Mali
The Mali empire in West Africa was its age's richest kingdom in gold.
Mansa Musa's Caravan
The richest man in history crossing the desert to Makkah — in twelve cards.
The mansa
Mansa Musa ruled Mali from 1312 — being its king meant owning its gold.
The pilgrimage
He resolved on the Hajj to Makkah and prepared the largest caravan ever to cross the desert.
The number
It is told that sixty thousand went with him — soldiers, servants, judges and men of letters.
The gold
Men and camels bore gold bars; five hundred servants are said to have carried gold staffs.
Timbuktu
From his capital Niani to Timbuktu — the desert's city of learning and trade.
Through the sands
He crossed the great desert on the Kairouan-and-Egypt road — two months of sand.
Cairo
In Cairo he spent so much gold that its price is said to have fallen for years.
The giving
He gave to the poor, the scholars and his hosts, and withheld from none.
Makkah
He performed the rites of the Hajj in Makkah, and bought schools and libraries for his country.
The return
He returned to Mali with scholars and architects, and built Timbuktu's Djinguereber mosque.
The memory
European maps drew him as a king with a golden orb — still Africa's most famous ruler.
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- Mali
The Mali empire in West Africa was its age's richest kingdom in gold. - The mansa
Mansa Musa ruled Mali from 1312 — being its king meant owning its gold. - The pilgrimage
He resolved on the Hajj to Makkah and prepared the largest caravan ever to cross the desert. - The number
It is told that sixty thousand went with him — soldiers, servants, judges and men of letters. - The gold
Men and camels bore gold bars; five hundred servants are said to have carried gold staffs. - Timbuktu
From his capital Niani to Timbuktu — the desert's city of learning and trade. - Through the sands
He crossed the great desert on the Kairouan-and-Egypt road — two months of sand. - Cairo
In Cairo he spent so much gold that its price is said to have fallen for years. - The giving
He gave to the poor, the scholars and his hosts, and withheld from none. - Makkah
He performed the rites of the Hajj in Makkah, and bought schools and libraries for his country. - The return
He returned to Mali with scholars and architects, and built Timbuktu's Djinguereber mosque. - The memory
European maps drew him as a king with a golden orb — still Africa's most famous ruler.