What do you think?
Rate this book
Mansa Musa and Timbuktu: The History of the West African Emperor and Medieval Africa’s Most Fabled City
*Includes pictures
*Includes contemporary accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
"From the far reaches of the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River, the faithful approached the city of Mecca. All had the same objective to worship together at the most sacred shrine of Islam, the Kaaba in Mecca. One such traveler was Mansa Musa, Sultan of Mali in Western Africa. Mansa Musa had prepared carefully for the long journey he and his attendants would take. He was determined to travel not only for his own religious fulfillment but also for recruiting teachers and leaders so that his realms could learn more of the Prophet's teachings." - Mahmud Kati, Chronicle of the Seeker
Recent research has revealed that the richest person of all time lived in the 14th century in West Africa and went by many names, including Kankan Musa Keita, Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, Conqueror of Ghanata and the Lion of Mali II, but today he is usually referred to as Mansa Musa. Adjusting his wealth to modern values, he was worth about an estimated $400 billion as the Sultan of ancient Mali, which controlled the trade routes across the Sahara Desert.
About 6,000 years ago, the ancient Sahara was a tropical jungle with lush grasslands and substantial rivers until it moved north of the Equator as a result of tectonic plate movements. The seismic activity changed the location of land and the composition of the atmosphere. The African Humid Period seems to have ended relatively quickly, taking a couple of thousand years before being replaced by a much drier climate, and this started a process of desertification that forced many animals and human inhabitants to the outer edges of the immense desert. There would have been passages through the area that vanished as the harsh climate inexorably clawed at the mountains and hills, turning them into the sand that obliterated all traces of their ever having been there. By about 600 BCE, the terrain and habitat had become much less hospitable, so much so that it was no longer possible to use horses and oxen to carry commodities. As a result, trading became difficult and sporadic and slowly disappeared.
This all changed when camels were introduced to the Sahara, initially via Roman invaders and then with the Berber traders from Arabia moving across North Africa in search of gold and salt. As they reached the southern Sahel, they encountered the old established trading system and routes of the Garamantes, the people who handled the trade in and out of the Sahara from West Africa. The combination of the use of camels with the already re-established West African trade routes brought about rapid economic progress that resulted in the area supplying more than half the world's gold for more than 1,000 years, beginning around 400 CE.
Of course, this timing coincided with the rise of global trade routes such as the Silk Road and the beginning of Europe's Age of Discovery. By the 12th century, it was believed that far to the east, beyond the lands controlled by the Muslim armies, lived a powerful Christian king named Prester John in the land of India. While he was a king, he was also a priest ("Prester" means Priest and was supposedly the only title he took). His kingdom was believed to be grand and contained many wonders. Marco Polo looked for Prester John, and the Crusaders wanted to reach out to Prester John. Portugal's Henry the Navigator sent his ships out with explicit instructions of what they should do if they met Prester John, and on his historic voyages, Columbus carried two books, The Travels of Marco Polo and The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, both of which have long passages on Prester John.
The belief in the existence of fabled African kingdoms and kings ensured that real African kings were also shrouded in lore, and few would become as legendary as Mansa Musa.
*Includes contemporary accounts
*Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading
"From the far reaches of the Mediterranean Sea to the Indus River, the faithful approached the city of Mecca. All had the same objective to worship together at the most sacred shrine of Islam, the Kaaba in Mecca. One such traveler was Mansa Musa, Sultan of Mali in Western Africa. Mansa Musa had prepared carefully for the long journey he and his attendants would take. He was determined to travel not only for his own religious fulfillment but also for recruiting teachers and leaders so that his realms could learn more of the Prophet's teachings." - Mahmud Kati, Chronicle of the Seeker
Recent research has revealed that the richest person of all time lived in the 14th century in West Africa and went by many names, including Kankan Musa Keita, Emir of Melle, Lord of the Mines of Wangara, Conqueror of Ghanata and the Lion of Mali II, but today he is usually referred to as Mansa Musa. Adjusting his wealth to modern values, he was worth about an estimated $400 billion as the Sultan of ancient Mali, which controlled the trade routes across the Sahara Desert.
About 6,000 years ago, the ancient Sahara was a tropical jungle with lush grasslands and substantial rivers until it moved north of the Equator as a result of tectonic plate movements. The seismic activity changed the location of land and the composition of the atmosphere. The African Humid Period seems to have ended relatively quickly, taking a couple of thousand years before being replaced by a much drier climate, and this started a process of desertification that forced many animals and human inhabitants to the outer edges of the immense desert. There would have been passages through the area that vanished as the harsh climate inexorably clawed at the mountains and hills, turning them into the sand that obliterated all traces of their ever having been there. By about 600 BCE, the terrain and habitat had become much less hospitable, so much so that it was no longer possible to use horses and oxen to carry commodities. As a result, trading became difficult and sporadic and slowly disappeared.
