← This is History: History’s Greatest Fails
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- [00:00]
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- [00:31]
Luke Pepperer
Hi everyone. Just a reminder that after this episode, you can hear from me and Luke as we dive even deeper into the story over on this is history plus. To subscribe, just go to thisishistorypod.com or go to Apple Podcasts and click Try Free. Enjoy the episode it's chaos in the streets of Cairo. An enormous mob swarms through them. They do not look happy. Loud chants and shouts echo through the city. Much of the mob wield wooden clubs, torches and farm hoes as they pass through Cairo's marketplaces. Some of them break off and start smashing up stores and threatening the merchants who run them. Others hastily pocket the items that are strewn on the ground. The rest of the mob moves closer to the citadel, the hilltop fortress that's also the residence of the Mamluk Egyptian Sultan Al Nazir Muhammad. Inside, Al Nazir is holding council with his officials. He sits cross legged on his throne as they stand round him. He appears calm, his brow and mouth neutral, but he has a steely glint in his eye. There's not much that can disturb the twice exiled sultan, and he's not known for his clemency. If you remember from the last episode, he'd had one of his best friends and advisors killed simply because he'd become a bit too popular for the Sultan's liking. So if the rioters persist, or even worse, attempt to breach the citadel, they'll be swiftly dealt with, arrested, imprisoned and executed faster than they can say mercy. On the other hand, many of Al Nazir's officials are panicking. They don't have their Sultan's experience. As they put forward their suggestions on how to deal with the approaching mobile, they argue and gesture excitedly. Of course, some suggest they could let the army loose on the crowd, but this could just stoke up more resentment. Perhaps they could appease the rioters, agreeing to meet with them and hear their demands. Then again, that would be a sign of weakness. The last option is perhaps the most sensible. They should avoid the protesters altogether and instead engage directly with the people who are at the root of all this discontent. The council is in agreement. Al Nazir hums and nods slowly, pleased at the suggestion. The men in the room breathe a sigh of relief, mop their brows and congratulate each other. But there's little time to waste. They quickly summon a messenger and tell him to go to a mansion in southern Cairo and request a meeting with Mansa Musa. That's right. Musa and the rest of the Malians are the reason why the people of Cairo are up in arms. I'm Luke Pepperer and this is history. Presents Empire of Gold Episode 4 Gold Rush.
- [04:05]
Ryan Reynolds
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- [04:23]
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- [05:14]
Luke Pepperer
The last time we left Musa, he was in a bit of a bind. Standing before Al Nazir in the Sultan's own audience chamber, Musa refused to kiss the ground before him. He felt this would compromise his pride as a ruler and instead stood still, gazing at the Mamluk leader and undisputed hardest guy in the Northern hemisphere. But this is a serious breach of Mamluk protocol, and Al Nazir was not amused, his eyes narrowing dangerously. His surrounding courtiers looked dismayed, murmuring in hushed, astonished voices. His guards hands were on their swords, ready to draw them. The Mali officials were terrified. So how did Musa get out of this impasse, saving both face and his neck? Well, that was all thanks to his best friend and brilliant advisor, Forseke, who, standing tall and a little smile playing upon his lips, remained just as cool as his emperor. Quick as ever forsake had devised a way to make everyone happy. Slowly, for Seke leaned in close to Musa and whispered in his ear. His genius plan. Delighted, Musa, raised his head and eyebrows intrigued, Al Nazir leaned forward. Musa then went towards the Sultan and prostrated himself on the ground before him, proclaiming, I make obeisance to God who created me. Faseki had told Musa that instead of kissing the ground in submission to Al Nazir, he should do so in submission to Allah. Because Al Nazir is a pious Muslim, he won't dispute any such submission. Faseki was right. Al Nazir was not in the least bit offended. Quite the opposite, actually. Musa's announcement charmed the Mamluk Sultan. Miraculously, everyone was going to keep their pride and their body parts intact. Al Nazir stood, ordered a chair to be brought to his side, and welcomed Musa to sit on it. He and Musa then talked for hours as though they were long lost friends or brothers. At the end of their conversation, Al Nazir gave Musa and his officials clothes and fully kitted out horses. Thanks to Fasekke's quick thinking, the Malians dodged