The richest person in history is widely considered to be Mansa Musa, the 14th- century ruler of the Mali Empire. His wealth came primarily from his empire's vast gold resources, making him arguably the richest human ever to have lived
. Estimates suggest that Mansa Musa's wealth was so immense that it reshaped economies during his famous pilgrimage to Mecca, where his lavish spending and gifts of gold caused significant inflation in regions he passed through
. In comparison, some of the richest Americans in history include John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie. Rockefeller's wealth, adjusted for economic share, is estimated at around $341 billion in 2014 dollars, while Carnegie's wealth is estimated at about $372 billion in the same terms
. However, these figures, while enormous, still fall short of the scale of Mansa Musa's wealth when considering his control over gold and the economy of his empire. In summary, Mansa Musa holds the distinction of being the richest person in history due to his unparalleled access to gold and economic influence in the 14th century. Other historical figures like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie are among the richest in more recent history but do not surpass Mansa Musa's legendary wealth
