Not Fake, Pure Gold: Mansa Musa’s PilgrimagE, 1324

The Hajj–a holy pilgrimage that all Muslims must make in their lifetime to the House of God in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. In 1324, Mansa Musa, the ruler of the Mali empire, and arguably the wealthiest person to ever exist, enlisted a 60,000 person entourage for his pilgrimage. Along his 4,000 mile journey, Mansa distributed wealth left and right, leaving his gold mark on millions. However, the cost of this has been rampant inflation and economies in shambles. Nevertheless his impression has affected the lives of countless people. While his legacy lies in the history books today, centuries ago he was the most powerful and iconic figure in the Muslim world.