Â鶹APP

Photo by Jingming Pan on

10 of the Richest Kings in History

Kings got money in a number of ways. One way was to go to war and pillage other lands. Other ways included fees charged to their lords and taxes levied on the people. Some lords paid the king “shield money” instead of going to war.

Other ways kings collected money was by income and revenue from land, taxes, customs duties, the courts, rights of salvage, and a wide variety of other dues and fees such a market fees and anchorage fees, and sometimes retained monopolies on certain products.

These monies were eventually passed down through inheritance. This ensured the monarch always had money to manage and maintain its household, pay for armies and war.

Money always means power. The monarch ensured that it acquired the most land in the kingdom. The collection of taxes meant that it always had the most money thus the most power.

This list will look at the most richest kings in history.

1.Mansa Musa I of Mali

The Mighty Moorish Empire. Image by HistoryNmoor –

Mansa Musa was the tenth Mans which translates to “sultan”, “conqueror”, or “emperor” of the wealthy West African Islamic Mali Empire. He ruled West Africa’s Malian Empire in the early 14th century.

His wealth was derived from his country’s vast salt and gold deposits. These were traded with merchants from as far away as Venice, Genoa and Egypt.

His wealth went to constructing mosques across the continent, many of which survive to this day.

Mansa Musa conquered 24 cities, each with surrounding districts containing villages and estates.

Musa I is easily one of the richest people in history. He had amassed the equivalent of $415 billion during his 25-year reign from 1312-1327.

2.Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan. Potrait by unknown author-

The fearsome Mongol leader conquered a mind-blowing 12 million square miles of land between 1206 and his death in 1227. This was more than anyone else in history.

But while his hordes pillaged their way through huge swathes of Eurasia Khan didn’t actually hoard his spoils. He chose to redistribute the stolen loot and territory among his subjects instead.

3.Emperor Zhao Xu of Shezong of Song China

Emperor Shenzong of Song. Painting by annonymous court painter –

Shenzong ruled China from 1067-1085 during the ‘Peaceful Prosperity’ and ‘Primary Abundance’ eras when he controlled around 30% of global GDP, the equivalent of over $30 trillion (£21.6tn) today. Adept at collecting taxes, the emperor’s administration wasn’t all take, take, take, however. Its famous New Policies, which helped improve the lives of the poor, are seen as a forerunner of the modern welfare state.

4.Akbar I of India Mughal Dynasty

Emperor Akbar with falcon on his left hand. Painting by unknown author –

Akbar I, also known as Akbar the Great, was India’s third Mughal emperor, from 1556 to 1605. His territory was approximately at the level of present-day India and accounted for 25% of the world’s GDP.  This translated to a staggering $21 trillion today.

In return for this income, the emperor required soldiers depending on the size of the territory. Reining over 15 such provinces, the Empire proved extremely beneficial for the emperor for collecting taxes, which contributed to his wealth.

Renowned for his lavish lifestyle and patronage of the arts, this emperor conquered hundreds of thousands of square miles of territory and ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent, known as the Mughal Empire, from 1556 until 1605.

5.Augustus Caesar

Statue of Augustus Caesar. Photo by Till Niermann and one more author-

Augustus was the first Roman emperor. He ruled the vast empire from 27 BC until his death in AD 14.

At one point Augustus even owned Egypt. However, poor economic performance and a succession of military failures plagued his final years.

Augustus reigned over the Roman Empire from 27 BC to AD 14, after the death of his father Julius Caesar. He was one of the most successful leaders who led the transformation of Rome from a republic to an empire.

He was able to seize the power of a kingdom which also accounted for around 25-30% of the world’s GDP at the time. In addition, he could count on a personal fortune of around $4.6 trillion.

6.King Solomon of Israel

King Solomon in Old Age. Painting colorized by Yitzilitt –

According to the Bible, King Solomon ruled from 970 BC to 931 BC, and during this time he is said to have received 25 tonnes of gold for each of the 39 years of his reign, which would be worth billions of dollars today. Along with impossible riches amassed from taxation and trade, the biblical ruler’s personal fortune could have surpassed $2 trillion (£1.4tn) in today’s money.

7.Tsar Nicholas II of Russia

Tsar Nicolas II of Russia. Photo by Boissonnas & Eggler –

Ill-fated Nicholas Romanov ruled over the Russian Empire from 1894 to 1917, during which time he had full access to the nation’s coffers, making him one of the richest monarchs in history. Not one to redistribute his wealth, a 1916 estimate of the tsar’s personal fortune equates to $300 billion (£216bn) in today’s money.

8.Mir Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII of India

Mir Osman Ali khan. Painting by adbh266 –

Khan was absolute leader of the princely state from 1911 and 1948.

Mir Osman Ali Khan reportedly owned 50 Rolls Royces and used the diamond as a paperweight in his office. He had a personal gold collection that was worth over $100 million and owned over $400 million worth of jewellery.

His Majesty was a benevolent ruler who was seriously involved in promoting education to the masses, science and construction. He made primary education compulsory for all citizens. In addition, according to his decree, it was free for poor people.

He was known as the richest man in the world with an estimated fortune of $2 billion by the early 40s. This is the equivalent to $230 billion today.

9.William the Conqueror of Normandy

King William I (‘The Conqueror’. Painting by unknown author – Wikimedia

William was the first Norman ruler of England. He lived from 1028-1087. He was famous for invading and conquering England. He took land and treasure from Sussex to Yorkshire. He defeated Earl Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, where he became King William I.

The more kingdoms he conquered, the more wealth he acquired. William the Conqueror seized lands and plundered treasures from south to north that would be worth $228 billion today.

He spent his lavish riches on everything from tapestries to castles, including the iconic White Tower at the Tower of London.

When he died, he left the equivalent of $229.5 billion to his children.

10.Muammar Gaddafi

Muammar Qaddafi. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jesse B –

The former Libyan colonel and dictator stunned the world in 2011 after being deposed and killed by rebels. He considered himself king, exhibiting his wealth to the entire African continent.

He was a controversial and highly divisive world figure. He evoked supreme adoration from his following and bitter contempt from his opponents.

He had exercised uncontested control over the largest oil reserves in Africa for the past 41 years where his investments helped his bank accounts grow.

At the time of his death, the personal fortune of Gaddafi was estimated at the equivalent of about $200 billion in different banks around the world and in oil investments in the country.