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Was the richest person in history an African just before colonial slavery?

By Michael Alan Prestwood

Author and Natural Philosopher

02 Feb 2025

Published 11 months ago.

Updated 2 weeks ago.

Medieval History

Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire is widely regarded as the richest individual in history, illustrating Africa’s deep economic and political sophistication.

Was the richest person in history an African just before colonial slavery?

Yes. Emperor Mansa Musa was the richest man in history, and yes, he was black. Born in 1280 CE, Mansa Musa was the king of the Mali Empire in West Africa. He was known for his extraordinary wealth, primarily due to the abundant gold and salt resources within his empire. In 1324, the renowned pilgrimage to Mecca by the 44-year-old devout Muslim caused quite a stir. Mansa Musa distributed so much gold that it destabilized local economies along his route. Prior to the European lead transatlantic slave trade, Africa had many centuries of up and down wealth and prosperity. Just like the rest of the world.

TAKEAWAY: Just before the age of colonial slavery, the richest person in history was African. In the 14th century, Mansa Musa controlled vast gold and salt networks. During his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, he gave away so much gold that entire regional economies destabilized. His wealth wasn’t legend. It was recorded, measured, and felt across continents.

Michael Alan Prestwood
Author & Natural Philosopher

Prestwood writes on science-first philosophy, with particular attention to the convergence of disciplines. Drawing on his TST Framework, his work emphasizes rational inquiry grounded in empirical observation while engaging questions at the edges of established knowledge. With TouchstoneTruth positioned as a living touchstone, this work aims to contribute reliable analysis in an emerging AI era where the credibility of information is increasingly contested.