Mansa Musa's Cairo Inflation Crisis of 1324

Mansa Musa: The Richest Man Who Ever Lived — Fexingo History · Jul 4, 2026 · 6m · transcript

In 1324, Mansa Musa's legendary hajj through Cairo caused a gold glut that crashed the city's economy for over a decade. This episode unpacks the chaos: how the emperor's lavish spending—handing out gold so freely that its value plummeted—triggered inflation, bankrupted merchants, and forced Cairo's markets to restructure. We explore al-Maqrizi's historical accounts, the role of moneychangers (sayrafa), and the long shadow this economic shock cast on Mamluk trade. Lucas and Luna also examine Musa's gold-for-goods spree, the real cost of his generosity, and…