Mansa Musa: The Golden King

by Vicki Hambleton

This king is the greatest of the Muslim kings of the Sudan. He rules the most extensive territory, has the largest army, is the bravest, richest, the most fortunate, the most victorious over his enemies, and the best able to distribute benefits. Thus did the Arabic scholar al-Umari describe Mansa Musa.

Mansa Kankan Musa I, as he was officially known, came to the throne of Mali in 1307 or 1312. (Scholars do not agree on the exact year.) The empire he inher-ited was a strong one. It was also recognized as an important partner in the trade between West Africa and the Muslim countries across the Sahara Desert. During his 25-year rule, Mansa Musa doubled the size of the empire, making the Mali of that time equal in size to all of Europe. Mali stretched from the city of Tadmekka to the Atlantic Ocean, a distance of 700 miles.

Al-Umari recorded that Mansa Musa described his kingdom as "a year's journey in length." This was an exaggeration, but another writer described Mali as "square, its length being four months journey and its width likewise."

There is no record of how old Mansa Musa was when he came to power. However, there is a passage in al-Umari's work that gives Musa's own account of how he inherited the throne. The explanation is also said to be the one the king gave to Ibn Amir Hajib, the governor of Cairo. Musa had become friends with the governor when he visited Egypt. Musa said,

The king who was my predecessor did not believe that it was impossible to discover the farthest limit of the Atlantic Ocean and...wished to do so."

Musa goes on to explain that his predecessor, Mansa Muhammad, equipped 200 ships to explore the ocean. Only one returned from the journey, and its crew reported that the others had been lost in a strong current. Determined to succeed, Muhammad organized a second expedition, and this time made the journey himself. "The sultan got ready 2,000 ships...and left me to deputize for him," explained Musa. "He embarked...with his men and that was the last we saw of him...and so I became king in my own right."

Today history remembers Mansa Musa as the ruler of a country of tremendous wealth. The king controlled access to the gold fields of Bambuk and Bure, which yielded thousands of ounces of gold over the centuries. It was this precious gold that lured so many traders to make the often-treacherous journey across the great Sahara. The great ancient trade centers, including the cities of Gao, Jenne, Timbuktu, and Niani, were all part of Mali. Until the 1500s, gold from Mali was the primary source for making coins in the Muslim world. Muslim traders also supplied gold to Europe. As a result, in Mansa Musa's time, much of the world's money was made of gold from Mali.

Besides gold, Mali had large copper supplies. Mansa Musa is said to have described copper as his most important trade item. The mines at Tadmekka were among the richest. Copper was the only item that was taxed, and it was traded for gold.

The king also controlled the salt mines of Taghaza, a city in the Sahara Desert. Salt was prized in the hot climate of the desert. At times it was considered as precious as gold. Used to preserve food and to make it tastier, salt is also essential to life. In hot climates where perspiration means salt loss, replacing this salt is necessary if one is to survive. Because local production of salt in Mali was limited, access to salt mines in the Sahara was important economically to Mali.

To rule such a large kingdom took a forceful leader supported by a powerful army and a strong political system. Mansa Musa was such a leader. His army is described by al-Umari as "100,000 strong, with 10,000 cavalry troops." Under Mansa Musa, Mali consisted of 14 provinces. Officials known as farba were appointed to oversee every detail of life in the provinces. These farba collected tributes (regular payments of money) and were responsible for maintaining law and order. The villages continued to be administered by traditional chiefs. Many other officials helped run the large empire. Ibn Battuta writes about an official known as the mushrif, who may have overseen imports and exports.

No one knows the exact location of ancient Mali's capital, but most scholars believe it was a city called Niani. The historian Ibn Khaldun wrote, "The capital of the people of Mali is the town of Niani, a large place with culti-vated land fed by running water, very crowded with busy markets."

Mansa Musa's Mali was a prosperous and safe place for visitors. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for all of Africa in the 1300s. Historians credit the favorable conditions in Mali to the king's strong belief in justice. Ibn Battuta, traveling in Mali some 15 years after Mansa Musa's death, wrote that the people "possess some admirable qualities. They are seldom unjust, and have a greater hatred of injustice than any other people.... There is complete security in their country. Neither traveler nor inhabitant in it has anything to fear from robbers or men of violence."

After Mansa Musa's death in 1337, the empire of Mali began to decline. Much of this was due to battles for power among the ruling classes. These internal conflicts weakened the power of the state and left it more vulnerable to attack from neighboring countries. By the late 1500s, the empire of Mali had disappeared and other African countries had absorbed sections of its lands.

Today, the legacy of Mansa Musa lives on. His story is taught to schoolchildren, and griots continue to tell of the accomplishments of the gold king. Musa is remembered for his great generosity and wealth. His influence also can be found in the architecture of present-day Mali. In addition, his love of scholarship and the law was an important factor in the spread of Islam throughout West Africa.

Perhaps his achievements are best summed up in the words of Ibn Khaldun: "Mansa Musa was an upright man and a great king, and tales of his justice are still told."