Empire of Gold | 5. Journey’s End

This episode explores the historical events surrounding Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca, focusing on the military conflict and subsequent resolution in Timbuktu and the events leading up to and including Musa's arrival in Medina. Against the backdrop of Musa's journey, the narrative details a significant battle between the Mali army and Tuareg warriors, culminating in the Mali victory and the capture of Timbuktu. More significantly, the episode chronicles Musa's experiences in Cairo, including near-execution and economic disruption caused by his lavish spending, before detailing the final leg of his pilgrimage across the Sahara Desert to Medina. The climax involves a near-violent conflict between Musa's pilgrims and other Muslims in Medina's Prophet's Mosque, resolved through the intervention of Musa's advisor, Fuseke. Finally, the episode concludes with Musa's emotional visit to the Prophet's tomb, his subsequent recruitment of scholars and experts in Medina, and his plans to use them to develop Mali's infrastructure and institutions, setting the stage for future episodes.