#2 – Musa I
Mansa Musa became the ruler of the Mali Empire of Western Africa in 1312. Apparently, Musa’s pilgrimage (Hajj) to Mecca in 1324 is what drew attention of the world to his wealth. He traveled with 60,000 men, 12,000 servants dressed in silken robes and golden staves, and 80 camels each carrying 50 to 300 pounds of gold dust. Considered to be the richest man ever in history, Mansa Musa’s net worth has been valued at US$400 billion.