The Untold Story of Mansa Musa - the Richest Man Ever (Black Culture)

greetings fellow curious minds today we're going  to delve into the fascinating life of Mansa Musa   Mansa Musa was the wealthiest person in history  and we're going to find out how he got there Mansa   Musa was the ruler of the Mali Empire located in  what is now West Africa but he wasn't just any   ruler he was the kind of guy who had so much  gold that he made Scrooge McDuck look like a   penny pincher and we're not talking about a few  gold coins here and there we're talking about   so much gold that he caused inflation wherever  he went that's right folks matsumusa was the OG   influencer he could walk into a market and throw  around so much cash that the price of goods would   Skyrocket for months afterward but Mansa Musa  wasn't just about showing off his bling he was   also a devout Muslim and made a pilgrimage to  Mecca in 1324 and when I say pilgrimage I mean   the kind of pilgrimage that puts a European  backpacking trip to shame he traveled with a   caravan of thousands of people including sold  soldiers Scholars and slaves and he didn't   just travel light he brought so much gold with  him that he had to hire a team of camels just   to carry it all can you imagine being that rich  oh I'm sorry I can't come to your party tonight   I have to go hire some camels to carry my gold  but Mansa Musa wasn't all about showing off his   wealth he was also a patron of Islam and built  numerous mosques and madrasas or Islamic schools   he was a true leader both in his Empire and in  The Wider Islamic world so get ready to take a   journey back in time to the days of camels gold  and Islamic scholarship Mansa musa's story is one   for the books and we're about to uncover all the  juicy details Mansa Musa was born into a wealthy   family in the year 1280. his father was the ruler  of the Mali Empire which at the time was one of   the wealthiest and most powerful empires in West  Africa Mansa Musa was not the firstborn son but   his intelligence and charm quickly made him a  favorite of his father and the people of the   Empire as a child Mansa Musa was educated in the  ways of Islam and was trained in subjects such   as law history and administration he was a quick  learner and showed a great deal of promise from an   early age however his path to the throne was not  without its challenges when Mansa musa's father   died in 1312 the empire was in a state of turmoil  there were several contenders for the throne and   it was not immediately clear who would succeed  the previous ruler Mansa musa's older brother   was initially chosen to be the next ruler but  he proved to be an ineffective leader and was   eventually overthrown by Mansa Musa himself now  let's be real overthrowing your own brother to   become ruler of an Empire is not exactly the most  honorable thing to do but in Mansa Moose's defense   he did it with style he gathered a group of loyal  followers and staged a successful coup declaring   himself the new ruler of the Mali Empire it's  like something out of gay Game of Thrones only   with less incest and more gold as soon as he took  the throne Mansa Musa set about consolidating his   power and expanding the Empire's territory he  was a Savvy leader and quickly realized that   the key to success was controlling the Empire's  vast resources particularly its gold mines he   also developed a strong military and established  trade relationships with neighboring kingdoms but   Mansa Musa wasn't just a conqueror he was also a  wise and just ruler he implemented reforms that   helped to improve the lives of his people such  as reducing taxes and promoting education he also   established a system of justice that was based on  Islamic law which helped to bring stability to the   Empire it wasn't all smooth sailing though Mansa  Musa faced several challenges during his Reign   including rebellions from within the Empire  and attacks from neighboring kingdoms but he   was a skilled Diplomat and was able to negotiate  peace treaties that helped to maintain stability   in the region overall Mansa musa's rise to power  was a testament to his intelligence Charisma and   Leadership skills he wasn't afraid to take risks  and make bold moves to achieve his goals but he   also had a deep sense of responsibility to his  people and let's be real he also had a pretty   sweet Crown seriously have you seen it it's  like something out of a superhero movie Mansa   Moose's early life and rise to power were marked  by ambition skill and a little bit of intrigue he   was a leader who knew how to get things done but  he also had a heart for his people and he looked   pretty cool while doing it first off let's put  things into perspective Mansa Musa wasn't just   Rich he was I could buy a small country and still  have enough left over for a cappuccino Chino Rich   According to some estimates Mansa musa's net worth  was around 400 billion dollars in today's dollars   that's more than Bill Gates Jeff Bezos and Elon  Musk combined and let's be honest they don't have   nearly as cool of a name as Mansa Musa so how did  Mansa Musa become so wealthy well for starters   the Mali Empire controlled several important trade  routes including those that carried gold and salt   and we all know that gold is the ultimate Flex  it's like wearing a diamond encrusted watch only   better Mansa Musa had access to vast gold mines  and was able to control the flow of gold into and   out of the Empire he also established strong  trade relationships with neighboring kingdoms   which helped to increase his wealth even further  but Mansa Musa wasn't content to just sit on his   piles of gold like a dragon no he was a generous  leader who wanted to use his wealth to benefit his   people and spread the word of Islam and that's  where his famous pilgrimage to Mecca comes in   in 1324 Mansa Musa set out on a journey to Mecca  the holiest city in Islam but this wasn't just any   pilgrimage Mansa Musa traveled with a caravan of  thousands of people including soldiers Scholars   and slaves he