Musa I would go on to become known as Mansa Musa, as “musa” means “conqueror” or “emperor”. He became the ruler of the Mali Empire in Africa from 1312 to 1337.
Mansa Musa was well-known throughout Africa during the 14th century. He saw to expand Mali influence across the continent. Musa was also the first ruler of Mali to practice and encourage Islam.
Abundance of Gold
Musa went on to significantly spread this religion throughout Mali. However, it was not necessarily his preaching of Islam that made him well-known in history. Instead, Mansa Musa is often referred to as one of the wealthiest individuals to have ever existed.
Most of Musa’s wealth was made through the gold mines of Mali. During his reign, the Mali Empire was believed to be the largest producer of gold in the world. Musa was thus in charge of a great many gold mines throughout his land. Mali supplied surrounding areas with gold, making Musa and his empire a fortune.
Pilgrimage To Mecca
In 1324, as his studies of Islam increased, Musa made a pilgrimage, or hajj, to Mecca, which is considered to be the holiest city of Islam. During the journey, Musa and his company made a stop in Cairo, Egypt.
While in Cairo, Musa was said to spend large amounts of gold, by purchasing souvenirs and handing out generous donations. It is reported that Musa spent so much gold there that the price of the metal plummeted, sparking a recession in Cairo.
Musa also spent his gold in other areas along his 2,700 mile (4,300 km) journey to Mecca. His generous spending attracted lots of attention to the Mali ruler and how wealthy he was. Musa’s vast spending spree persuaded many people of the time to write about the wealthy ruler.
Many reports state that Musa had brought around 60,000 men with him on the pilgrimage, which included about 12,000 slaves. Each of the men carried roughly 4 pounds (1.8 kg) of gold with them. Musa also brought along 80 camels, each carrying another 50-300 pounds (23-136 kg) of the precious metal.
Expansion in Timbuktu
On his journey back to Mali in 1325, Musa decided to use his presence to influence surrounding areas to join his empire. One of the cities that Musa peacefully annexed during this time was Timbuktu.
Mansa Musa brought gold and many foreign artifacts to Timbuktu, boosting the city’s economy. This helped the city become a major center of trade and commerce. News of Timbuktu reached Europe and the Middle East, encouraging merchants and traders from there to make the trip.
Musa also had a university built in Timbuktu, and used it to teach both general education and Islam. He also commissioned the Djinguereber Mosque to be built there in 1327. Timbuktu’s university and mosque are still in use to this day.
Conclusion
Though Mansa Musa was extremely wealthy, it is very difficult to accurately determine exactly how much wealth he possessed by modern standards. Thanks to his wide spread of attention through his generous spending, there are many reports that discuss his vast wealth. Many estimates claim that Mansa Musa would be more wealthy than the current wealthiest person alive, as of 2022.
