Mansa Musa Net Worth

Who wouldn’t desire wealth? Everyone aspires to have a significant income and be on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals. 

Most people will tell you that wealth doesn’t necessarily make you rich in the long run and that even a crown of gold won’t make up for a hole in your heart, but that people will never forget you if you’re wealthy. 

Every few years, a different tech giant appears to hold the record for being the richest human being on Earth. Despite their wealth, Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos won’t even be the richest human. They still have a long way to go before they reach the African King Mansa Musa, who is regarded as the richest person in history and is “richer than anyone could describe.”

Musa, a West African king, was considered the richest person in the world at one point.

What is Mansa Musa Net Worth?

Mansa Musa’s net worth, adjusted to modern-day rates, would be roughly $400 billion. Mansa Musa inherited an empire with natural resources, including gold, contributing to his success and making him a wealthy king. Because of his wealth, he achieved a global reputation in 1324 after the pilgrimage to Mecca.

His success was aided by the abundance of natural resources, including gold, on his farm. He traveled to Mecca in 1324 and returned with significant money, which helped him gain a reputation worldwide.

Who is Mansa Musa?

Mansa Musa (also known as Musa I of Mali) presided over the West African Malian Empire. Mansa Musa was one of the wealthiest people in the world, and Mali was one of the richest African countries during his rule. 

Mansa Musa transformed towns like Gao and Timbuktu into significant cultural hubs. He also imported architects from the Middle East and other parts of Africa to create new structures for his settlements. Musa transformed Mali’s kingdom into an advanced Islamic center of study.

In 1324, Musa performed the hajj to Mecca with a sizable entourage and a sizable amount of pure gold. He stopped at Cairo along the route when it was said that his extravagant gift-giving affected the price of gold in Egypt and aroused the interest of the larger Muslim world. 

Musa expanded his Empire’s borders by annexing Gao and Timbuktu’s cities. He aimed to fortify ties with other Muslim nations, particularly the Mamluk and Marinid Sultanates.

He sent experts from all across the Muslim world to Mali, notably the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Swahili, and helped turn Timbuktu into a center of Islamic learning.

Several building projects, most notably a section of Timbuktu’s Djinguereber Mosque, are associated with his tenure. Most people agree that Musa’s rule represents the height of Mali’s magnificence and power.

Mansa governed the Empire for 25 years, and although it is impossible to pinpoint the precise date Mansa Musa died, experts assume it occurred sometime in 1337.

The Empire was ruled by Mansa Magha Keita, Mansa Musa’s son, from 1337 to 1341, after which Mansa Suleyman, his father’s elder brother, took over and ruled from 1341 to 1360.

Mansa Musa’s heirs could not protect the empire after his death, which northern invaders overran.

How Mansa Musa Made His Money

You don’t become the richest person in history by annexing nearby lands. The enormous amount of gold that Mansa and his empire were able to create was the primary source of his wealth. 

West Africa, where the Mali Empire was located, contained many of the world’s gold reserves.

Gold was a highly sought-after item during this period of history, and Mansa Musa could take advantage of this to amass his incredible wealth. But it wasn’t just the goldmines that brought him money.

Mansa had the wisdom to make investments. Musa built towns and erected many buildings, including mosques and schools. Mansa amassed wealth by possessing a plentiful supply of gold and using the proceeds to develop his holdings.

Between roughly 1280 and 1337, Musa Keita I controlled the Empire in west Africa. Taxing the numerous camel caravans that crossed the Sahara Desert each year resulted in a substantial amount of imperial income.

Gold and salt, two locally produced goods, significantly increased his nation’s prosperity.

Interesting Facts about Mansa Musa 

• Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Mali Empire, was the brother of Mansa Musa’s grandfather.

• Musa made his pilgrimage to Mecca in the years 1324–1325. Approximately 60,000 men participated in Musa’s pilgrimage.

• King Mansa seized control over 24 cities and the surrounding areas.

• Mansa Musa, unlike many other monarchs in history, did not have a well-known father, which is a fascinating fact about him. Faga Laye, his father, had no notable accomplishments in Mali’s past.

• Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim

• After accounting for inflation, Celebrity Net Worth magazine issued a list of the top 25 richest man in history in 2012. Mansa Musa was ranked above many wealthiest historical figures, like Henry Ford.

• Musa’s reign lasted from 1312 CE to 1337 CE.

• The Malian Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, The Gambia, and the modern state of Mali.

• He is the richest man to have ever lived.

Conclusion 

According to history, Mansa Musa, the former ruler of the old Mali Empire, conquered 24 cities. At that time, it was noted that Mali’s estimated fortune was thriving due to his empire’s abundant natural resource reserves, including salt and gold. 

Mansa Musa became the richest person in history as a result of this since he personally owned more gold and salt than anyone else in the world at the time. 

When he traveled to Mecca in 1324, he gained fame. He spent so much gold on the needy during this journey that it resulted in massive inflation in Cairo.

Musa’s wealth was known throughout the Mediterranean. He appears in the Catalan Atlas of 1375. He constructed Timbuktu’s fabled Djinguereber Mosque, which is still standing today. 

Although the US website Celebrity Net Worth pegged his wealth at $400 billion in 2012, economic historians concur that it is impossible to put a precise value on his riches.

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