By: Paula Wilson.

When we think of the wealthiest people in the world, we most often think of the Waltons (of Wal-Mart fame), Warren Buffett, or Bill Gates. However, if you go a bit further back in history, you’ll discover that the wealth of the kings, queens, and rulers of yesteryear trumps the bank accounts of most modern day millionaires and even billionaires by a mile.

In fact, during his time, one man controlled more wealth than Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and the wealthiest member of the Walton family, Sam Walton, combined. That man was Mansa Musa I. With an adjusted net worth of approximately $400 billion, Musa is without a doubt the richest man to have ever lived. So who was he? And why haven’t you heard more about him?

Emperor Mansa Musa I, also known as Musa of Mali (Mansa actually means “King of Kings”), was born in Mali, sometime in the 1280s. Mansa Musa came to be king in a rather roundabout way. His grandfather, Abu Bakr, was the brother of Sundiata Keita, the man who founded the Malian Empire. Neither Abu Bakr nor his son, Faga Laye, ever took the throne, and Mansa Musa was appointed deputy ruler if the king ever went on an extended trip or pilgrimage to Mecca. He was appointed deputy under Abubakari II, who had visions of exploring the far reaches of the Atlantic Ocean.

Abubakari sent 200 boats out into the sea, ordering them not return from their voyage until they had reached the far side of the Atlantic, or until they ran out of food and water, whichever came first. Quite a long time later, one boat returned, with tales of a great whirlpool that had drowned everyone. Abubakari didn’t believe the captain’s story, so he took 2,000 boats, and appointing himself head of the expedition, set off to find the truth. As the King’s deputy, Mansa Musa became ruler in his absence. Abubakari II never returned, and Mansa Musa eventually inherited the throne.

Much of Musa’s wealth came from the production of mosques, madrsasas, and universities, many of which are still standing today. The University of Sankore was built during his time, and is still in existence. The quality of life in urban centers, such as Timbuktu, was vastly superior to other parts of the world at the time, largely due to the availability of work, and Musa’s control of the gold and salt trades.

When traveling throughout his kingdom on the way to Mecca in 1324, his procession included 60,000 people. Along the way, 12,000 of his followers carried four-pound gold bars, which he gave away to the poor everywhere he went. Unfortunately, this devalued the gold, especially in Cairo, Medina, and Mecca, and Musa subsequently borrowed as much gold as he could from money lenders in Cairo, even though it was loaned at a high interest rate.

As a result, he now controlled the price of gold for all of the Mediterranean. He also controlled more than half of the world’s salt supply. Between his gold and his salt, traders from as far away as Europe made annual trips to his kingdom from Venice, Granada, and Genoa, and this gave him the power to set prices as high he wanted.

In 1330, Mossi invaded Timbuktu, which Musa had annexed in 1325. He quickly recaptured the city, fortifying its boundary with a fort and a standing army. As a major seat for trade in the region, control of Timbuktu meant control of the flow of money. During his reign, Mali grew to have more than 400 bustling cities. Muslim scholars from abroad flocked to the University of Sankore to study, and Musa controlled everything from his massive palace in Timbuktu, which was constructed by architects imported from Andalusia in Spain. He also created one large system of government for most of the Western Sudan. Under his rule, the region was said to exist in “complete and general safety.” Records of how Musa died vary greatly, so it’s unclear whether he died soon after returning from his pilgrimage to Mecca, or whether he continued to live for another 10 years. His son, Mansa Maghan, became ruler in 1332, and his older brother, Mansa Suleyman, became ruler in 1336. Mansa Musa’s period of rule is recorded as 25 years, but whether his reign ended in 1332 because of his death, or his resignation, remains unclear. What is clear, is that for over two decades, one man almost single-handedly controlled a massively wealthy empire with multiple major trading ports.

Today, there aren’t any billionaires who could command 12,000 people to carry four-pound bricks of gold on an incredibly long walk. Or even billionaires who could affect the price of gold by simply being in charge. Mansa Musa was not only the wealthiest man to ever live, but arguably the most powerful. This may be a good part of the reason his story is skimmed over in most textbooks. That aside, Mansa Musa is a clear, and perhaps rare example, of a very wealthy individual who held at least an equal amount of power to go along with it.

Paula writes for africanglobe
Source : http://leadership.ng/features/472367/a-deeper-look-into-the-life-of-mansa-musa-the-richest-human-being-who-ever-lived

Wow! Informative ...Mansa Musa, never heard 'bout him till now.

I heard about him just last week and here is the full story. Nice one OP, stinking rich abi somebody mess (fart) here?

.

