Mansa Musa

Mansa Musa was the emperor of the Mali Empire in West Africa. He ruled from about 1312 to 1337. He is often considered the richest person in all of history. His empire was one of the largest and wealthiest in the world at that time.

The Mali Empire

The Mali Empire controlled important trade routes across West Africa. Gold and salt were the most valuable goods. Musa made the empire even wealthier and more powerful. He built mosques and schools throughout his lands.

The Famous Pilgrimage

In 1324, Musa made a pilgrimage to Mecca with a caravan of 60,000 people. He brought so much gold that he crashed the gold market in Egypt. He gave away gold to the poor along the way. His journey made him famous across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.

Fun Facts

• Mansa Musa traveled to Mecca with 60,000 people and 80 camels carrying gold.
• He gave away so much gold in Egypt that it crashed the economy for years.
• He built the famous Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu.

Did You Know?

Mansa Musa was so rich that modern historians have a hard time estimating his wealth. Some say his fortune would be worth over 400 billion dollars in today's money.