This all changed when camels were introduced to the Sahara, initially via Roman invaders and then with the Berber traders from Arabia moving across North Africa in search of gold and salt. As they reached the southern Sahel, they encountered the old established trading system and routes of the Garamantes, the people who handled the trade in and out of the Sahara from West Africa. The combination of the use of camels with the already re-established West African trade routes brought about rapid economic progress that resulted in the area supplying more than half the world's gold for more than 1,000 years, beginning around 400 CE.
Of course, this timing coincided with the rise of global trade routes such as the Silk Road and the beginning of Europe's Age of Discovery. By the 12th century, it was believed that far to the east, beyond the lands controlled by the Muslim armies, lived a powerful Christian king named Prester John in the land of India. While he was a king, he was also a priest ("Prester" means Priest and was supposedly the only title he took). His kingdom was believed to be grand and contained many wonders. Marco Polo looked for Prester John, and the Crusaders wanted to reach out to Prester John. Portugal's Henry the Navigator sent his ships out with explicit instructions of what they should do if they met Prester John, and on his historic voyages, Columbus carried two books, The Travels of Marco Polo and The Travels of Sir John Mandeville, both of which have long passages on Prester John.
The belief in the existence of fabled African kingdoms and kings ensured that real African kings were also shrouded in lore, and few would become as legendary as Mansa Musa.
84 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2019
103 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
About the author
Charles River Editors
5,662 books279 followersCharles River Editors is an independent publisher of thousands of ebooks on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and Apple iBookstore & provider of original content for third parties.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 18, 2019
This is interesting but is written in such a way as to reinforce Europe.😬🙄
Many interesting details offered by generic 'african historians' apparently based on oral traditions which 'historians' meaning white folks, doubt. Lol
Europeans wrote down untruths in their books. Not sure why written untruths are ok to use as a basis of history but oral histories aren't because they may he inaccurate, lol.
So interesting somewhat.
Many interesting details offered by generic 'african historians' apparently based on oral traditions which 'historians' meaning white folks, doubt. Lol
Europeans wrote down untruths in their books. Not sure why written untruths are ok to use as a basis of history but oral histories aren't because they may he inaccurate, lol.
So interesting somewhat.
June 13, 2021
100s of Privately held books and manuscripts scattered and hidden in times of danger lol yeah ok they probably meant destroyed but ok
January 10, 2026
When Mansa Musa took power, the Mali Empire stretched from the Atlantic Ocean to Lake Chad, comprising parts of modern Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea and Mauritania. By the end of Mansa Musa’s reign, it would include Timbuktu, Gao, and Ghana. The Sahara “Sahel” formed the northern border, and the tropical equatorial forests ran along the southern edge.
how important a commodity salt was in antiquity. Salt was often used as a payment for work or goods received, in part because salt was scarce and not generally available. It is important for health and is the main source of sodium and chloride ions for people, essential for nerves and muscle function. Salt helps transport body fluids, assists in maintaining a healthy blood pressure, and acts as a disinfectant that can be used for cleaning all kinds of wounds. Perhaps most importantly for the ancients, salt was a preservative, particularly in hot climates. Preserved food could be conveyed over greater distances, food could be stored, and people soon discovered that it enhanced the taste of almost everything they ate. West Africa had an abundance of gold but no salt, while North Africa had many sources of salt and no gold, so the exchange of these two vital commodities formed the basis of the extraordinarily successful and rich trading caravans that crossed the Sahara.
Gold and salt were the main commodities, but there were many other goods. Caravans traveling north carried gold, ivory, ostrich feathers, ambergris, kola nuts, hides, and slaves, while caravans heading south brought salt, textiles, copper, silver, ironware, spices, books, paper, wheat and fried fruit. Silent trade is described as the way gold and salt were typically traded. The traders of the commodities often did not have a language in common, which made things difficult since there was a need to keep the source of the product as much a secret as possible. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, wrote about the traditional way of solving this problem in West Africa when he described how the seafaring Carthaginians traded with a nation “beyond the Pillars of Hercules.”
A good introduction to Mansa Musa. His empire and Timbuktu as well as his hajj to Mecca.
how important a commodity salt was in antiquity. Salt was often used as a payment for work or goods received, in part because salt was scarce and not generally available. It is important for health and is the main source of sodium and chloride ions for people, essential for nerves and muscle function. Salt helps transport body fluids, assists in maintaining a healthy blood pressure, and acts as a disinfectant that can be used for cleaning all kinds of wounds. Perhaps most importantly for the ancients, salt was a preservative, particularly in hot climates. Preserved food could be conveyed over greater distances, food could be stored, and people soon discovered that it enhanced the taste of almost everything they ate. West Africa had an abundance of gold but no salt, while North Africa had many sources of salt and no gold, so the exchange of these two vital commodities formed the basis of the extraordinarily successful and rich trading caravans that crossed the Sahara.