So where is the gold now, in mali, sudan, saudi arabia or europe? Abeg 0.P google for the gold trail, am sure our colonial masters should know where all d dead bodies are buried!

I was in Mr Biggs yesterday when I suddenly realized I desperately needed to mess, They were playing Don Jazzy’s Dorobucci. The music was really really loud, so I timed my mess with the beat of the music. I was releasing my mess alongside the music so that nobody would hear the sound of the mess although the mess was very loud too. When I finished, I started to feel better but I looked around and noticed that everybody in the restaurant frowned and was staring at me….. Why? Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to the music with my ear-phone. I almost fainted!!!

I'm currently in a Virgil now and pastor just said we should ask what we want from God as we dey ask everyday, why should I ask for something else when I'm reading about Mansa Musa?!
Oya! Oluwa, somidi Mansa Musa o!
Make God do quick turn me to Mansa Musa.

Isn't it curious that this guy, artaxerxes, nebuchadnezzar, tigranes were addressed king of kings and haile selassie was named king of kings too.. What was so special about that title sef?

BTW king Solo was d richest king ever.. He had more $ and bitches than anyone else

zadok60:
I was in Mr Biggs yesterday when I suddenly realized I
desperately needed to mess, They were playing Don
Jazzy’s Dorobucci. The music was really really loud, so I
timed my mess with the beat of the music. I was
releasing my mess alongside the music so that nobody
would hear the sound of the mess although the mess
was very loud too. When I finished, I started to feel
better but I looked around and noticed that everybody in
the restaurant frowned and was staring at me….. Why?
Then I suddenly remembered that I was listening to the
music with my ear-phone. I almost fainted!!!

u sa wan dey chop like, he Neva tire u?

The list uses the annual 2199.6 per cent rate of inflation to adjust historic fortunes – a formula that means $100 million in 1913 would be equal to £2.299.63 billion today.

rexbuton:
Isn't it curious that this guy, artaxerxes, nebuchadnezzar, tigranes were addressed king of kings and haile selassie was named king of kings too.. What was so special about that title sef?

BTW king Solo was d richest king ever.. He had more $ and bitches than anyone else

king solomon built the Temple with £470million

Nice post @OP. Na so oyinbo man dey try change our narrative, i.e African history to show we were never up there. But it will surprise alot of people how many 'firsts' and 'onlys' have emerged from the continent. And to d prayer warrior @Chanchit, are u from Plateau state cos that name sure sounds Taroh.

Really informative. But I thought job in the bible was the richest MaN that ever lived

benigneOne:
Really informative. But I thought job in the bible was the richest MaN that ever lived

After SOLOMON follows MANSA MUSA

Those biblical characters never existed. These guys are the real deal.

we'll get there. $400 billion na small challenge

rexbuton:
Isn't it curious that this guy, artaxerxes, nebuchadnezzar, tigranes were addressed king of kings and haile selassie was named king of kings too.. What was so special about that title sef?

BTW king Solo was d richest king ever.. He had more $ and bitches than anyone else

dat solo guy na very badt guy

Informative piece,nyc one op

In Every History aspect of Mali..There must be a "Keita"

Ancient Kings were wealthy

When will EFCC probe Masan Musa?

jaybanfa:
Nice post @OP. Na so oyinbo man dey try change our narrative, i.e African history to show we were never up there. But it will surprise alot of people how many 'firsts' and 'onlys' have emerged from the continent. And to d prayer warrior @Chanchit, are u from Plateau state cos that name sure sounds Taroh.

Never been there, its my internet name.

Cc: lalasticlala

circuit101:
u sa wan dey chop like, he Neva tire u?

i dey tell u d guy just dy find like, like say e dey increase his bank account
at topic, i thought solomon was d richest man ever

Their many ancient kings like him, those years kings got wealth by monopoly nobody can do it these days

ohh yes,,richest man ever liveth after Solomon.Even Bill Gates can't get half of d money that man had then
..

Pls wu is solomon and job,we're talking about pple dat were rich in true world,u're comparing them wit pple dat were written 2 be rich in an imaginary buk.

the first time I heard the name mansa musa was from JayZ,in the song with Rick Ross "the devil is a lie" he said something like "King Hova,Mansa Musa" whatever that is.

The whites successfully edited our history causing most of us not to dig deep... Imagine just hearing dx name for d first time but we keep on shouting bill gate every here nd dere

EVILFOREST:

After SOLOMON follows MANSA MUSA

after Musa comes Solomon. Don't distort history cos of your faith

If you did History 101 in uni you know him

i'm no more an upcoming artiste, i'm upcoming mansa musa