The richest person in history is Mansa Musa, who was the king of Mali in the 14th century. He is estimated to have been worth over $400 billion in today’s money.
Who is the richest person in history? That’s a question that’s been asked for centuries, and it’s one that still doesn’t have a definitive answer. There are a few contenders for the title, but it’s impossible to say definitively who is the wealthiest person of all time.
One of the most commonly cited candidates for the title of richest person in history is Mansa Musa I of Mali. Musa was an immensely wealthy ruler who controlled a large portion of West Africa during his reign in the 14th century. His wealth was so great that when he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca, he caused an economic boom in Egypt by spending lavishly while he was there.
While there are no exact numbers on how much money Musa had, estimates put his fortune at around $400 billion in today’s dollars, making him one of the richest people ever.
Another possible candidate for richest person in history is Augustus Caesar, the first Roman Emperor. Augustus came from a wealthy family and inherited a large fortune when he came to power.
He also increased his wealth substantially through conquest and looting during his reign. Estimates of Augustus’ fortune range from $100-$275 billion, making him another extremely wealthy individual.
So who is the richest person in history?
It’s tough to say definitively, but both Mansa Musa I and Augustus Caesar were immensely wealthy individuals with fortunes that would be staggering even by today’s standards.
Richest PERSON in History
Who is the Richest Man Ever Lived in History?
In terms of sheer wealth, Mansa Musa I of Mali is widely considered to be the richest man who ever lived. In today’s money, his estimated fortune would be worth over $400 billion.
Mansa Musa was a 14th century ruler of the Malian Empire, which at its height stretched from present-day Senegal in the west to Niger in the east.
Mansa Musa’s wealth derived primarily from the empire’s vast gold reserves, which were said to be so plentiful that “the streets of Cairo ran with gold” after he made a pilgrimage there in 1324.
In addition to his enormous personal fortune, Mansa Musa was also incredibly generous and is known for giving away much of his wealth to those in need. He built numerous mosques and madrasas (Islamic schools) throughout his empire and also provided financing for many public works projects.
While there have been other individuals throughout history who have been extraordinarily wealthy, Mansa Musa’s fortune is unrivaled and he remains the richest man who has ever lived.
Who is the World’S No 1 Richest Person Ever?
There are a few ways to measure who the richest person ever is. One way is to look at the nominal GDP of a country and compare it to the size of its population. The United States has the largest economy in the world, with a GDP of over $19 trillion.
That works out to about $59,000 per person. So, if we divide the GDP by the population, we get an average wealth of $59,000 per person.
Another way to measure wealth is by looking at assets under management (AUM).
This includes all the money that’s invested in stocks, bonds, real estate and other assets. The AUM for each country is different, but as of 2016, America had the largest AUM at $84 trillion. That works out to about $255,000 per person.
So, using these two methods, we can see that America is home to the richest people in the world. But what about individual billionaires? Who is the richest person ever?
According to Forbes magazine’s 2018 billionaires list, Jeff Bezos is currently the world’s wealthiest man with a net worth of $112 billion. He is followed by Bill Gates ($90 billion), Warren Buffett ($84 billion), Bernard Arnault & family ($72 billion) and Amancio Ortega ($70 billion). Mark Zuckerberg rounds out the top five with a net worth of $68 billion.
How Rich is Mansa Musa Today?
Assuming you are asking how much Mansa Musa would be worth in today’s money, the answer is a staggering $400 billion dollars. This estimate comes from Forbes who calculated that Musa’s wealth was equivalent to approximately 3.6% of the world’s GDP at the time of his death in 1337. In other words, if Mansa Musa were alive today and had maintained his same level of relative wealth, he would be one of the richest people on Earth.
Interestingly, despite being one of the wealthiest people to have ever lived, Mansa Musa was not born into a life of luxury. He was born around 1280 in what is now Mali and came to power after overthrowing his predecessor, Abu Bakr II. During his reign, Mansa Musa expanded the already prosperous Mali Empire by conquering 24 cities, including Timbuktu (which he made into a center of learning).
Under his rule, Mali flourished economically thanks to its gold mines (of which Musa owned many) and its thriving trade routes.
So how did Mansa Musa become so incredibly wealthy? In addition to inherited wealth and gold mines, a large portion ofMusa’s fortune came from taxation and tribute paid by conquered peoples.
For instance, when Gao fell to Mali troops in 1324, its inhabitants were required to pay an annual tax of 10%. Given that Gao had a population of around 100,000 people at the time, this yielded a healthy sum for Mansa Musam each year.
All told, it is no wonder that Mansalived up to his name which means “king” or “sultan” in Arabic.
He was truly fit for royalty – both in terms of riches and stature!
Credit: m.timesofindia.com
Mansa Musa Net Worth
King Mansa Musa was the tenth mansa of the Mali Empire. He reigned from 1307 to 1332. During his reign, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca and his hajj is documented in the Arabic chronicles of that period.
Upon his return from Mecca, he brought with him Arab scholars, architects and artisans who helped to spread Islam and architecture in West Africa. He also encouraged trade with North Africa and Europe. Under Mansa Musa’s rule, Mali became one of the richest empires in the world due to its gold mines.
Mansa Musa’s wealth was so great that it was said that he could have bought all of the gold in Cairo for less than half of what he had with him on his hajj. When Mansa Musa died in 1337, he left behind a vast empire and an estimated fortune of $400 billion dollars (in today’s money).
Richest Person in History With Inflation
The richest person in history with inflation is John D. Rockefeller. He was an American business magnate and philanthropist who founded the Standard Oil Company. When he died, his net worth was estimated at $1.4 billion in today’s dollars.
Richest Person Alive
The richest person alive is currently Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon. His net worth is an estimated $112 billion. He is followed by Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, with a net worth of $90 billion.
Warren Buffett, the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, rounds out the top three with a net worth of $84 billion.
These are some of the most impressive fortunes in human history, but it’s important to remember that they are also largely due to luck and timing. Bezos founded Amazon in 1994, just as the internet was starting to take off.
Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975, when personal computers were just beginning to become popular. And Buffett started buying shares in Berkshire Hathaway in 1962, when it was still a relatively small company.
Of course, all three men are also incredibly talented and hardworking executives who have played a major role in their companies’ success.
But if they had been born just a few years earlier or later, their businesses might never have taken off and they would not be nearly as wealthy as they are today.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the blog post argues that the richest person in history was John D. Rockefeller. The post cites his wealth accumulation as evidence for this claim. While there is no denying that Rockefeller was a very wealthy man, there are other contenders for the title of richest person in history.
For example, some historians believe that Mansa Musa, king of the Mali Empire in the 14th century, was actually richer than Rockefeller.