The Silk Road's Greatest Travelers

Mansa Musa

The Most Famous African Traveler to Mecca

From Mali to Cairo to Mecca and beyond, Mansa Musa was known as the Lion of Mali. Now remembered as the richest person in history, his enormous wealth, legendary generosity, and lavish pilgrimage from Mali to Mecca made him a favorite of medieval Arab storytellers. However, the 14th-century leader also presided over one of the largest empires in the world during his time. This informative biography traces Mansa Musa’s life, following his magnificent caravan as he traversed what remained of the Silk Road routes to become a hajji and returned to transform Timbuktu into western Africa’s most famous cultural center.