Richest Person Who Ever Lived is an African King - (Inflation Adjusted)

Yes, you read this headline correctly, the richest human being in history is indeed an African king.  According to researchers at Celebrity Net Worth, the 14th century West African king,  Mansa Musa I of the Mali had a personal net worth of $400 Billion at the time of his death in 1331.  Celebrity Net Worth explained their findings are based upon them adjusting for inflation "For example, $100 million in the year 1913 is equal to $2.299.63 billion in 2012 dollars thanks to the annual rate of inflation of 2199.6%."

Mansa Musa's immense wealth was due his Malian Empire's production and trade of gold and salt.  He inherited his empire via his role as deputy of the king, when the previous ruler never returned from an expedition on the Atlantic Ocean.  Mansa Musa I, a devout muslim, used some of his wealth to build statuesque mosques that are still standing to this very day and a university in Timbuktu to attract scholars and encourage education.

Legend has it that Mansa Musa I was a generous king who believed in spreading the wealth to the commoners and elders. He put Mali on the map during his hajj/ pilgrimage to Mecca when he gave away gold freely to those he encountered along the way.  Within two generations of Mansa Musa's death, his heirs were unable to successfully defend the kingdom from invading conquerors and civil wars and as such,  his wealth was lost.

Quick Facts about Mansa Musa I

Catalan Map of Mansa Musa 1375, with translation

• Mansa means "king" or "leader."
• Mansa Musa I  lived from 1280-1331.
• Mansa Musa I was a descendant of the Mandingo ruler, Sundiata Keita (Sunjata), who was the founder of the Mali empire.
• He ruled West Africa's Malian Empire  (modern day Ghana, Timbuktu and Mali).
• To manage successfully, his empire was broken into provinces and villages, with each village having a mayor to help manage government.
• He was a devout muslim who allowed freedom of religion and occupation.
• Mansa Musa I's army guarded the gold mines and also guarded the section of the Trans-Sahara Trade Route that passed by Mali.
• He was highly cultured and encouraged education, even building an impressive university in Timbuktu 
• Mansa Musa brought back from hajj/ pilgrimage an Arabic library, religious scholars, and the Muslim architect al-Sahili, who built the great mosques at Gao and Timbuktu and a royal palace.

Mansa Musa's Mosque of Djenne

Black Royalty: Mary Countess von Habsburg of Austria

Countess Mary is married to Ferdinand Leopold Joseph Count von Habsburg of Austria. The royal family of von Habsburg are descendants of William the Conquerer.

Mary was born in Wau, Sudan under the name Mary Nyanut Ring Machar. Countess Mary and Count Ferdinand are 38 years old and both are born under the astrology sign, Cancer.

Countess Mary married Count Ferdinand on August 28, 1999 in Nairobi, Kenya. The couple have 3 children together: Countess Luisa Aluel (born August 3, 2000), Count László Rum (born May 25,2002) and Countess Gisela Aluk (born October 22, 2004).
All three of the couple's children were birthed in Nairobi. As of yet, I haven't located pictures of the children.

Yes, Countess Mary is considered an equal in her marriage, even though she's a commoner and African. A couple members of the Royal Family had a problem with that, but Head of the Habsburg Royal Family, Dr. Otto von Habsburg has declared all Habsburg marriages are "equal."

Thank goodness Countess Mary has married into a family that is lead by an open-minded individual.
The Habsburg's are known for their interracial/intercultural marriages and I'll tell you about the other sistas in this family shortly.

Once again, as I stated in my post about Princess Angela of Liechtenstein, there should be more coverage of these imperial black women. I can understand why Anglo magazines don't show love, but what are the black publications excuse?

HSH Princess Angela of Liechtenstein: a True Black Princess

Her Serene Highness Princess Angela of Liechtenstein is the wife of Prince Maximilian Nikolaus Maria of Liechtenstein and is the only black Princess in a reigning European dynasty.

Princess Angela's story is beautiful and reads like a fairy-tale. Angela Gisele Brown is an Afro-Latina born in Panama who was working as a designer for the fashion industry in New York. Princess Angela ends up meeting and becoming friends with Prince Maximilian at a reception in New York. Dating a few years, their love flourished and they were married on January 29,2000 at St. Vincent Ferrer in New York. The Princess' designed her gown and wore the Royal tiara.

The Aquarius princess is 11 years the senior of her Taurean husband.

A year later, Prince Maximilian and Princess Angela gave birth to their only child, HSH Prince Alfons Constantin Maria of Liechtenstein, on May 18,2001 in London.

It is rare that the media reports on this couple, mostly because they stay out of the limelight and Princess Angela has no scandalous bones in her closet. I also think mainstream media rarely reports on this couple because they are an interracial couple and they're still in disbelief that a European prince would marry a commoner black girl.

Oh Well!! They are a beautiful family that proves love transcends all boundaries!