When the turbulence died down, Mansa Musa, perhaps the most able and best known of Mali monarchs, ascended the throne in 1307. Mansa Musa (1307-1337) consolidated the administration of the state, encouraged trade and protected trade routes. In 1324, he performed his Hajj. According to Ibn Khaldun, he took with him an entourage of 12,000.
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Who was Mansa Musa and what did he do?
Mansa Musa was knowledgeable in Arabic and was described as a Muslim traditionalist. He became the first Muslim ruler in West Africa to make the nearly four thousand mile journey to Mecca. Preparing for the expedition took years and involved the work of artisans in numerous towns and cities across Mali.
What did Mansa Musa help build?
A Muslim like his royal predecessors, Mansa Musa brought back architects and scholars from his pilgrimage to Mecca who would build mosques and universities that made such cities as Timbuktu internationally famous.
What are 10 facts about Mansa Musa?
Mansa Musa | 10 Facts About The Richest Man In History#1 Mansa Musa means “King of Kings” Musa.#2 He was the tenth ruler of the Empire of Mali.#3 Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca is legendary.#4 He carried immense wealth with him and spent it lavishly.#5 Mansa Musa's extravagance caused inflation in the Mediterranean.More items...•
Was Mansa Musa a good king?
Musa was a very successful military leader During Musa's 25-year-rule the Mali Empire more than tripled in size and had significant influence in several modern day countries including Mauritania, Senegal, Nigeria, Burkino Faso and Chad. Musa conquered more than 20 major cities in his lifetime.
Did Mansa Musa give away gold?
Musa gave the gold to the poor he met along his route. Musa not only gave to the cities he passed on the way to Mecca, including Cairo and Medina, but also traded gold for souvenirs. It was reported that he built a mosque every Friday.
What laws did Mansa Musa make?
He converted to Islam and based his system of justice on the Quran. In order to ensure prosperity and peace in his kingdom, he did not impose Islam on the people, but promoted religious freedom and tolerance. This means Mansa Musa allowed people to practice any religion they believed.
What made Mansa Musa a strong leader?
On his journey, his entourage carried several tons of gold and jewels that he distributed to the poor in every land he passed through. He also gifted local and national leaders with gifts of great wealth while establishing good relationships with rulers throughout the world.
How did Mansa Musa destroy the economy?
So much gold was current in Cairo that it ruined the value of the money." Indeed, by spending so much gold, Musa caused an oversupply of the precious metal, and as a result, the value of gold plummeted throughout much of the Middle East for several years.
Who is the richest person in the world ever lived?
Often cited as the richest person who ever lived, oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller was the first person to have a net worth of more than $1bn in the money of the time.
Did Musa spend all of his money on building stuff?
Q: Did Musa spend all of his money on building stuff? A: He did build an awful lot. But construction wasn't Musa's only expense. During his pilgrimage, for example, he spent a lot of time shopping at Cairo's world-famous markets.
Who is richest person in history?
Early modern periodRanking (present world billionaires if alive)NameLifetime1Henry Ford1863–1947 (84 years)2Mir Osman Ali Khan1886–1967 (81 years)3John D. Rockefeller1839–1937 (97 years)4Andrew Carnegie1835–1919 (83 years)5 more rows
How much is Mansa Musa worth today?
about US$400 billionHistorians say he was the richest person to have ever lived. Today, his wealth would be worth about US$400 billion.
What is Mansa Musa famous for?
However, his riches are only one part of his legacy, and he is also remembered for his Islamic faith, promotion of scholarship, and patronage of culture in Mali. The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled ...
What did Mansa Musa do after his return from Mecca?
After his return from Mecca, Mansa Musa began to revitalize cities in his kingdom. He built mosques and large public buildings in cities like Gao and, most famously, Timbuktu. Timbuktu became a major Islamic university center during the 14 th century due to Mansa Musa’s developments.
What was Mansa Musa's wealth?
Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa. His riches came from mining significant salt and gold deposits in the Mali kingdom. Elephant ivory was another major source of wealth.
What countries did Mansa Musa build?
Mansa Musa developed cities like Timbuktu and Gao into important cultural centers. He also brought architects from the Middle East and across Africa to design new buildings for his cities.
Where did Mansa Musa travel?
The fame of Mansa Musa and his phenomenal wealth spread as he traveled on his hajj to Mecca. Afterward, he put himself and his kingdom, West Africa's Mali, on the map, literally. Mali's Timbuktu (shown here in this 1858 painting by Heinrich Barth) was known for its schools and libraries.
When did Mansa Musa come to power?
Mansa Musa came to power in 1312 C.E., after the previous king, Abu Bakr II, disappeared at sea. Mansa Abu Bakr II had departed on a large fleet of ships to explore the Atlantic Ocean, and never returned. Mansa Musa inherited a kingdom that was already wealthy, but his work in expanding trade made Mali the wealthiest kingdom in Africa.
