Mansa Musa's Library of Timbuktu

Mansa Musa: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived — Fexingo History · Oct 6, 2026 · 7m · transcript

While most stories focus on Mansa Musa’s gold and his hajj to Mecca, the true legacy of the Mali Empire lies in its intellectual capital. This episode explores the Sankore Madrasa in Timbuktu during the late 14th century, a center of learning that rivaled the great universities of the Islamic world. We examine the role of scholars like Abu al-Abbas Ahmad al-Wangari and the unique manuscript tradition that preserved knowledge in Arabic and Ajami scripts. From legal texts to astronomical charts, we uncover how Mali’s rulers invested in education rather than just treasure, creating a network of…