Meet the Richest Man Who Ever Lived

Thoughty2
28 Jun 202114:54
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThe video script discusses the wealth of Jeff Bezos, the richest man in the world according to Forbes, and contrasts it with the fortune of Mansa Musa, the sultan of the Mali empire, who is considered the richest person in history when adjusted for inflation. The script highlights Mansa Musa's legendary pilgrimage to Mecca, his immense generosity, and his efforts to promote education and culture, particularly in Timbuktu, which he helped transform into a major center of trade, religion, and learning.

Takeaways
  • 🏆 Jeff Bezos was listed as the richest person by Forbes with a fortune of around $177 billion, surpassing the GDP of 75% of countries worldwide.
  • 💰 Despite his modern-day wealth, Jeff Bezos is not the richest person in history when adjusted for inflation.
  • 👑 Mansa Musa, the Sultan of the Mali Empire, is considered the richest person ever, with an estimated fortune over twice the size of Bezos's, and larger than the combined wealth of several other billionaires.
  • 📚 Mansa Musa's wealth was built on the Mali Empire's abundant resources of gold and salt, which were in high demand and significantly contributed to the empire's rise.
  • 🚢 Mansa Musa's predecessor, Abubakari Keita II, disappeared after embarking on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, leading to Mansa Musa's ascension to the throne.
  • 🕌 Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim and undertook the Hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca, with an entourage that included 60,000 people, 100 elephants, and 80 camels.
  • 💎 During his Hajj, Mansa Musa distributed so much gold to the poor that he temporarily crashed the price of gold in major North African and Arabian cities, causing a recession.
  • 🏗️ Mansa Musa's generosity also extended to building mosques and madrasas (educational institutions) across the Mali Empire, significantly contributing to the region's cultural and educational development.
  • 🌍 Mansa Musa's pilgrimage and his empire's wealth led to the Mali Empire appearing on world maps, increasing its global recognition and influence.
  • 🏛️ Timbuktu, a city in the Mali Empire, was transformed by Mansa Musa into a major center for trade, culture, religion, and learning, boasting a university with 25,000 students and a library of a million books.
Q & A

  • Who was the richest person in the world according to Forbes' last published rich list?

    -According to Forbes' last published rich list, Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, was the richest person in the world with a fortune estimated at around 177 billion dollars.

  • How does Jeff Bezos' wealth compare to the GDP of countries worldwide?

    -Jeff Bezos' personal fortune is larger than the GDP of 75% of countries around the world, indicating that his wealth is equivalent to that of a fairly large nation.

  • How much would Jeff Bezos need to spend daily to use up his entire fortune before his assumed death at age 80?

    -To use up all of his 177 billion dollars before he died, Jeff Bezos would need to spend almost 22 million dollars every single day for the rest of his life.

  • Who is considered the richest person in history when adjusting for inflation?

    -When adjusting for inflation, Mansa Musa, the sultan of the Mali empire, is considered the richest person in history, with a fortune estimated to be well over twice the size of Jeff Bezos', and larger than the combined fortunes of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Warren Buffet, and Jack Ma.

  • What were the primary sources of wealth for the Mali empire?

    -The Mali empire's wealth primarily came from gold and salt, both of which were in rich local supply. Approximately half of all the gold in the Old World came from just three gold mines in Mali, and salt was an incredibly valuable commodity in many parts of fourteenth-century Africa.

  • What was significant about Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca?

    -Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca was significant because it was an extravagant display of wealth, involving a large caravan of 60,000 people, 100 elephants, 80 camels, and a large amount of gold. He also gave away much of this gold to the poor en route, which crashed the price of gold in many North African and Arabian cities, leading to a recession.

  • What was the impact of Mansa Musa's generosity on the economy of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula?

    -Mansa Musa's generosity in giving away large quantities of gold to the poor during his pilgrimage to Mecca led to a significant devaluation of gold in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, precipitating a decade-long recession in major gold-trading cities like Cairo, Medina, and Mecca.

  • How did Mansa Musa's pilgrimage contribute to the spread of Islam and the construction of mosques?

    -Mansa Musa's pilgrimage was not only a display of wealth but also a mission to spread Islam. He built a mosque every Friday throughout the entirety of the pilgrimage, which lasted almost 2 years, resulting in a significant number of mosques being constructed across his journey.

