RE: Possible Investor!11 Apr 2023 07:16
MALI was the largest producer of gold in antiquity
Musa I (born c. 1280, died 1337) or Mansa Musa - the tenth Mansa (a title meaning "emperor", who ruled the Mali Empire in the years 1312-1337. Known for his famous pilgrimage to Mecca and as a patron of science.
When Musa came to power, the Mali Empire largely consisted of the territory of the conquered Ghana Empire and included what is now Mali, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania and Gambia.
He conquered 24 cities and their surrounding districts and held many titles, such as Emir of Melle, Lord of Wangara Mine and Conqueror of Ghanata. During his reign, the Mali Empire reached its heyday and was arguably the world's largest gold miner. Musa himself is considered one of the richest people in history, although it is impossible to accurately estimate the size of his wealth.
He was a devout Muslim and propagated Islam in his empire, which ensured him entry into the circle of influence of the developed culture of the eastern Mediterranean
Fame in North Africa and the Middle East was ensured by his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-1325, which had both religious and political background. Its route led through Walata, Tuat (present-day Algeria) and Cairo. To finance the trip, Musa imposed a special tax on his subjects[6]. Musa's retinue was to consist of 60,000 men. people dressed in brocade and Persian silk, including 12,000 slaves carrying gold bars[14]. 500 slaves equipped with gold-decorated canes directly preceded the traveling ruler on horseback. 80 camels were also laden with gold[15]. Musa not only provided food for the entire retinue, but also generously distributed gifts to the population in the cities along the pilgrimage route, and allegedly built one mosque every Friday[16]. His generosity was so great that it led to a decline in the value of gold for several years[15][6].
In Cairo, Musa initially refused to visit the Sultan to avoid the customary kissing of the ground in front of the Sultan and kissing his hands. Eventually, he met with the sultan, but he described the prostration made during this visit as a tribute to Allah, thus emphasizing his sovereignty[6].
Also in Mecca and Medina, Musa distributed gold, thus obtaining, among others, the poet and architect Es-Saheli, who later accompanied him to Mali and built an audience hall in the capital Niani. On the way back, the ruler, having exhausted his resources, was forced to take out a loan from merchants in Cairo. The expensive pilgrimage, however, allowed Musa to fulfill his political goals, ensuring him wide publicity in the Arab countries, as well as in the Christian Mediterranean countries[6].
During Musa's pilgrimage, one of his commanders, Sagmandia, conquered Gao, the capital of Songhai, and thus expanded the borders of the Mali Empire. On the way back, Musa visited Gao and Timbuktu, the other important city in Songhai, and had mosques built in both cities. During the reign of Musa, Timbuktu became a center of learn
Sign In
Follow the stocks