Gold and salt were the main commodities, but there were many other goods. Caravans traveling north carried gold, ivory, ostrich feathers, ambergris, kola nuts, hides, and slaves, while caravans heading south brought salt, textiles, copper, silver, ironware, spices, books, paper, wheat and fried fruit. Silent trade is described as the way gold and salt were typically traded. The traders of the commodities often did not have a language in common, which made things difficult since there was a need to keep the source of the product as much a secret as possible. Herodotus, the ancient Greek historian, wrote about the traditional way of solving this problem in West Africa when he described how the seafaring Carthaginians traded with a nation “beyond the Pillars of Hercules.”
A good introduction to Mansa Musa. His empire and Timbuktu as well as his hajj to Mecca.
February 28, 2020
Uncle MuMu!!! I love this book, wow... how amazing are we?!?! This is so wonderful and I cannot wait to share it with my family! 💚💚💚 tis a tops for sure!!!
December 3, 2020
This is a startling story about a man from West Africa who lived in the 1300s and was fabulously wealthy (with about 400 billion in today's dollars). He became so wealthy because the ancient land of Mali controlled the trade routes across the Sahara Desert. What I didn't know before reading this is that the Sahara region was a tropical jungle and lush land about 6000 years ago. When tectonic plates shifted, it caused the area to become drier and the lands started to turn into a great desert.
When the Romans invaded Africa and brought camels, they reopened the trading routes. Camels have the stamina to go great distances without water, carrying heavy loads. Thus, the trading routes reemerged. The Berber traders from Arabia also used camels for transporting the gold and salt they were moving across regions. Mansa Musa was able to take advantage of the Silk Road and Europe's Renaissance (and their desire for Eastern luxury goods).
Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim who planned to do his Haj (going to Mecca during the holy season) for two years. The description of his trip and the effects it had on the places he visited were worth the reading. This is such a different and original story; I really enjoyed learning so much in so few pages.
When the Romans invaded Africa and brought camels, they reopened the trading routes. Camels have the stamina to go great distances without water, carrying heavy loads. Thus, the trading routes reemerged. The Berber traders from Arabia also used camels for transporting the gold and salt they were moving across regions. Mansa Musa was able to take advantage of the Silk Road and Europe's Renaissance (and their desire for Eastern luxury goods).
Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim who planned to do his Haj (going to Mecca during the holy season) for two years. The description of his trip and the effects it had on the places he visited were worth the reading. This is such a different and original story; I really enjoyed learning so much in so few pages.
July 23, 2019
Should be included as reading resource in High School World History curriculum! Timbuktu 's history should be included in the the analysis of the economic history of Western World. Very concise and we'll written.
June 26, 2020
I listened to the audiobook, it was short and pretty interesting. But the guy reading it did weird accents whenever he was reading a quote! It was a mix of an old timey baddass accent and a muppet, with a smidge of possible racism on the edges. Why?
September 9, 2022
one of the richest man in entire human history was an african muslim wow, never knew salt was worth in gold in those times and what a journey for haj, this journey crashed the gold rate in egypt
i enjoyed this book
i enjoyed this book
November 18, 2019
Very good, but short introduction to Musa and the empire he expanded.
October 24, 2020
Very interesting, Mali was one of the richest countries in the world, it is now one of the poorest
February 9, 2021
It was Ok
The book was ok not what I expecting. Would recommend if you want to learn about things and trade routes of Mansu Musa
The book was ok not what I expecting. Would recommend if you want to learn about things and trade routes of Mansu Musa
October 27, 2022
Great enjoyed the book
October 30, 2022
this dude needs a movie!
March 26, 2023
Read about the history of those who were leaders in our world.
November 5, 2025
Extremely repetitive.
July 1, 2019
The publisher's blurb is somewhat extensive and includes quite a bit about how the area which is West Africa changed after various tectonic events. Trade changed as well beginning with the importation of camels from Asia. Peoples moved as well from the area of the Caspian Sea, Tuareg and Berber. In the 14th century was Mansa Musa, the richest person of all time and a biography is part of this thesis as is military practices and mining of gold and salt.
My interest was most captured by the university in Timbuktu and the prestigious learning center with all of the manuscripts. I read THE BAD-ASS LIBRARIANS OF TIMBUKTU by Joshua Hammer when it first came out and highly recommend both this thesis and the book!
My interest was most captured by the university in Timbuktu and the prestigious learning center with all of the manuscripts. I read THE BAD-ASS LIBRARIANS OF TIMBUKTU by Joshua Hammer when it first came out and highly recommend both this thesis and the book!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews