Mansā Mūsā I
c. 1280 - c. 1337
Research and Write-Up by Kamdi Okonjo
Mansā Mūsā was the wealthiest man to have ever lived … and he was African.
Mansā Mūsā ruled between 1312 and 1337 CE. He was referred to as Mūsā I of Mali and was a member of the Keita Dynasty. He was worth approximately $400 billion dollars in today's money. His incredible wealth, generosity, impeccable reputation, combined with his insatiable thirst for knowledge, elevated him to the status of one of the most formidable kings who ever lived.
While Mansā Mūsā reigned, Mali was one of the world's wealthiest empires. He was the ruler of what is now Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Mauritania, and Burkina Faso. During his reign, he established Africa's first university and built majestic and highly sophisticated cities that remain unmatched to this day. His empire was so incredible that it drew travelers from Europe and the Middle East.
Additionally, he conducted extensive research on a variety of subjects, as his passion for knowledge was well-known. Not only was Mansā Mūsā a multibillionaire, but he was also a teacher and philanthropist. He transformed Mali into a country that valued extensive learning as a means of improving the country.
The Catalan Atlas was one of the most important world maps of its day. Mansa Musa of Mali, as one of the world's most important leaders, was pictured on it offering some of his gold.
Three Early West African Empires
Images taken from: ABH museum
The majority of Mansā Mūsā's information comes from three important Arabic sources; Ibn Fadl-Allah al-‘Umari, Ibn-Battūta, and Ibn-Khaldūn. These three authors were Arabic scholars who amassed an enormous amount of information about the Mali Empire during its height. They had either traveled to Mali or interacted with individuals who were personally acquainted with the Emperor. Numerous enthralling facts of Mali's social, economic, and political environment during that period are described in detail by Al-'Umari and Ibn-Battūta. As a historian, Ibn-Khaldūn was more fascinated by Mali's rapid development.
Mūsā I of Mali/Kankan Mūsā/Mansa Mousa
Lineage
Ibn Khaldun, a 14th-century historian, noted that following Sunjata's death, his three sons would ascend to power. Wali, Wati, and Khalifa are the names of these three sons. Khalifa, who later became King, was succeeded by Abu Bakr, who was assassinated and was succeeded by a freed slave named Sakura. Sakura was then assassinated following Mansa Qu's return from Mecca, reverting the line of Kingship to Sunjata. Then, following the ascension of Mansa Qu, came the coronation of his rumored son Mansa Muhammad.
According to the Journal of African History, the Kings before Mansā Mūsā were the descendants of King Mārī-Djāta, and after Mārī-Djāta came Mansā Muhammad who was the son of Mansā Qū. It was believed that Mansā Mūsā was the son of King Abu Bakr.
‘The kingship passed from the descendants of Mārī-Djāta to the descendants of his brother Abu-Bakr, and Mansā Mūsā the son of Abū-Bakr ascended the throne. (thumma intaqala mulkuhum min wuldi al-sultan Mārī-Djata ilā wuldi akhīhi Abī-Bakr fawaliyā 'alayhim Mansā Mūsā b. Abī-Bakr.)’
However, the idea that Abu-Bakr was the father of Mansā Mūsā is disputed. According to Al-‘Umarī’s informant Ibn-Amīr Hādjib who contacted Mansā Mūsā directly to ask of his lineage, Mansā Mūsā said that he was…
‘…from a dynasty where the authority is transmitted by inheritance, and recounted the adventures of the “king who ruled before me”. He did not say “my father”. This strengthens the claim that Mansā Mūsā did not succeed his father.’
According to oral tradition, Abu-Bakr’s actual son Faga Laye had no apparent significance in Mali’s history. Mansā Mūsā is more closely related to his grandfather and served as a link to the ruling dynasty's main lineage. It would then be simpler to assert that Abu Bakr II was simply the predecessor of Mansā Mūsā. Mansā Mūsā had served as his deputy and later became King following Abu Bakr II's disappearance on an Atlantic Ocean voyage.
