Some say the ruler of this empire, Mansa Musa, may have been the wealthiest man in history. Head over to Timbuktu to visit this empire, which once controlled West Africa.

Centered around the capital of Timbuktu (yes, that's a real place), the Mali Empire was ruled by Mansa Musa, who was the Jeff Bezos of his day. The 14th-century ruler took a no expenses spared pilgrimage to Mecca that included an up to 60,000-person entourage and camels piled with gold. But it wasn't just a joyride; it was a business trip. He took back with him scholars, poets, architects, and teachers to give his empire a facelift.

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