Here is a concise summary of the text:
**Title:** Mansa Musa: The Richest Person in History
**Summary:**
In 1312, Abu Bakar II's vizier, Mansa Musa, took the throne of the Mali Empire. Musa, a devout Muslim, sought to elevate Mali's global status. In 1320, he embarked on a lavish Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, showcasing his immense wealth (estimated to surpass Jeff Bezos' by a wide margin). The extravagant journey:
* Featured a 60,000-person retinue, 500 heralds, and 600 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold dust each
* Caused a financial crisis in the Middle East due to Musa's generous gold spending
* Attracted talent, including Arab scholars, bureaucrats, and architects, to help build Mali into an Islamic cultural center
* Led to the development of Timbuktu as a hub for Islamic education, commerce, and intellectual exchange
**Legacy:**
* Islamic accounts praise Musa's greatness, while local oral traditions (Griot) criticize him for wasting the treasury and abandoning ancestral traditions
* The Mali Empire began its decline shortly after Musa's death, hinting at potential consequences of his actions.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text, numbered and in short sentences:
**Historical Figures and Events**
1. Abu Bakar II set sail with a great fleet into the Atlantic in 1312.
2. Mansa Musa (Musa Keita) took the throne in 1313 after Abu Bakar II failed to return.
3. Mansa Musa was a devout Muslim and served as king of the Mali Empire.
**Wealth and Economy**
4. Mansa Musa was exceptionally wealthy, with riches beyond modern comparison.
5. The Mali Empire had an abundance of gold, while Europe faced an economic crisis due to low gold and silver production.
6. Mansa Musa's spending during his pilgrimage caused a financial crisis in the Middle East, crashing the value of gold for over a decade.
**Pilgrimage and Travels (1320)**
7. Mansa Musa embarked on a lavish Hajj (pilgrimage) to Mecca to attract global attention and establish Mali's prominence.
8. His procession included over 60,000 people, 500 heralds with gold staffs, and a baggage train with 600 camels carrying 300 pounds of gold dust each.
9. Mansa Musa gave away significant amounts of gold to the poor and built mosques during his journey.
10. He spent months in Cairo's bazaars, buying souvenirs at inflated prices.
**Legacy and Empire Building**
11. Mansa Musa brought back Arab scholars, bureaucrats, and architects from his pilgrimage to develop Mali.
12. He expanded the empire, conquering Timbuktu and Gao while on pilgrimage, without facing deposition.
13. Timbuktu was transformed into a major Islamic cultural and educational center under his rule.
14. The city became a hub for book production and intellectual exchange, with an advanced book copying industry.
**Timeline**
15. 1312: Abu Bakar II sets sail.
16. 1313: Mansa Musa takes the throne.
17. 1320: Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca.
18. By 1375: European cartographers were including Mali, represented by Mansa Musa, on their world maps.