Mansa Musa Influence
Mansa Musa
Often called the “King of Kings”, Mansa Musa, or Musa Keiti I, is known in history as one of the wealthiest people to ever live. Ruling the West African empire of Mali in the 14th century C.E., he made quite a lasting impression on those he came into contact with. He is known for both his riches and his abundant generosity. In 1324, Mansa Musa made the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. This journey lasted for over a year. There are many different accounts of the specifics of the voyage, seeing as most of them are based on oral testimonies. Some sources say, however, that he brought over 1,000 people and over 100 camels, with each camel loaded up with gold. It is also thought that he himself rode on horseback. On his travels, Mansa Musa came into contact with many different cultures, for most of which he already had gathered information. One city he encountered was Alexandria, which is known as one of the most cultured cities of the world at that time. With his generosity of giving out gold, he created the European myth that West Africa was a land of gold and riches. This is just one of the effects of his …show more content…
When he returned from his hajj, for example, he brought with him scholars and architects to construct mosques. He also increased Mali’s size by annexing important cities, such as Timbuktu, and overtaking trade routes. Mali was naturally rich in gold and salt, which may have contributed to its great success in trading, and in Mansa Musa acquiring his wealth. All in all, Mansa Musa helped show that there were in fact wealthy kingdoms with wealthy kings in Africa, which contradicted the stereotypes. He also proved, by being a Muslim king, that West Africa was more connected to other parts of the world than originally thought. His generosity and wealth helped to make him into a great and significant historical figure, who is still appreciated
Often called the “King of Kings”, Mansa Musa, or Musa Keiti I, is known in history as one of the wealthiest people to ever live. Ruling the West African empire of Mali in the 14th century C.E., he made quite a lasting impression on those he came into contact with. He is known for both his riches and his abundant generosity. In 1324, Mansa Musa made the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. This journey lasted for over a year. There are many different accounts of the specifics of the voyage, seeing as most of them are based on oral testimonies. Some sources say, however, that he brought over 1,000 people and over 100 camels, with each camel loaded up with gold. It is also thought that he himself rode on horseback. On his travels, Mansa Musa came into contact with many different cultures, for most of which he already had gathered information. One city he encountered was Alexandria, which is known as one of the most cultured cities of the world at that time. With his generosity of giving out gold, he created the European myth that West Africa was a land of gold and riches. This is just one of the effects of his …show more content…
When he returned from his hajj, for example, he brought with him scholars and architects to construct mosques. He also increased Mali’s size by annexing important cities, such as Timbuktu, and overtaking trade routes. Mali was naturally rich in gold and salt, which may have contributed to its great success in trading, and in Mansa Musa acquiring his wealth. All in all, Mansa Musa helped show that there were in fact wealthy kingdoms with wealthy kings in Africa, which contradicted the stereotypes. He also proved, by being a Muslim king, that West Africa was more connected to other parts of the world than originally thought. His generosity and wealth helped to make him into a great and significant historical figure, who is still appreciated