The richest emperor in human history

The Emperor of Mali is considered the richest man in world history with assets of more than 400 billion USD, far surpassing many famous billionaires today.

Portrait illustration of Emperor Mansa Musa I of the Mali Empire. Photo: wikia.com.

The richest man in human history was Musa Keita I, also known as Mansa Musa, the 10th emperor of the Mali Empire, according to Ancient Origins. Born in 1280, Mansa Musa greatly expanded Mali's territory by conquering 24 cities and other areas. By the time he died in 1337, he had amassed so much wealth that it is difficult to calculate in detail. Adjusted for inflation, Mansa Musa's fortune would be worth more than $400 billion.

For comparison, the second richest family in the world, the Rothschild family, has a total fortune of 350 billion USD. Billionaire JD Rockefeller owns 340 billion USD. Andrew Carnegie has a total fortune of 310 billion USD. Bill Gates owns 136 billion USD. None of the above modern billionaires can surpass the African king in terms of wealth.

Mansa Musa I began to make his fortune from gold and salt mines in West Africa. At its height under Musa I, the Mali Empire spanned more than 2,000 miles, encompassing what is now Chad, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal. In addition to conquering cities like Timbuktu and Gao, Mansa Musa also collected tribute from many other places. While Europe struggled with famine, plague, and war, African nations thrived in the Middle Ages.

According to Mali custom, a king had to appoint a regent when he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca or on some other important mission. If the king did not return, the appointed regent would take the throne. Abubakari Keita II (the emperor before Musa) set out to find the end of the Atlantic Ocean and did not send any news back. Before ascending the throne in 1312, Musa I sent 2,000 ships to search for Abubakari Keita II, but the ships did not return, and Musa I was recognized as the legitimate emperor of Mali.

Mansa Musa I's wealth is only part of his legend. Through his control of important trade routes between the Mediterranean and West Africa, Mansa Musa turned the city of Timbuktu into a center of Islamic culture. He paid an architect 200 kg of gold to build the Djinguereber mosque, which still stands today. He also built the University of Timbuktu to attract Muslim scholars and artists. Mansa Musa I encouraged urbanization in his kingdom by funding the construction of schools and mosques.

Portrait of Emperor Mansa Musa I on a 1375 Catalan Atlas map. Photo: Wikimedia.

Mansa Musa I first attracted world attention in 1324 when he made the pilgrimage to Mecca, as is traditional in Islam.

The pilgrimage, spanning more than 6,400 kilometers, demonstrated the wealth of Emperor Musa and attracted the attention of Europeans. Mansa Musa I brought with him a vast retinue of tens of thousands of soldiers, civilians, and slaves, 500 messengers dressed in silk and gold jewelry, and many camels and horses carrying gold bars. Mansa Musa I also brought his wife, Inari Konte, and 500 maids. He built many shrines along the way at Dukurey, Gundam, Direy, Wanko, and Bako, some of which still stand today.

Upon arriving in Alexandria, Egypt, Mansa Musa distributed gold dust to the poor, bought food for his entourage, and bought souvenirs to take back home, leading to years of inflation in the city. It took Mansa Musa a year to complete the trip and return to Mali.

Mansa Musa I's wealth put him on the map when an illustration of his portrait appeared in the Catalan Atlas of 1375, one of the most important world maps in medieval Europe.

According to VNE