  • What was the role of Timbuktu in the Mali empire under Mansa Musa's rule?

    -Under Mansa Musa's rule, Timbuktu became one of the most important centers for trade, culture, religion, and learning, not just in Africa but around the world. Mansa Musa turned it into a thriving city with the construction of the Djinguereber Mosque and its incorporation into the prestigious Timbuktu University.

  • How did Mansa Musa's wealth and actions contribute to the cultural and intellectual development of the Mali empire?

    -Mansa Musa's wealth and actions, particularly his pilgrimage and largesse, attracted some of the most celebrated thinkers and artists of the era to the Mali empire. This influx of talent, along with his construction of mosques and educational institutions like madrasas, greatly contributed to the cultural and intellectual development of the empire.

  • What is the estimated value of Mansa Musa's fortune in today's dollars, accounting for inflation?

    -The estimated value of Mansa Musa's fortune, accounting for inflation, is approximately 400 billion dollars, which is comparable to the GDP of countries like Norway or Ireland.

  • How did Mansa Musa's wealth influence the perception of Africa in the global context?

    -Mansa Musa's immense wealth and his investment in culture, education, and religion helped to dispel the misconception that Africa was a continent of uncultured savages. His actions contributed to the recognition of African civilizations as centers of knowledge and prosperity.

Outlines
00:00
🌟 The Unimaginable Wealth of Jeff Bezos

This paragraph introduces Jeff Bezos as the richest man in the world according to Forbes, with a fortune estimated at 177 billion dollars. It emphasizes the staggering nature of this wealth by comparing it to the GDP of most countries and the average income of an American. The paragraph also sets up a hypothetical scenario where Bezos would need to spend 22 million dollars daily to deplete his wealth by the age of 80. It then transitions to discuss the limitations of modern rankings by introducing the concept that there have been historically richer individuals, leading to the mention of Mansa Musa, the richest man in history.

05:03
🛳️ The Legacy of Abubakari Keita II and the Ascension of Mansa Musa

The second paragraph delves into the story of Abubakari Keita II, the predecessor of Mansa Musa, who embarked on a voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving his throne and vast fortune behind. This event led to Mansa Musa's ascension to power. The paragraph describes Mansa Musa's rise to power as unusual, given that he was initially a temporary ruler. It also touches on the Mali empire's wealth, built on abundant gold and salt resources, and sets the stage for discussing Mansa Musa's immense wealth and influence.