Who was the ruler of Mali?
Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali) was the ruler of the kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E. During his reign, Mali was one of the richest kingdoms of Africa, and Mansa Musa was among the richest individuals in the world.
What were Mansa Musa's accomplishments?
What Were the Accomplishments of Mansa Musa? Mansa Musa ruled over the empire of Mali, a nation of fabulous wealth. He built many monuments, mosques and schools throughout his empire, and was most famous for his 1324 pilgrimage to Mecca that introduced Mansa Musa and the empire of Mali to the Middle East and Europe.
What did Musa do during his pilgrimage?
During his pilgrimage, he gave out fabulous wealth to the needy, inadvertently destroying the local economies of the region. ...
How much was Musa worth in 2012?
Adjusted for inflation, Mansa Musa's wealth may have made him the richest man in all of history, with a net worth of $400 billion in 2012 dollars.
What helped Mansa Musa become rich?
Others say Abubakari II’s expedition is what helped Mansa Musa become as rich as he is. One site says on Abubakari II’s arrival in Brazil :
What did Musa do to the Mali Empire?
Musa expanded the borders of the Mali Empire, in particular incorporating the cities of Gao and Timbuktu into its territory. He sought closer ties with the rest of the Muslim world, particularly the Mamluk Sultanate and Marinid Sultanate. He recruited scholars from the wider Muslim world to travel to Mali, such as the Andalusian poet Abu Ishaq al-Sahili, and helped establish Timbuktu as a center of Islamic learning. His reign is associated with numerous construction projects, including part of Djinguereber Mosque in Timbuktu.
What does Mansa mean?
Mansa is the Mande word for "ruler" or "king", and was the title of the ruler of the Mali Empire. It has also been translated as "conqueror" and "priest-king". In oral tradition and the Timbuktu Chronicles, Musa is known as Kanku Musa.
What religion is Musa?
Religion. Sunni Islam. Musa I (c. 1280 – c. 1337 ), or Mansa Musa, was the ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, an Islamic West African state. At the time of Musa's ascension to the throne, Mali in large part consisted of the territory of the former Ghana Empire, which Mali had conquered. The Mali Empire consisted of land that is now part of Guinea, ...
How long did Musa reign?
Ibn Khaldun claims Musa reigned for 25 years, so his accession is dated to 25 years before his death. Musa's death may have occurred in 1337, 1332, or possibly even earlier, giving 1307 or 1312 as plausible approximate years of accession. 1312 is the most widely accepted by modern historians.
Where did Musa build the mosques?
Musa embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao. Most notably, the ancient center of learning Sankore Madrasah (or University of Sankore) was constructed during his reign.
How long did Musa's pilgrimage last?
He would have spent much time fostering the growth of the religion within his empire. Musa made his pilgrimage between 1324 and 1325 spanning 2,700 miles.
Why was Mansa Musa so famous?
Mansa Musa became very famous in Europe and West Africa after he made the hajj pilgrimage to Mecca , which was a difficult proposition in those days.
Who is Mansa Musa?
Mansa Musa, also known as Musa Keita I of Mali, was the tenth Sultan of the Mali Empire. He is believed to be one of the richest individuals to have walked on this planet.
How many sons did Mansa Musa have?
He was married to Inari Kunate and had two sons. The exact date of death of Mansa Musa is not recorded. However, as per calculations made by historians, he died around the year 1337, after reigning for 25 years. He was succeeded by his elder son, Mansa Maghan, who carried on his legacy.
Where was Mansa Musa born?
Childhood & Early Life. Mansa Musa was born into the Keita Dynasty in 1280s in Mali as Musa Keita. His grandfather, Abu-Bakra-Keita, was the brother of Sundiata Keita, the founder of the Malian Empire. His father, Faga Laye, did not play any role in the kingdom.
What was Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca?
Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca was a major landmark in his life. The experience inspired him to reform Islam in his kingdom and build famous mosques like the legendary Djinguereber Mosque that stands till today.
Why did Musa return to Mali?
He returned to Mali with North African scholars and architects to reform Islam and bring about development in his country.
What set Musa apart from his contemporaries?
Musa was a pious Muslim and undertook a pilgrimage to Mecca during 1324-1325. What set him apart from his contemporaries is the opulence with which he went about his journey. It is said that he moved with a large cavalcade of men and animals including 12,000 slaves who were laden with gold and riches that were given out as alms in the Arab cities he passed through on his way to the holy city. He also built a new mosque in every city that he halted on a Friday.
What was the kingdom of Mansa Musa rich in?