disaster. The two mighty rulers, Musa and Al Nazir, now have a mutual, weary respect, and the Malians are allowed to stay in Cairo for as long as they like. But although the two sides have become friends, Musa's visit is going to spell a very different type of trouble for Al Nazir. Trouble that doesn't take long to appear, but will affect the Mamluks, Egypt and the surrounding realms for a very long time. The trouble begins with some friendly, customary host guest behaviour. In exchange for Al Nazir's hospitality, Musa gifts him and his courtiers literally tons of gold. His wealth and generosity astonishes and delights the Mamluks. He floods Cairo with his benefactions, exclaims one eager Mamluk official. He forwards to the royal treasury many loads of unworked native gold and other valuables and leaves no court amir, no holder of a royal office, without the gift of a load of gold. After the gift giving concludes, Musa Fiseke and the Mali officials are escorted out of the palace and back into town, where they and the rest of the pilgrims indulge in some pretty extravagant souvenir shopping. The Mamluks might be known to history as some of the most terrifying soldiers to come to power, but they're also quite the artistic bunch. The crafts that are the Mamluks of bread and butter are glass making, woodworking and metalworking. They're also expert weavers. They make Exquisite glass bottles with round bodies and long thin necks, hourglass shaped lamps and even buckets that have designs painted in red and blue enamel and liquid gold. A lamp might feature a poem in Arabic writing flowers and petals. A bucket for washing one's hands after a feast. Or a drinking cup might display red leaves, lions and double headed eagles. A bottle might have a little phoenix with rainbow wings soaring above mounted warriors in a military exercise, brandishing maces, swords and bows. The mythical bird actually originates from Egypt. The Mamluks make bowls, dishes and fire pits out of brass decorated with buds, vines and parrots in inlaid gold and silver. Their wool carpets, shirts and shawls, and muted shades of blue, green and red are durable, thick and heavy. Mamluk creations are prized in western Asia, India and Europe. The Venetians especially go crazy for their glass and metalwork. But the Malians encounter more than these locally produced wares in Cairo's markets. On display are also Chinese silks, Indian pepper and Yemeni wheat, sugar, rice and iron swords. The variety, novelty and quality of these goods captivate the Malians, who have possibly forgotten quite how far they have to carry them. It's a serious shopping spree. They choke up the streets in front of the Cairene merchants stores and booths. The air is filled with excited chatter, exclamations of wonder and the jingle of the gold coins the Malians hand over. The kyride merchants can't believe their luck. Not only are these visitors rich, they're also not the most ruthless of hagglers, probably because they're so rich. Whenever a Mali pilgrim shows interest in an object and asks its price and the cairene merchant tells him, the pilgrim pays it without further question. The merchants catch on pretty fast, because when the next pilgrim comes, they quote him a slightly higher price. Prices rise and rise and rise. It's what we in the modern day call inflation. The merchants of Cairo tell me the profits which they make from the Malians, saying that one of them buys a shirt or cloak or robe for five dinars when it is not worth one, says one chronicler. It doesn't take the Malians long to work out they've been duped. They'd admired each other's purchases and discovered that the same item, or even one of better quality, had been sold to a friend or family member at half the price. After that, they became much more suspicious of the Cairene merchants. Musa doesn't seem to mind, though. He's got the cash to burn and he intends to demonstrate his and Mali's wealth and power. As well as buying goods at whatever price presented, he tips extraordinarily generously, sometimes up to 20,000 gold coins for a single transaction. He's also not content shopping for mere trinkets and decides to buy some souvenir houses in Cairo, where the current and future Mali pilgrims can stay. The Malians stay in Cairo in absolute luxury for three happy months. During this time, Musa gives away or spends almost all his gold. The Cairene merchants are ecstatic. Never before have they received such a haul. Truly, this Musa is the most blessed of the blessed. A king of such mythical wealth, unheard of generosity and enviable nonchalance that he could make the fortunes of a dozen merchants 10 times over. You've probably got an inkling of what's coming, because what happens when prices go up and a currency, in this case gold for floods? An economy that very generosity of Musa and his people is about to unleash disastrous consequences.
