Mansa Musa, Emperor of the Mali Empire

Mansa Musa holding a gold coin as depicted on Catalan chart, 1375. The Mali Empire (Manden Kurufaba) was an empire in West Africa. The empire was founded by Sundiata Keita and became renowned for the wealth of its rulers. Musa I (1280 - 1337) or Mansa Musa was the tenth Mansa (sultan, conqueror, emperor). Musa conquered 24 cities, each with surrounding districts containing villages and estates. During his reign Mali may have been the largest producer of gold in the world; it was at a point of exceptional demand for the commodity. Musa was a devout Muslim, he made his pilgrimage to Mecca between 1324-25. His procession reportedly included 60, 000 men all wearing brocade and Persian silk, including 12, 000 slaves, who each carried 4 lbs of gold bars and heralds dressed in silks who bore gold staffs, organized horses, and handled bags. Musa provided all necessities for the procession, feeding the entire company of men and animals

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Bambara Cartographic Cartographical Coin Fourteenth Keita Mali Mandingo Mandinka Mandinko Map-making Mapmaking Musa Portolan Pre-colonial Sovereign

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