The kingdom was richly endowed with gold, salt, cola nuts and ivory, which were in great demand in the markets of the Mediterranean. But above all, it was endowed with gifted and far-sighted rulers like Mansa Musa.
How long did Mansa Musa rule?
In chronological terms, Mansa Musa ruled less than a hundred years after the fall of Baghdad (1258) and the total destruction of Central Asia and Persia by the Mongols. In the early part of the 14 th century, there were only three parts of the Muslim world that had any semblance of political and economic power.
Why did Sundiata wear a Muslim dress?
Henceforth Islam was to provide the universal cohesive force for the Mandinka, transcending their allegiance to tribe and region. The Mali Empire was born. Mansa Uli succeeded his father Sundiata.
What was the goal of the Mandinka?
These were loose military groupings directed towards a common goal, namely, the protection of trade routes. It was not until the reign of Sundiata that the Mandinka forged the political union that gave birth to Mali. Sundiata, who ruled from 1230-1255, is known in the Mandinka language as Mari-Djata.
What was the most important thing about Mali?
From our perspective, the important element in Mali was that it was Muslim. This fact made it an integral part of the vast Islamic world. Trade and ideas flowed freely between Mali, North Africa, Spain, Egypt and Arabia. Muslim traders plied the desert with their caravans carrying brass work from Spain, brocades from Egypt, precious stones from India and returned with gold, salt, cola nuts and ivory. More important was the flow of ideas and scholars. Africans traveled to Mecca for Hajj and brought back books written in Baghdad, Cairo and Kairouan. Islamic jurists and ulema were in great demand in the learning centers of Sijilmasa, Timbaktu, Mali and Ghana. African soldiers were very much a part of Muslim armies in Spain, Egypt and India. Mali was thus a part of the Islamic mosaic contributing its wealth and its resources to the prosperity of Asia and Europe alike.
Where did Mansa Musa stop off?
On his return from Hajj, Mansa Musa stopped off in Cairo and Kairouan, bought a large number of books and returned home accompanied by Maliki jurists, administrators and Qur’anic scholars.
Who succeeded Sundiata?
Mansa Uli succeeded his father Sundiata. The word Mansa (or Mansu) in Mandinka means king, Uli is a local pronunciation of Ali (r). Uli extended the borders of Mali in every direction. To the north, he added the important trading centers of Walata and Timbaktu. To the east, he added Gao.
What is Mansa Musa famous for?
Mansa Musa is most famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca which he undertook in 1324, the seventeenth year of his reign. Such was the wealth that he displayed during the journey that eyewitnesses were awestruck and there are several references to it in journals, oral accounts and histories.
What was Musa's main project?
After his return from Mecca, Musa undertook building projects. Many mosques and educational centers were built in Timbuktu and Gao. He brought architects from Spain and Cairo who built his grand palace and the famous Djinguereber Mosque. The great University of Sankore was also built during his reign. Musa’s grand palace no longer exists but the university and mosque still stand in Timbuktu. Another famous structure constructed during Musa’s reign was the Gao mosque in which burnt bricks were used for the first time in West Africa.
How many slaves did Mansa Musa have?
Mansa Musa’s caravan consisted of 60,000 men including 12,000 slaves who dressed in Persian silk. Musa rode on a horseback with 500 slaves carrying gold adorned staff directly preceding him. He also took along with him 80 camels which carried 300 pound 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 including Cairo and Medina. When historian Chihab al-Umari visited Cairo twelve years later, the citizens were still singing Musa’s praise.
What countries did Mansa Musa cover?
Here are 10 interesting facts about Mansa Musa whose empire covered modern day Ghana, Timbuktu and Mali in West Africa.
How did Musa influence the value of gold?
The sudden influx of gold in the cities of Cairo, Medina and Mecca caused a decline in the value of the metal. This caused super inflation with the price of goods skyrocketing. Later Musa took back some of the gold at high interest from money lenders in Cairo to adjust its value. Even twelve years after his pilgrimage the markets couldn’t recover fully. This is the only instance in history when one man controlled the price of gold in the Mediterranean.
What is Mansa's name?
Mansa I of Mali was known by numerous names during his life including Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, Conqueror of Ghanata, Lion of Mali and Kankan Musa. In the west he is popular by the name Mansa Musa. Musa is a Muslim name whose biblical equivalent would be Moses while Mansa means “King of Kings”.
Why did Musa take back gold?
This caused super inflation with the price of goods skyrocketing. Later Musa took back some of the gold at high interest from money lenders in Cairo to adjust its value. Even twelve years after his pilgrimage the markets couldn’t recover fully. This is the only instance in history when one man controlled the price of gold in the Mediterranean.
How did Mansa Musa maintain his power?
Firstly, Mansa Musa organized his empire using an efficient bureaucratic government, and then he maintained a large army to secure his empire.
