Mansa Musa, one of the wealthiest people who ever lived - Jessica Smith

譯者: 葉 Yah 宇倫 審譯者: Wink Wong

If someone asked you who the richest people in history were,

如果有人問你，誰是史上最富有的人

who would you name?

你會想到誰的名字呢?

Perhaps a billionaire banker or corporate mogul,

也許是一個有億萬家產的銀行家或 企業大亨

like Bill Gates or John D. Rockefeller.

例如比爾蓋茲或約翰·戴維森·洛克菲勒

How about African King Musa Keita I?

那非洲的國王穆薩·凱塔呢?

Ruling the Mali Empire in the 14th century CE,

他是馬里帝國在14世紀執政的行政長官，

Mansa Musa, or the King of Kings,

穆薩·凱塔或又稱為王中之王

amassed a fortune that possibly made him

他積聚的財富

one of the wealthiest people who ever lived.

足以令他成為世上最富有的人。

But his vast wealth was only one piece of his rich legacy.

但是他鉅額的財富只是他留下 遺產的冰山一角

When Mansa Musa came to power in 1312,

曼薩·穆薩在西元1312年取得執政權

much of Europe was racked by famine and civil wars.

歐洲大部分地區都因為 飢荒及內戰而飽受折磨

But many African kingdoms and the Islamic world were flourishing,

但許多非洲王國和伊斯蘭世界 卻是一片繁榮

and Mansa Musa played a great role in bringing the fruits of this flourishing

曼薩·穆薩在這𥚃扮演了極為重要的角色

to his own realm.

把繁榮果實 帶入了自己的國家。

By strategically annexing the city of Timbuktu,

透過戰略兼併廷巴克圖市

and reestablishing power over the city of Gao,

他也在高爾市建立了政權，

he gained control over important trade routes

在地中海及西非海岸間

between the Mediterranean and the West African Coast,

他控制了重要的貿易路線。

continuing a period of expansion, which dramatically increased Mali's size.

他不斷地擴張，極大的增加 馬里帝國的領土範圍。

The territory of the Mali Empire was rich in natural resources,

馬里帝國的領土有豐富 的自然資源

such as gold and salt.

盛產黃金與鹽

The world first witnessed the extent of Mansa Musa's wealth in 1324

在他1324年前往麥加的朝聖之旅中

when he took his pilgrimage to Mecca.

人們第一次見識到曼薩·穆薩富有的程度

Not one to travel on a budget,

他不計任何成本

he brought a caravan stretching as far as the eye could see.

他帶來了綿延不絕的商隊

Accounts of this journey are mostly based on an oral testimony

關於這次朝聖的紀錄 大多為口耳相傳

and differing written records,

在文獻上也有各種不同的說法

so it's difficult to determine the exact details.

所以非常難確定具體的細節。

But what most agree on is the extravagant scale of the excursion.

但大家大都贊同這是奢華之旅，

Chroniclers describe an entourage of tens of thousands of soldiers,

歷史學者描述有大量隨從參與這次朝聖， 包括了數萬名軍人、

civilians,

平民

and slaves,

及奴隸，

500 heralds bearing gold staffs and dressed in fine silks,

500名使者帶著金製權杖，穿著絲製服裝，

and many camels and horses bearing an abundance of gold bars.

許多的駱駝與馬身上 背負著大量的金條，

Stopping in cities such as Cairo,

他們沿途在開羅等城市停留，

Mansa Musa is said to have spent massive quantities of gold,

根據記載，他把大量金子用來

giving to the poor, buying souvenirs,

救濟窮人、購買紀念品，

and even having mosques built along the way.

甚至沿途修建清真寺。

In fact, his spending may have destabilized the regional economy,

事實上，他這大肆出資的舉動，很 可能使當地經濟動盪

causing mass inflation.

造成嚴重的通貨膨脹。

This journey reportedly took over a year, and by the time Mansa Musa returned,

據說這次朝聖之旅歷時超過一年， 當他回來國之後

tales of his amazing wealth had spread to the ports of the Mediterranean.

他那財富驚人的故事 早已傳遍了地中海各地

Mali and its king were elevated to near legendary status,

而馬里帝國於1375被納入加泰羅尼亞地圖，

cemented by their inclusion on the 1375 Catalan Atlas.

則鞏固了這一個傳奇。

One of the most important world maps of Medieval Europe,

加泰羅尼亞地圖是中世紀歐洲， 最為重要的世界地圖之一

it depicted the King holding a scepter and a gleaming gold nugget.

這張地圖描繪了曼薩·穆薩一手持權杖 一手托著閃閃發亮的金塊的場景

Mansa Musa had literally put his empire and himself on the map.

曼薩·穆薩真的將馬里帝國及他 本人放進了地圖

But material riches weren't the king's only concern.

但是曼薩·穆薩不只追求物質 上的富裕

As a devout Muslim, he took a particular interest in Timbuktu,

他是一位虔誠的穆斯林 很關心廷巴克圖地區

already a center of religion and learning prior to its annexation.

在被併吞之前，廷巴可圖已是西非 的文化和學術中心

Upon returning from his pilgrimage,

在完成了朝聖之旅後

he had the great Djinguereber Mosque built there

曼薩·穆薩立刻在廷巴克圖修建了 津蓋瑞伯清真寺

with the help of an Andalusian architect.

這一座清真寺由來自安達盧西亞的 建築家所設計

He also established a major university, further elevating the city's reputation,

他還建立了一所知名大學 進一步提升了城市的知名度

and attracting scholars and students from all over the Islamic world.

吸引來自伊斯蘭世界各地的學生與學者

Under Mansa Musa, the Empire became urbanized,

在曼薩·穆薩的領導下 帝國變得都市化

with schools and mosques in hundreds of densely populated towns.

帝國中有學校和清真寺 以及數百個人口稠密的城鎮

The king's rich legacy persisted for generations

國王豐富的遺產持續了幾代人

and to this day, there are mausoleums, libraries and mosques

今天，有陵墓、圖書館及清真寺

that stand as a testament to this golden age of Mali's history.

成為馬里帝國歷史中黃金時代的佐證