3-056-870 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mansa Musa, King of Mali, 1375. Depiction of Mansa Musa, ruler of the Mali Empire in the 14th century. He is shown holding a gold nugget and wearing a European-style crown. The section to the right translates as: Musa Mali, Lord of Guinea. So abundant is the gold which is found in his country that he is the richest and most noble king in all the land. In the text he is referred to as musse melly. From a Catalan Atlas of the known world (mapamundi), drawn by Abraham Cresques of Mallorca.