Why did Mansa Musa give away so much money?
In Cairo, Mansa Musa met the Sultan of Egypt, and his caravan spent and gave away so much gold, that it reduced the value of gold for the next 12 years in Egypt .
Where did Mansa Musa wealth go?
A mosque would be built in today's Mali on this territory after Musa completed his Hajj in today's Mali. Affluent king Timbuktu also promoted Timbuktu as an important city by building there schools, universities, libraries, and mosques with his wealth.
What made Mansa Musa so absurdly wealthy?
As far as the trade is concerned, gold and ivory were the chief commodities traded from the south.
Did Mansa Musa help the poor?
While in Cairo, he spent so much gold and gave so much money to the poor that he caused an inflationary boom. A city's full recovery from a currency crisis will take years. Mansa Musa became a sensation when he embarked on that extravagant trip.
How much wealth did Mansa Musa have?
As an adjusted value, Mansa Musa's net worth would be approximately US $ 400 billion today. He enjoyed vast amounts of natural resources, including gold, on his land which made him wealthy. A pilgrimage to Mecca brought him worldwide fame in 1324 because of his wealth.
What two major resources did Mansa Musa empire control?
Mali inherited a wealthy kingdom, but he established it as the richest kingdom in Africa through his actions. A significant gold and salt deposit lies beneath the Mali kingdom, which provided the riches of his life. One of the main sources of wealth in Ancient Egypt was elephant ivory.
Overview
Mansa Musa (Arabic: منسا موسى, romanized: Mansā Mūsā; r. c. 1312 – c. 1337 ) was the ninth mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. Musa is known for his wealth and gift-giving, and has sometimes been called one of the wealthiest people in history, though this claim is difficult to evaluate.
Name and titles
Mansa Musa's personal name was Musa (Arabic: موسى, romanized: Mūsā), the Arabic form of Moses. Mansa, 'ruler' or 'king' in Mandé, was the title of the ruler of the Mali Empire. It has also been translated as "conqueror" and "priest-king". In oral tradition and the Timbuktu Chronicles, Musa is known as Kanku Musa. In Mandé tradition, it was common for one's name to be prefixed by their mother's name, so the name Kanku Musa means "Musa, son of Kanku", although it is unc…
Historical sources
Much of what is known about Musa comes from Arabic sources written after his hajj, especially the writings of Al-Umari and Ibn Khaldun. While in Cairo during his hajj, Musa befriended officials such as Ibn Amir Hajib, who learned about him and his country from him and later passed on that information to historians such as Al-Umari. Additional information comes from two 17th-century manuscripts written in Timbuktu, the Tarikh Ibn al-Mukhtar and the Tarikh al-Sudan. Oral tradition, …
Lineage and accession to the throne
Musa's father was named Faga Leye and his mother may have been named Kanku. Faga Leye was the son of Abu Bakr, a brother of Sunjata, the first mansa of the Mali Empire. Ibn Battuta, who visited Mali during the reign of Musa's brother Sulayman, said that Musa's grandfather was named Sariq Jata. Sariq Jata may be another name for Sunjata, who was actually Musa's great-uncle. The date of Musa's birth is unknown, but he still appeared to be a young man in 1324. The Tarikh al-f…
Early reign
Musa was a young man when he became mansa, possibly in his early twenties. Given the grandeur of his subsequent hajj, it is likely that Musa spent much of his early reign preparing for it. Among these preparations would likely have been raids to capture and enslave people from neighboring lands, as Musa's entourage would include many thousands of enslaved people; the historian Michael Gomez estimates that Mali may have captured over 6,000 people per year for t…
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Musa was a Muslim, and his pilgrimage to Mecca, also known as hajj, made him well known across Northern Africa and the Middle East. To Musa, Islam was "an entry into the cultured world of the Eastern Mediterranean". He would have spent much time fostering the growth of the religion within his empire.
When Musa departed Mali for the hajj, he left his son Muhammad to rule in his absence. Musa m…
Later reign
Musa embarked on a large building program, raising mosques and madrasas in Timbuktu and Gao. Most notably, the ancient center of learning Sankore Madrasah (or University of Sankore) was constructed during his reign.
In Niani, Musa built the Hall of Audience, a building communicating by an interior door to the royal palace. It was "an admirable Monument", surmounted …
Death
The date of Mansa Musa's death is not certain. Using the reign lengths reported by Ibn Khaldun to calculate back from the death of Mansa Suleyman in 1360, Musa would have died in 1332. However, Ibn Khaldun also reports that Musa sent an envoy to congratulate Abu al-Hasan Ali for his conquest of Tlemcen, which took place in May 1337, but by the time Abu al-Hasan sent an envoy in r…