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The Hajj of Mansa Musa: Gold, Generosity, and Inflation
In 1324, Mansa Musa of Mali set out on a pilgrimage that would become the stuff of legend. The emperor's caravan—said to include tens of thousands of soldiers, slaves, and camels laden with gold—moved across the Sahara and through Cairo, leaving a trail of dazzling wealth and economic chaos in its wake. But behind the myth lies a more complex story: a ruler who used his pilgrimage to cement diplomatic ties, commission architecture, and put his empire on the map. This episode digs into the historical records—from Arab chroniclers like al-Umari to the Tarikh al-Sudan—to separate fact from…
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