Mansa Musa, Richest man in the history of the planet

Mansa Musa, Richest man in the history of the planet, generated over 400 billion in gold!
That’s right, the richest man in history. With a wealth equivalent of $400 billion in today’s currency, Musa is often forgotten in history and written off as a legend, but people have yet to realize the long-standing impact of his rule. He increased the presence Islam in North and West Africa, established trade routes from Africa to the East, and developed Africa into a nation known for its universities, religion and natural resources. Musa I served as the 10th Mansa (King of Kings) of the Mali Empire from approximately 1312 to 1337.

Musa ascended the throne due to a custom in Mali at the time. When Musa’s predecessor, Abu Bakr II left for an expedition to discover the limits of the Atlantic Ocean, being his deputy, Musa took his place. Bakr never returned leaving Musa as king of the Mali Empire. He made his wealth by maximizing Mali’s salt and gold production.

In 1324 Musa embarked on his pilgrimage to the Mecca, also known as the Hajj. The Hajj is a pillar of Islam that commands all able bodies Muslims to take a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia at least once in there lifetime. On his journey home from the Mecca, Musa built mosques, libraries and the Sankore Madrasah, also known as the University of Sankore. These learning centers were vast and filled with teachers furthering the study of Islam, mathematics, medicine and world studies.

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