The individual most famously known as the "Gold King" is Mansa Musa (Musa I of Mali).
Mansa Musa, who ruled the Mali Empire in West Africa from approximately 1312 to 1337 CE, gained this moniker due to the empire's vast reserves of gold and his extravagant spending during his pilgrimage to Mecca. His wealth and generosity were legendary, causing significant economic disruption in the regions he visited, particularly in Egypt, where his lavish spending caused a temporary decline in the value of gold.
Musa's wealth and power cemented Mali's status as a major force in the medieval world, and his reign is remembered as a period of prosperity and cultural flourishing. While other rulers may have possessed significant gold reserves, Mansa Musa's impact on global perception and his association with the precious metal is the reason he's primarily known as the "Gold King."
