Mansa Musa

c. 1280 – 1337 · died at about 57^[1][2]

Politics & Leadership

Fun Facts About Mansa Musa

• Mansa Musa's lavish pilgrimage left him short of cash: according to writers including Ibn Battuta, he ran out of money and borrowed from Egyptian merchants at high interest.^[1][3][4]
• According to al-Umari, Musa's gift-giving in Cairo dropped the value of a mithqal of gold from 25 silver dirhams to under 22 for at least twelve years.^[1]
• Musa promoted the image of endless wealth by spreading rumors that gold grew like a plant in his kingdom.^[1]
• By Musa's own account, he became king when his predecessor sailed off to explore the Atlantic with 2,000 ships and never returned; some historians doubt the story.^[1]
• In Cairo, Musa at first refused to prostrate himself before the Mamluk sultan, and when he finally bowed, he said he was doing so for God alone.^[1]
• Musa is often called the richest person of all time, but historians such as Hadrien Collet argue his wealth is impossible to calculate accurately.^[1]
• Mansa Musa and Marco Polo were alive at the same time.^[1][2][5][6]
• Mansa Musa was alive at the same time as Ibn Khaldun — their lives overlapped for 5 years (1332–1337).^[1][2][7][8]

Mansa Musa was the ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. Musa's reign is often regarded as the zenith of Mali's power and prestige, although he features less in Mandinka oral traditions than his predecessors.^[1]

Contemporaries

Marco Polo

44 yr overlap

Dante Alighieri

41 yr overlap

Ibn Battuta

33 yr overlap

Kublai Khan

14 yr overlap

Timur

9 yr overlap

Ibn Khaldun

5 yr overlap

Their World

Questions About Mansa Musa

When was Mansa Musa born?

Mansa Musa was born about 1280 and died in 1337.

How old was Mansa Musa at death?

Mansa Musa died in 1337 at about 57 years old (c. 1280–1337).

What was Mansa Musa known for?

Mansa Musa was known for: Mali emperor famed for his vast wealth. Mansa Musa was the ninth Mansa of the Mali Empire, which reached its territorial peak during his reign. Musa's reign is often regarded as the zenith of Mali's power and prestige, although he features less in Mandinka oral traditions than his predecessors.

Who was alive at the same time as Mansa Musa?

Mansa Musa's closest contemporary was Marco Polo. Their lives overlapped for 44 years.