Mansa Musa's Hajj: The Pilgrimage That Broke Economies
The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
In 1324, Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire, embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca that was less a religious journey than a demonstration of incomprehensible wealth. His stop in Cairo flooded the city with so much gold that it crashed the Egyptian economy for over a decade. This episode unpacks what we actually know — and what's probably legend — about that famous journey. Lucas and Luna trace Musa's route across the Sahara, his 60,000-strong entourage, the 80 camels each carrying 300 pounds of gold dust, and his lavish spending in Cairo and Medina. They explore the Mamluk sources like al-Umari who interviewed eyewitnesses, the inflation Musa accidentally caused, and the long-term diplomatic and economic ripple effects. Was Musa the richest person in history? What did his contemporaries really think? And why did he build mosques along the way? This is the story of a pilgrimage that changed two continents. #MansaMusa #Hajj #MaliEmpire #Gold #Cairo #Inflation #alUmari #Mamluks #Sahara #Pilgrimage #MedievalAfrica #WestAfrica #Economy #1324 #IslamicHistory #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
