Preparation

Note: Mansa Musa obviously would not have spoken English. This account is translated as accurately as possible, though there may be some errors. Due to the vastly unknown nature of Mansa Musa's Hajj, details are 50% accurate, and 50% unavoidable extrapolation. Citations for facts that are not common knowledge will appear as an italicized parenthetical. Other parentheticals are part of the actual account. Asides may be included, and will be italicized. Also note that the date listed above simply denotes the day that this particular segment was uploaded to this website.

I am Mansa Musa, the King of Kings.

I rule the glorious realm of Mali, with its rolling hills, flowing rivers, and gold and salt mines, under the hand of Islam and Allah. I am about to undertake my Hajj, or pilgrimage, to Mecca. As such, I will record my experiences in this journal. I may not write everyday, but I will be sure to write down everything of importance. I have been carefully preparing for my journey for some time. I plan to follow the commandments of Allah on my journey, and I will therefore be giving alms to the poor as I pass through the various cities on the way to Mecca. I've prepared a vast caravan and retinue, so that I can demonstrate for the world the glory of my kingdom and of Islam. Details of wealth may bore others, but I never tire of them. I have loaded onto eighty camels over two hundred and fifty pounds of fine gold dust and outfitted several thousand of my servants with the finest silks and five hundred of them carry staffs of pure gold. (Goodwin, A. J. H. "The Medieval Empire of Ghana." In The South African Archaeological Bulletin, 108-112. 47th ed. Vol. 12. South African Archaeological Society, 1957.) The remainder of my caravan will oversee the feeding and watering of my subjects. I believe I am sufficiently prepared for the journey across the great desert, through the lands of Egypt, across the sea to Medina and Mecca. I am most eager to do the will of Allah and expand his holy way throughout my country. I set out tomorrow, and so I must retire to my chambers so as to be fully rested for the taxing journey. I will next return once we have reached the city of Timbuktu.
A small note: Mansa Musa's wealth was calculated in 2014 to be 400 billion dollars, adjusted for inflation. This makes him the richest person in recorded human history.