10:08
🕌 The Pilgrimage and Generosity of Mansa Musa

This paragraph narrates the grandeur of Mansa Musa's Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, detailing the scale and extravagance of his caravan, which included 60,000 people, 100 elephants, and vast quantities of gold. It highlights Mansa Musa's intention to distribute all this wealth to the poor and how this act inadvertently caused an economic downturn in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The paragraph further explores Mansa Musa's commitment to spreading his beliefs, his construction of mosques, and the impact of his pilgrimage on the Mali empire's reputation and his personal legacy.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the founder of Amazon and, according to Forbes' rich list, the wealthiest person in the world with a fortune estimated at around 177 billion dollars. His wealth is so vast that it exceeds the GDP of 75% of countries globally, illustrating the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals in modern times. Bezos' fortune is used as a comparison to highlight the even greater wealth of Mansa Musa when adjusted for inflation.
💡GDP
GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, is a measure of the economic activity within a country, defined as the total value of all goods and services produced over a specific time period. In the context of the video, GDP is used to emphasize the enormity of Jeff Bezos' wealth and to illustrate the economic magnitude of Mansa Musa's fortune when compared to modern nations.
💡Mansa Musa
Mansa Musa was the Sultan of the Mali Empire in the 14th century and is considered the richest person in history when adjusting for inflation. His wealth was derived primarily from the empire's gold and salt resources. Known for his pilgrimage to Mecca, he demonstrated his immense wealth and extreme generosity by distributing gold to the poor, which had significant economic impacts on the regions he visited.
💡Mali Empire
The Mali Empire was a powerful West African state that existed from the 13th to the 16th century. Known for its vast territories, which covered almost half a million square miles, and its control over significant gold and salt resources, the empire's wealth was unparalleled. Mansa Musa, as the Sultan of the Mali Empire, was one of its most famous rulers and is largely responsible for its prominence in history.
💡Gold
Gold is a precious metal that has been a store of value and a medium of exchange for centuries. In the context of the video, gold was a major source of wealth for the Mali Empire under Mansa Musa, with approximately half of all the gold in the Old World coming from just three gold mines in Mali. The value of gold was not only in its material worth but also in its cultural and economic significance.
💡Salt
Salt is a mineral used primarily as a seasoning and preservative. In the video, salt is highlighted as another major source of wealth for the Mali Empire, alongside gold. In the 14th century, salt was an incredibly valuable commodity, especially in regions where it was scarce, and was considered essential for the human diet, making it a crucial trade item.
💡Pilgrimage to Mecca
The Hajj is a religious duty for Muslims to undertake at least once in their lifetime, involving a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. In the video, Mansa Musa's pilgrimage is described as an extravagant display of wealth, with a massive caravan of people, animals, and gold, demonstrating his immense riches and devotion to his faith.
💡Zakat
Zakat is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which mandates that Muslims give a portion of their wealth to charitable causes. In the context of the video, Mansa Musa's distribution of gold during his pilgrimage to Mecca is an example of his practicing Zakat, showcasing his generosity and commitment to his faith.
💡Timbuktu
Timbuktu is a historical city in present-day Mali that was annexed by Mansa Musa and transformed into a significant center for trade, culture, religion, and learning. It became renowned for its universities and libraries, which attracted scholars and traders from around the world, making it a symbol of the Mali Empire's prosperity and intellectual advancement.
💡Catalan Atlas
The Catalan Atlas is an important medieval map from the 14th century that detailed the known world at the time. In the context of the video, the fame Mansa Musa gained during his pilgrimage led to the inclusion of both him and the Mali Empire on the Catalan Atlas, marking the first time the empire appeared on such a map and signifying its recognition in the global context.
💡Wealth Distribution
The concept of wealth distribution refers to the way in which economic resources are divided among different members of a society. In the video, the focus is on Mansa Musa's practice of distributing his immense wealth, not only to showcase his riches but also to improve the lives of others through his acts of charity and investment in education and infrastructure.
Highlights

Jeff Bezos was the richest man in the world with a fortune of around 177 billion dollars according to Forbes.

Bezos' wealth is larger than the GDP of 75% of countries globally, equating to the riches of a sizable nation.

Despite his wealth, Bezos isn't the richest human in history when adjusted for inflation.

Mansa Musa, the sultan of the Mali empire, is considered the richest man in history with a fortune over twice the size of Bezos'.

The Mali empire, largest ever seen in Western Africa, covered almost half a million square miles and was home to around 5% of the world's population at its height in the 14th century.

The rise of the Mali empire was fueled by its wealth from gold and salt, with half of all the gold in the Old World coming from just three gold mines in Mali.

Salt was an incredibly valuable commodity in 14th century Africa, worth its weight in gold to the right buyer.

Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca was an extravagant journey with 60,000 people, 100 elephants, and 80 camels, showcasing his immense wealth.

Mansa Musa brought 21,000 kilograms of gold and thousands of kilos of gold dust on his pilgrimage, intending to give it all away as part of the Islamic practice of Zakat.

Mansa Musa's distribution of gold caused a significant drop in its value across North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, leading to a recession.

During his pilgrimage, Mansa Musa built a mosque every Friday, no matter where he was, spreading his beliefs and wealth.

Mansa Musa's journey to Mecca and his display of wealth put the Mali empire on the map, both figuratively and literally.

Timbuktu, a city annexed by Mansa Musa, was turned into a major center for trade, culture, religion, and learning, including the Djinguereber Mosque and Timbuktu University.

Timbuktu University once boasted 25,000 students and a library of a million books, surpassing the Great Library of Alexandria.

Estimates place Mansa Musa's wealth at approximately 400 billion dollars, adjusted for inflation, comparable to the GDP of modern-day Norway or Ireland.

Mansa Musa's wealth was so vast that he was known for giving it away to improve the lives of others.

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Mansa MusaMali EmpireWealthPilgrimageGoldGenerosityCultural ImpactHistorical SignificanceAfrican HistoryEconomic Influence