Regarded as the wealthiest man to have ever lived with an estimated wealth of 400 billion dollars in today’s money, Mansa Musa’s life is shrouded in mystery and legend. Known for his lavish journey to Cairo, where he gave away so much gold that the Egyptian economy was ruined for decades, not much is known about Mansa Musa; until now.

Musa: Mansa of Mali spans fifty years of political and familial turmoil of the famed West African ruler. A ruler that had an executioner on hand at all times. A ruler that annexed smaller kingdoms, forcing them to pay taxes or into slavery. A ruler who removed his brother from the line of succession and placed his ill-prepared son on the throne upon his death. These facts create a narrative of a different Musa of popular culture, but of a ruler who ruled with absolute authority and held on to power by any means necessary.

A story that crosses from the banks of the Niger River in the Malian Empire capital, the busy streets of Cairo, to the rolling hills of the newly formed Ottoman Empire. Musa: Mansa of Mali weaves historical facts and speculation into a story laden with assassination and coup attempts. Loveless marriages that are politically necessary, and consequential decisions that have an impact for generations to come.