain knowledge.
Mansa Musa is still regarded as one of the most powerful figures in history.
In the 14th century, the name of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire spread across the Arab world, drawing immense attention from cartographers in Europe. In a map created in 1375, Mansa Musa is depicted at the center of West Africa, seated on a throne and holding a gold bar, symbolizing his wealth.
To this day, Mansa Musa is still regarded as one of the most powerful figures in history, as well as the richest person in the world.
