Mansa Musa ruled the Malian empire from 1312-1337 CE. In his lifetime and beyond, he was known for his extravagant wealth and spending, funded by his kingdom's vast salt and gold mines. In this lesson, students read one recent blog post about Musa I of Mali's wealth, followed by two historical documents from the fourteenth-century, to answer the question: Was Mansa Musa the richest person ever?
[PowerPoint updated on 9/10/14.]
Image: Portrait of Mansa Musa in the Catalan Atlas. From the Wikimedia Commons.