The Richest Person in History: Not Elon Musk — Why Is He Famous, and Where Did His Wealth Go?

Currently, Elon Musk is the richest person in the world. But compared to the wealth of the richest person in history, his assets are just a drop in the ocean. This person lived more than 700 years ago, but his deeds are still remembered today, and in some regions, streets, schools, and hospitals are even named after him.

Bloomberg data shows that Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter), co-founder of OpenAI, and founder of SpaceX, has an estimated net worth of $44.8 billion. Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and others also have huge assets, but the richest person in history was Mansa Musa.

Mansa Musa was the supreme ruler of Mali. Today, Mali is a medium-sized country, but in the 14th century, it was a West African empire. Musa ruled the country from 1312 to 1337, and his deeds are still well known today.

At that time, Mali was not only an influential country on the African continent, but also one of the largest countries in the world in terms of resources and territory. Its core wealth came from underground deposits — Mali controlled the richest gold mines in the world at that time. And gold was both the universal currency and a core resource for global trade in that era.

Who Was Mansa Musa?

"Mansa" is not a name, but a title, meaning "Supreme Ruler." Musa I was the nephew of the founder of the Mali Empire. In 1311, the ruler Abubakar II appointed Musa as Vizier (Prime Minister) and led a fleet to explore the Atlantic. According to Arab chronicles, this expedition carried a large amount of supplies and had thousands of ships, but ultimately failed to return to their homeland.

Mansa Musa was a highly capable ruler, in modern terms, "born to rule." He was a shrewd manager, a generous patron, and a devout religious supporter. He oversaw the construction of mosques, roads, and universities, promoted trade development, and brought a golden age to the region's culture and economy.

The Journey That Changed the World

In 1324, Musa I decided to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah), and this journey had a profound impact on several countries.

According to Arab chroniclers, the retinue of this Malian emperor consisted of 60,000 people, including close ministers, many servants, guards, and slaves. This caravan carried a huge amount of wealth, and Mansa Musa generously distributed gold to the people of the places he passed through.

One chronicle records: "This man spread generosity throughout Cairo. In the land of this sultanate, neither nobles nor ordinary officials were left without gifts of gold from him. He was elegant in manner, noble in demeanor, yet humble and modest!"

Musa I's generosity was astonishing — the gold he distributed directly caused inflation in Cairo, and it took nearly 10 years for the local area to barely alleviate the situation!

Nevertheless, this pilgrimage also made the name "Musa" known throughout the Islamic world and Europe, and even appeared on early world maps.

How Rich Was Mansa Musa Really?

It is almost impossible to accurately estimate the assets of this West African empire ruler, because his wealth included not only gold and gemstones, but also vast territories and abundant resources.

Nevertheless, historians and economists have tried to calculate: if converted into modern currency, the assets of this supreme ruler would be between $400 billion and $1 trillion (equivalent to 3.22 trillion to 8.05 trillion Russian rubles). In terms of the impact on the global economy, the Malian emperor Musa even exceeded John D. Rockefeller and Caesar Augustus.

The Emperor's Legacy

Mansa Musa used his wealth with foresight. He established the city of Timbuktu and turned it into a cultural and academic center of the Islamic world. He also invested heavily in the construction of religious buildings, the development of the education system, and the improvement of transportation infrastructure.

Today, in many parts of the world, you can still see schools, streets, and cultural projects named after his name. In several African countries, he is still regarded as a national hero, considered one of the most influential figures of the golden age of African black civilization before the colonial era.

The historical figure of Mansa Musa I combines real history, historical records, and folk tales. He was not only the owner of enormous wealth, but also knew how to transform wealth into tools that promote cultural prosperity, economic development, and political influence — this is the key to why he is remembered to this day.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7562089256236237364/

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