According to The Arab-Egyptian scholar Al-Umari, Mansā Mūsā stated:
The ruler who preceded me did not believe that it was impossible to reach the extremity of the ocean that encircles the earth (meaning Atlantic), and wanted to reach that (end) and obstinately persisted in the design. So he equipped two hundred boats full of men, as many others full of gold, water and victuals sufficient enough for several years. He ordered the chief (admiral) not to return until they had reached the extremity of the ocean, or if they had exhausted the provisions and the water. They set out. Their absence extended over a long period, and, at last, only one boat returned. On our questioning, the captain said: 'Prince, we have navigated for a long time, until we saw in the midst of the ocean as if a big river was flowing violently. My boat was the last one; others were ahead of me. As soon as any of them reached this place, it drowned in the whirlpool and never came out. I sailed backwards to escape this current.' But the Sultan would not believe him. He ordered two thousand boats to be equipped for him and for his men, and one thousand more for water and victuals. Then he conferred on me the regency during his absence, and departed with his men on the ocean trip, never to return nor to give a sign of life.
Mansā Mūsā (Mūsā I of Mali) ruled the Kingdom of Mali from 1312 C.E. to 1337 C.E.
Islam and His Pilgrimage to Mecca
On 26 Rajab 724 A.H., or 19 July 1324 A.D., Mansā Mūsā performed the 'hajj,' a pilgrimage to Mecca, which is now located in Saudi Arabia and which every Muslim is expected to perform at least once. His journey was estimated to be 6,000 miles ‘along the caravan routes that served as one of his Empire's most vital trading links.' (Harris, 2020) He traveled from Mahgreb to Egypt and then to Mecca via Egypt.
Mansā Mūsā's journey was replete with splendor, style, and wealth. While other aspects of Mansā Mūsā's life have been poorly documented, his journey to Mecca is one that everyone, at the time, remembers. He was said to have taken 60,000 people with him and it is speculated that a large number of them were military personnel. It is reasonable to conclude that 48,000 were military personnel. The remaining 12,000 were his servants.
All of his entourage wore expensive brocade fabrics and silks, demonstrating the magnitude of Mansā Mūsā's wealth. It was said that 500 slaves marched ahead of him, each holding a golden staff, ahead of his main entourage. Horses and camels were a significant part of this coterie. His camels carried the gold dust (money) he intended to spend.
‘In some accounts, each of 100 camels carried 135 kilos or 300 pounds of gold dust while 500 slaves each brandished a 2.7 kilo (6 pounds) gold staff. In addition, there were hundreds of other camels loaded down with foodstuffs and textiles, horse riders waving the huge red and gold banners of the king, and an impressive human entourage of servants and officials that numbered in the tens of thousands.’ (Cartwright, 2019)
Mansā Mūsā not only used Islam to unite Mali but also as a diplomatic tool. He demonstrated his commitment to Islam by erecting a mosque whenever he came to a halt on his journey. Although the sources differ in their approach, the underlying message is the same: he used Islam as a diplomatic tool. It is said that when he arrived in Egypt, Mansā Mūsā displayed an incredible sign of respect towards the Sultan in Cairo, named Al-Nassir Muhammad, ‘…Musa entered the court and kissed the ground in praise of Allah, winning the Sultan’s favor.’ (Harris, 2020)
It is also said that he presented the Sultan with 50,000 gold dinars as a token of greeting. Al-Makrizi, an Arab historian, describes Mansā Mūsā as ‘ a young man with brown skin, a pleasant face, and good figure…His gifts amazed the eye with their beauty and splendor.’ (Zerbo, 59) The one aspect of this pilgrimage that was consistently mentioned was the economic impact of his pilgrimage and wealth. He is the first and only ruler in history to have brought an entire region's economy to a grinding halt as a result of his generosity. He was said to have purchased everything and anything at any price in all of the local markets. This massive injection of gold into the economy largely lowered the metal's value. To mitigate his economic impact, he proceeded to borrow back his gold; however, the locals seized the opportunity and charged him a high-interest rate on his gold. When he arrived in Mali, he immediately paid off his debts, but he did so in one large payment, which subsequently crashed the economy again.
