Mansa Musa traveled through Timbuktu on his way to Mecca, and made it a part of his empire when he returned around 1325 C.E. He brought architects from Andalusia and Cairo to build his grand palace in Timbuktu as well as the Djinguereber Mosque. The University of Sankore in Timbuktu was restaffed under Musa’s reign, making the university a center of learning and culture, drawing Muslim scholars from around Africa and the Middle East to Timbuktu. While Musa’s palace has since vanished, the king’s rich legacy can be seen in mausoleums, libraries, and mosques that stand as a testament to this golden age of Mali’s history.
From the TED-Ed Lesson Mansa Musa, one of the wealthiest people who ever lived – Jessica Smith
Animation by Sandro Katamashvili