Mansa Musa's Catastrophe: The Gold Inflation of Cairo
The Mali Empire: The Richest Civilization in History — Fexingo HistoryPlay episode
Show notes
In 1324, Mansa Musa of Mali made the hajj to Mecca, bringing so much gold that he crashed the Cairo economy for over a decade. This episode explores the details: his 60,000-strong entourage, the staggering amounts of gold, and his lavish spending in Cairo, which caused inflation that persisted for years. We discuss the primary accounts, including al-Umari and Ibn al-Ahmar, and the long-term economic consequences for the Mamluk Sultanate. How did a single pilgrimage reshape trade across the Mediterranean? And what does it say about the immense wealth of the Mali Empire? We also touch on the aftermath: Mansa Musa's attempt to fix the gold crisis by borrowing back his own gold at high interest, and the legendary story of the pyramid of gold in Cairo. This is a fresh look at a famous event, focusing on the economic impact rather than just the spectacle. #MansaMusa #MaliEmpire #GoldInflation #Cairo #Hajj1324 #AlUmari #MamlukSultanate #Taghaza #GoldTrade #MedievalEconomy #TransSaharanTrade #WestAfricanHistory #IbnBattuta #Pilgrimage #EconomicHistory #FexingoHistory #History #Podcast #SundiataKeita #Timbuktu Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
