Mūsā I, the emperor (mansa) of the Mali empire, is widely considered the wealthiest person in history. He made his wealth and that of Mali known through a long and extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, the 17th year of his reign. Chroniclers of the time reported that Mansa Mūsā’s pilgrimage caravan comprised some 60,000 people and an immeasurable amount of gold. He stopped in Cairo along the way, and his luxurious spending and gift giving were reportedly so extensive that he diluted the value of gold and affected Cairo’s economy for at least 12 years afterward. Mansa Mūsā was also known for his administrative ability and his patronage of art and scholarship throughout his empire. He helped establish Timbuktu as a major center of commerce and Islamic learning. Mūsā’s rule defined the golden age of Mali.
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