With thanks to Pete Laberge who suggested this historical figure to me!
Mansa Musa I, the richest man of all time,
Makes Bill Gates look like he’s made just a dime!
The current world’s richest man is Carlos Slim,
But he only places 22nd alongside him,
Slim has a paltry $68 billion,
This is nothing alongside Musa’s gerzillion!
Adjust his fortune, in line with inflation,
It’s $400 billion, no exaggeration!
On a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324,
He took riches with him never seen before.
500 stewards went with him upon this Hajj,
Each carrying a staff of gold as their Musa badge,
When Musa passed through Cairo, he gave so much gold away,
That the economy suffered for 20 years from that very day!
He raised mosques and madrasas* in Timbuktu,
This man knew how to spend his rich revenue!
There were 400 cities in Mali by the time he died,
And his glittering reputation was ratified.
*Educational establishments
Caro Field Author 
What a great story! A rich man who spread his riches around.
He was! A very cool dude!
Wow…Good to know. Thanks!
Thanks!
Wow! Very interesting. Love that the info is a poem too. Love it! Cindy, visiting from the Ultimate Blog Challenge on FB.
Thanks Cindy! Good luck with UBC!
What a great story! 🙂
Cool dude, eh?!
Indeed!
Wow. I had never heard of him. I can’t even imagine the wealth. Loved your description of it!!
Thanks Carol
So giving away wealth made the economy suffer. Interesting.
It is isn’t it? I don’t suppose they complained at the time!
Well, what an amazing man! I shamefully admit that I had never heard of him…
Indeed – he apparently got his men to give out handfuls of gold dust…
Twould that the current wealthy of the Islamic world provide such education to its masses. Musa Massa managed to provide a have of intellectual achievement that was among the last ‘Renaissance” periods of the Islamic reign.
He was a true altruist..,
Thank you, my dear, for your rhyme
About the richest man of all time.
You are most welcome!
You can’t take it with you. Very informative poem.
Thank you Belinda!
Sounds like a real life King Midas, perhaps without the myth morality sting in the tail. Wonderful poem as always!! 🙂 🙂
Thanks Helen!
And for a cool music video on Mansa, see here:
The story of:
Mansa Musa (“I’ll Tumble 4 Ya” by Culture Club)
Enjoy…
To see/hear 50+ other wonderful videos, go here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/historyteachers/videos?view=0
And, this Facebook page may interest:
https://www.facebook.com/historyteacherz
If you subscribe/follow, say Pete sent you!
I shall be sure to re listen!