The richest person ever is widely considered to be Mansa Musa, the 14th- century ruler of the Mali Empire. His wealth was so vast due to his empire's enormous gold resources that it is described as "almost impossible to get a sense of just how wealthy and powerful he truly was"
. Estimates of his wealth have reached as high as $400 billion in modern terms, though economic historians agree that it is impossible to pin down an exact figure
. Mansa Musa's wealth surpassed that of modern billionaires combined, and his legendary pilgrimage to Mecca, during which he generously distributed gold, reportedly disrupted the economies of the regions he passed through due to the sheer scale of his riches
. While other historical figures such as Augustus Caesar, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Carnegie were also extremely wealthy, none are believed to have matched the scale of Mansa Musa's fortune
. In summary, Mansa Musa holds the title as the richest person ever known in history based on the extraordinary wealth of the Mali Empire and his legendary generosity