- [13:12]
Ryan Reynolds
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- [13:44]
Luke Pepperer
We're in the markets of Cairo where Musa and his followers have just dropped bank on Mamluk and foreign treasures. The Kyrene merchants. They can't wait to spend their earnings. They go to landlords, foreign traders and craftspeople and start the process of buying or commissioning goods they've long wanted or had their eyes on. But when it comes to negotiating the price, they're flummoxed. These prices are ridiculously high. Way higher than they were just a month or two ago. When the Cairn merchants mention this to the vendors. The vendors say that so many of them have come offering so much gold that they're increasing their prices to meet demand. The table has turned on the merchants. Thanks to the Malians, ludicrous spending gold has flooded Cairo's economy to the extent that its value has dramatically decreased. When everybody's rich, no one is. The Cairn merchants panic. They're worse off than they had been. The markets are in turmoil. It's even worse for the Egyptians, who aren't traders. They've got increased prices, but haven't reaped any of the excess masses of gold they can't afford. Wheat, wood and cotton. Let alone glass bottles and wall carpets, they and their families are at risk of starving or freezing to death. That's why they take to the streets, stealing, smashing up stalls and threatening merchants. Which brings us back to where we started with Al Nazir demanding to see his oh so generous guests. Musa agrees to the audience with Cairo's officials. The officials enter the spacious pillared room of the grand stone house in southern Cairo where they see Musa sitting on a stool on which rests a yellow silk carpet and a red cushion. Faseki stands beside him. The officials hail the Mali Emperor, prostrate themselves on the ground before him and ask in low, strained voices if there's anything he can do to help them with their inflation problem. For a moment, Musa and Faseki think and confer. The officials fidget as they wait. Then Musa declares he has a solution. He will borrow back all the gold he and his people have spent. The officials can hardly believe their ears. They sigh in relief and bow and thank Musa. Musa charges Faseke with organizing the borrow back. But the Cairene merchants just can't help themselves. On hearing of Musa's plan, they exhale, cheer and share the news excitedly. As the Mali servants come to them and negotiate the borrowing terms. They smile so wide that their eyes are almost closed when they reach the part of the agreement that talks about the repayment terms. The merchants pretend to consider for a while and say that they'll have to make them quite favourable to themselves because they've not only sold their goods but are now about to be without gold so that the negotiations don't drag on. The Malians give the merchants what they want, even though the terms are brutal. But you might be thinking, and rightly so, isn't this just putting off the problem? What do the merchants think is going to happen when Musa pays back all his debts? Assuming he does, that's not for the Malians to worry about. Their stay in Cairo is over and they're not coming back soon. They pack up their belongings, the borrowed gold and souvenirs, and haul them on their poor camels backs. Musa meets privately one last time time with Al Nazir Muhammad and thanks him for his hospitality. Al Nazir wishes the Mali Emperor well on the rest of his travels. This is it. After 5,000 miles and eight months of journeying, Musa and his entourage are getting close to stepping foot in their first destination, Medina, where the body of the Prophet Muhammad rests. But their trials and tribulations aren't over yet. In none other than the holy site of Medina's Great Mosque. Tiredness, frustration and bad tempers will threaten a conflict that could see Musa and the Malians both banned from ever entering the city again and even spurned by the entire Muslim community. But that's for next time on this is History. Empire of.