Elon Musk will apparently remain the world’s richest person for the rest of 2024. Forbes records show that the Tesla CEO has a fortune of nearly $270 billion. However, there are many more people with extraordinary wealth.
Take Mansa Musa, for example. He’s often considered the richest person in history. He’s so rich that he caused hyperinflation in Cairo and Medina after spending lavishly.
For more, let’s take a look at the list of the richest persons in history, citing Investopedia, South China Morning Post, and Visual Capitalist.
List of the Richest Persons in History
Before jumping into the discussion, you should know that this list presents the names of the richest persons in history up until the Industrial Revolution.
Visual Capitalist also emphasizes that this list may not be definitive, in part due to a lack of historical records or sources derived from legends and oral histories.
So, without further ado, let’s find out who the richest person in history is.
10. Alan Rufus (US$195 Billion)
We start our list with Alan Rufus, also known as Alan le Roux or “Alan the Red”. This French immigrant came to Britain in 1066 to help his uncle William the Conqueror. Little did he know that he would soon become the richest man in British history.
His name appears in Beresford and Rubinstein’s 2007 book, The Richest of the Rich. According to Visual Capital, he amassed a fortune estimated at £81 billion, or about $195 billion.
Reuters also added that when Rufus died at the age of 53, he had a fortune of £11,000, thanks largely to the vast tracts of land given to him by William for suppressing Saxon rebellions in the north.
9. William the Conqueror (US$228 Billion)
William the Conqueror was the Duke of Normandy from 1035 and King of England from 1066 until his death, according to Britannica. While many consider him one of the greatest soldiers and rulers of the Middle Ages, he also became one of the wealthiest individuals in history, with an estimated net worth of $228 billion.
This vast amount of wealth came largely from the massive increase in royal land holdings, which allowed the Norman conqueror to share some of his wealth with his loyal supporters, such as his nephew Alan Rufus.
8. Jakob Fugger (US$277 Billion)
With an incredible fortune estimated at $228 billion, Jakob Fugger was known for financing kings and popes. The German banker also once funded the Habsburgs to become a prominent dynasty in Europe. No wonder he’s considered the most influential businessman of all time.
7. King Solomon (US$2.2 Trillion)
According to Visual Capitalist, King Solomon of Israel had an estimated net worth of $2.2 trillion. Known for his wisdom and wealth, most of his fortune came from business, trade, and tribute from Arabia and the Levant.
The king was said to have a throne made of pure gold and inlaid with ivory. His wealth was so out of the world that he made silver as worthless as a rock.
6. Augustus Caesar (US$4.6 Trillion)
Augustus Caesar is also one of the richest people in history. His wealth was estimated at US$4.6 trillion in today’s terms, equivalent to one-fifth of global output, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), cited by Luxuo.
He amassed an astonishing fortune after personally owning Egypt, which accounted for 25 to 30 percent of the world’s GDP at the time, as one of his private properties.
5. Empress Wu (22.7% of Global GDP)
China’s only female emperor, Empress Wu Zetian, may be the richest woman in history. During her reign from 690 to 705, Wuhou, her other alias, contributed to the economic prosperity of the Tang Dynasty, which accounted for about 22.7 percent of the world’s GDP, or the equivalent of about $16 trillion.
This figure was largely generated by the tea and silk trade along the Silk Road, the SCMP notes. The notoriously ruthless empress also managed to expand the empire’s territory into Central Asia.
4. Akbar the Great (25% of Global GDP)
Akbar I, known as Akbar the Great, ruled the Mughal Empire from 1556 to 1605. Under his rule, the Mughal Empire was able to effectively extract wealth from the population, subsequently tripling the size and wealth of the empire.
Visual Capitalist also states that the Mughal Empire contributed to about 25 percent of the world’s GDP, or about $21 trillion in today’s money. This figure was comparable to that of Elizabethan England at the time.
3. Emperor Shenzong (25–30% of Global GDP)
Another Chinese emperor to make our list of the richest people in history is Emperor Shenzong. Shenzong ruled the Song Dynasty from 960-1279 and was instrumental in establishing the dynasty’s dominance in all aspects.
Economically, the Song dynasty accounted for about 25 to 30 percent of the world’s GDP, which was estimated at US$30 trillion. This immense wealth was largely due to technological innovation and taxation.
In addition to its economic prosperity, the Song Dynasty cemented its place in human history by becoming the first civilization to use gunpowder and introduce paper bills.
2. Genghis Khan (Over US$1 Trillion of Land)
According to a 2003 scientific report, Genghis Khan’s DNA can be traced in more than 16 million men today. But the first Mongol emperor was also a man of great wealth.
Under Genghis Khan’s leadership, the Mongol Empire was able to expand its influence from China to Europe, conquering approximately 22 percent of the world’s land. This gave Genghis Khan the advantage of a land wealth equivalent to over $1 trillion.
In addition, the SCMP quoted The Richest as saying that Genghis Khan’s fortune would have been about US$120 trillion in today’s currency.
1. Mansa Musa (Incomprehensible)
In first place is Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire. Although Visual Capitalist states that Mansa Musa’s net worth was limited to around $415 billion, some historians argue that he is the richest man of all time, and the SCMP cited his fortune as “incomprehensible”.
Mansa Musa is often remembered for his extravagant pilgrimage to Mecca, bringing as many as 60,000 companions, 12,000 slaves, and a 4-pound gold bar, according to Visual Capitalist. According to Investopedia, he generously distributed gold to the poor and built a mosque every Friday.
Not to mention, he once lavishly spent so much money that it caused prices of goods to spike in Cairo and Medina.