Magnificent tales of Mansā Mūsā's wealth spread throughout the world. His incredible wealth was depicted in the glorious Catalan Atlas, which was first drawn in 1375 C.E. by Spanish cartographers. He is depicted with a gold crown and each hand holding a gold nugget and a golden staff.
Mali was portrayed as Africa's El Dorado or City of Gold in this depiction and through this massive display of wealth by Mansa Musa. The mere fact that an Emperor would travel to another country for religious reasons, and then display Mali's wealth, was astounding, and this event cemented Mali's place on the map. The news of his extraordinary wealth made its way to Europe.
Reign
The Mali Empire was already prosperous when Mansa Musa assumed his position. Mali had developed trade routes that facilitated the export of salt, gold, and kola nuts. Mansa Musa's addition to the Mali Empire was marked by academic advancements, as he was a firm believer in the establishment of an African educational hub. His reign was marked by academic advancements, massive city expansions, and extraordinary wealth. Mansa Musa began remodeling and revitalizing cities in his kingdom following his return from Mecca. He then proceeded to construct mosques and improving cities by erecting large structures in Gao and Timbuktu. Timbuktu became a major Islamic learning center in Mali as a result of his incredible work, attracting the likes of many to the illustrious city.
Timbuktu, Henrich Barth Painting
“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.”
Photo and Description taken from National Geographic
Death
The date of Mansa Musa's death is a point of contention among historians today. According to Ibn-Khaldun, Mansa Musa was alive during the conquest of Tlemcen in Algeria in 1337; however, other sources indicate that Mansa Musa died shortly after his pilgrimage to Mecca. Today, it is accepted that he died between 1332 and 1337 in the Mali Empire, which he left extremely prosperous after being taken over by his administration. Unfortunately, the Mali Empire collapsed shortly after his death.
His Legacy
Mansa Musa's name has become synonymous with wealth and abundance in modern times. Mansa Musa is widely regarded as the African who brought an entire economy to a halt with his wealth and generosity. He serves as a reminder to Africa of the abundance that Africans can obtain without restriction.
Today, his hajj to Mecca is regarded as the most illustrious in history, and legends about his wealth continue to be told.
Mansa Musa was an African man who created an atmosphere of splendor and excellence…His intelligence is in African blood. His achievements display African potential.
If Africans were capable of being that incredible, it stands to reason that we can be that again. Our Wakanda is possible, but we need to unlock our potential and start creating.
Mansa Musa also had a vast military army, boasting 100,000 men with an estimated cavalry corps of 10,000 horses. With this vast military might, and the additional general Saran Mandian, Mansa Musa was able to cement the Mali Empire’s place as one of the most powerful Empires of the time. He was also able to expand its territory to that of the Mongol Empire. Mansa Musa also utilized the idea of provincial rulers in order to better govern his growing empire. These provincial rulers were each selected by him.
To better govern this vast expanse of land containing a multitude of tribes and ethnic groups, Mansa Musa divided his empire into provinces with each one ruled by a governor (farba) appointed personally by him. (Cartwright, 2019)
References
Levtzion, N. (1963). The Thirteenth- and Fourteenth-Century Kings of Mali. The Journal of African History, 4(3), 341-353. Retrieved March 26, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/180027
Al-Umari 1927, Masalik al Absar fi Mamalik el-Amsar, French translation by Gaudefroy-Demombynes, Paris, Paul Geuthner, 1927, pp. 59, 74–75. See also Qalqashandi, Subh al-A'sha, V, 294. - Wikipedia
Mohammed Hamidullah. "Echos of What Lies Behind the 'Ocean of Fogs' in Muslim Historical Narratives". muslimheritage.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2015. (Quoting from Al-Umari 1927, q.v.) - Wikipedia
Cartwright, M., 2019. Mansa Musa I. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at <https://www.worldhistory.org/Mansa_Musa_I/> [Accessed 5 June 2021].
Harris, C., 2020. [online] Globalcapitalism.history.ox.ac.uk. Available at: <https://globalcapitalism.history.ox.ac.uk/files/ghocmansamusainmalipdf> [Accessed 18 July 2021].