Answer:
Mansa Musa (about 1280 – about 1337) was the emperor of the Malian Empire in the 14th century. He is widely regarded to be the wealthiest man ever.
His great wealth came after large deposits of gold was found in mines in Mali.
His caravan contained lots of treasure and gold as he journeyed on his way to Mecca. He went with over 60,000 companions, 12,000 slaves, each carrying about 4 pounds of gold and other treasures. Hundreds of his trusted servants went ahead of him, each carrying about 10 and a half pound of gold staff. He travelled with more gold and precious jewels than he could spend.
On the way, he gifted beggars sizeable amounts of gold, tipped generously at bazaars and overpaid.
He made donations of gold each to Cairo, Mecca and Medina, about 20,000 ounces in all.
Because of his generous donations and tips and gifts by Mansa Musa and his caravan, there was soon hyperinflation in Cairo, Mecca and Medina which almost totally handicapped each cities economy for almost 10 years.
He devalued gold in those three cities because of the influx, it is estimated he devaluated about 71,000 pounds of gold by bringing a scarce commodity like gold in a location, without restrictions.
Calculating the loss these cities encountered in today's economic terms, Mansa Musa made Cairo, Mecca and Medina lose about $1.5 billion.
ISLAM IMPACT IN THE KINGDOM OF MALI
Berber and Tuareg, two merchants brought Islam to West Africa in the 9th century. Mansa Musa was one of the prominent Muslim converts and he soon became a devout Muslim who built major mosques throughout Mali and surrounding conquered cities like Timbuktu, Gao, etc.
After his Pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324-1325, he came back with numerous Muslim scholars and architects who constructed five mosques with baked bricks. Islam was very popular during Mansa Musa's reign