brought with him a staggering amount  of gold estimated to be around sixty thousand   pounds and he didn't just bring the gold for show  Mansa Musa distributed it along the way giving   away so much that he caused inflation wherever  he went now let's be real if you or I were to   give away a few thousand dollars on a trip we'd  feel pretty good about ourselves but Mansa Musa   wasn't satisfied with just giving away a few bucks  he gave away so much gold that he still considered   one of the most generous people in history and he  did it all while wearing a fancy robe and turban   talk about making an entrance but Mansa musa's  generosity wasn't just for show he was a devout   Muslim who wanted to use his wealth to spread the  word of Islam he built numerous mosques in Madrid   bosses along the way and he hired Islamic scholars  to teach and spread the message of the religion he   also made significant donations to Islamic centers  of learning such as the University of sankori and   Timbuktu Mansa musa's pilgrimage to Mecca wasn't  just about giving away gold and spreading Islam   though it was also a way for him to show off the  wealth and power of the Mali Empire he traveled   with a massive Entourage including musicians  dancers and slaves he brought with him exotic   animals such as camels and horses he even brought  a caravan of 80 camels just to carry his clothes   because why carry your own clothes when you  can hire a team of camels to do it for you   but matsumus's pilgrimage wasn't just a display  of wealth it was also a way for him to establish   diplomatic relationships with other Islamic  leaders and kingdoms he met with the rulers   of Egypt Arabia and other regions along the way  and he exchanged gifts with them as a sign of good   will he also established trade relationships with  these kingdoms which helped to further increase   his wealth and influence but Mansa musa's  generosity and Showmanship had unintended   consequences as well when he passed through Egypt  for example he gave away so much gold that he   caused a temporary economic crisis in the region  prices for goods skyrocketed and the economy was   thrown into chaos Mansa Musa was probably thinking  oops my bad but the people of Egypt were probably   thinking thanks for nothing rich guy despite these  unintended consequences Mansa musa's pilgrimage   was a major event in the history of Islam in  West Africa it helped to spread the religion   throughout the region and established the Mali  Empire as a major player on the world stage and   it cemented Mansa musa's reputation as one of the  most generous and Powerful leaders of his time   after matsumus's pilgrimage to Mecca his  reputation as a wealthy and Powerful leader   only grew stronger he was now known throughout the  Islamic world and Beyond as a generous patron of   the religion a Savvy Diplomat and a shrewd  businessman but Mansa musa's wealth wasn't   just a source of Pride and Prestige it was also a  burden he had to constantly manage and protect his   vast resources and he had to navigate the complex  political and economic landscape of West Africa he   faced many challenges during his Reign including  rebellions attacks from neighboring kingdoms and   the constant threat of internal unrest despite  these challenges Mansa Musa remained a strong   and effective leader throughout his Reign  he continued to expand the Mali Empire's   territory and influence and he supported the  growth of Islamic culture and scholarship in   the region he built numerous mosques and madrasas  and he supported the study of the Quran and other   Islamic texts he also established Timbuk2 as  a major Center of Islamic learning and culture   but Mansa musa's Reign was not without its flaws  he was a strict ruler who enforced Islamic law   throughout the Empire which could be harsh and  unforgiving at times he also had a tendency to   favor certain groups over others particularly  those who were loyal to him personally despite   these flaws Mansa Musa remains an important and  inspirational figure in the history of Africa   and the Islamic world he was a leader who used  his wealth and power to benefit his people and   promote the growth of Islam he was a Visionary  who saw the potential of his Empire and worked   tirelessly to expand its influence and reach and  he was a symbol of the richness and diversity of   Africa's cultural heritage which continues to  inspire and Captivate people around the world   Mansa musa's Reign ended with his death in 1337.  he was succeeded by his son Mansa Maga Mansa Maga   faced many challenges during his Reign including  rebellions and attacks from neighboring kingdoms   he was not as effective a leader as his father and  the Mali Empire began to decline under his rule in   the Years following Mansa musa's death the Empire  faced a series of internal and external challenges   including droughts rebellions and attacks from  neighboring kingdoms the Empire's resources were   depleted and its power and influence waned by  the 16th century the Mali Empire had effectively   ceased to exist as a political entity and its  people had been absorbed into other kingdoms   and empires in the region despite the decline of  the Mali Empire Mansa musa's Legacy continued to   inspire and Influence People in West Africa and  Beyond he was remembered as a wise and just ruler   who used his wealth and power to benefit  his people and promote the growth of Islam   his pilgrimage to Mecca remains one of the most  famous and Legendary Journeys in history and his   reputation as one of the wealthiest people of all  time continues to Captivate people's imaginations   in the end Mansa musa's Reign may have come to  an end but his legacy lives on reminding us of   the power and potential of great leadership  the richness of Africa's cultural heritage   and the importance of generosity diplomacy  and wisdom in shaping the course of history foreign [Music] [Music]

Channel: Black Journals

Views: 672,559

Keywords:

Id: 0562W9Gsf7M

Length: 12min 20sec (740 seconds)

Published: Mon Mar 27 2023