You may not have heard about him before but Mansa Musa net worth makes him the richest man in history. In fact, it will not be wrong to say that Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and Jeff Bezos are far behind. However, King Solomon and Genghis Khan are eligible to be his competitors.
The richest man ever, also known as Musa I of Mali, if you want to find the meaning of the name, it can be safely said “King of Kings”. Mansa Musa is considered as one of the richest men ever.
More about the richest man in history
Mansa Musa ruled over the vast stretches of Western Africa. He is also responsible for the resurrection of Timbuktu’s “Great Mosque”. He conquered the Middle East and Africa and during the same, he spread Islam wherever he went as he was a devoted Muslim.
Mansa Musa’s Hajj Pilgrimage
In the year 1324, while he was in his 17th year in power, he set off for the holy pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.
It is required that all Muslims that are physically fit and financially capable must undertake the journey to the holy place in Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage during his lifetime. His Hajj pilgrimage is remembered even today and was remembered by all.
Musa’s journey from Mali to Mecca
All along his journey to the holy place of Mecca, he was said to display his wealth. The same has been recorded in journals and legends. Such was the lavishness of the richest man in history, that his wealth and extravagance is still recorded in history.
According to Encyclopedia Brittanica “Mansa Musa’s caravan consisted of 60,000 men, including 12,000 slaves, who dressed in Persian silk. Musa rode on horseback with 500 slaves carrying gold-adorned staff directly preceding him. He also took along with him 80 camels, which carried 300 pounds of gold each. Musa spent lavishly during his journey, distributing gold to people and exchanging it for souvenirs in the cities he crossed on his way to Mecca. When historian, Chihab al-Umari, visited Cairo twelve years later, the citizens were still singing Musa’s praise”.
Love for gold
Mansa Mussa is known for his love for gold. People believe all of his wealth was related to gold as far as his net worth is concerned.
The estimation of his net worth that he carried when he set off for his Hajj pilgrimage was as much 50,000-75,000 tons of gold to Mecca.
His charity is also remembered by all. While on his pilgrimage to Mecca, the richest man ever distributed gold to poor people and widows. He was a philanthropist.