The medieval king Mansa Musa I of the Keita dynasty is considered the richest man in history, "richer than it is possible to describe," the Times concludes. Translated into the realities of 2012, experts estimated his fortune at $ 400 billion, which put him in first place in the list of the richest people in the world. We tried to find out how, after all, the African lived and became famous, having overtaken the Rothschild Europeans and the American Rockefeller.
Sun King
Musa Keita I became the ruler of the West African Empire of Mali in 1312. At the coronation he was given the name "Mansa", which means "king". During that era, medieval Europe was going through a dark period of famine, epidemics and countless civil wars and civil strife. In the African kingdoms, the sun was shining and things were going well.
Ruler of the golden lands
Mansa Musa's possessions covered the vast territories of modern Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Chad. The lands were rich in precious natural resources, in particular gold. What was in the hands of the king who loved a beautiful life.
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Unforgettable journey
The rest of the world became known to the African ruler after he made a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324. The 6500 km journey was by no means economy class. Pilgrimage as an act of asceticism? No matter how it is! “His caravans stretch as far as the eye can see,” a contemporary shared his observation. The king was accompanied by, according to various sources, from 60 to 80 thousand retinue. For dinner, in the heart of the barren desert, baskets of fresh fruit and trays of fish and seafood on ice were brought into the pilgrim's tent.
Golden Rain
During a stopover in Cairo, Mansa Musa handed out so much gold to the poor that it brought down the country's economy for a good ten years: the abundant influx of gold devalued it and contributed to an incredible rise in prices.
Man-made monument
Mansa Musa loved not only gold, but also Islam. According to one of the legends, the king ordered to erect a new mosque every Friday at the place where they will break the halt.
Got into history (and geography)
The sensational journey has placed the African ruler not only in the annals of history, but also in geography. Literally. One of the most authoritative maps of Europe in the Middle Ages was decorated with his image. In the picture, of course, the king is holding a gold coin. A very large gold coin.
What's left
After twenty-five years of reign, Mansa Musa died in 1337. His son Magan I took his place on the throne, and everything went wrong. The son was far from his father, not only in terms of chic, but also as a political leader. After a short, albeit memorable, heyday, the Mali empire was heading towards decline. The final collapse came in the 15th century after the advent of the triangular sail of the Portuguese and their arrival at the mouth of the Gambia. Savvy Europeans began to export gold and slaves from Africa, and only legends remained of the former splendor of the continent.