Empire of Gold | 2. Shifting Sands

This episode explores the perilous journey of Mansa Musa's pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324, highlighting the dangers faced by travelers in 14th-century West Africa. Against the backdrop of the story of General Sabkura, who was murdered by his own family before reaching Mecca, the episode details Musa's massive and opulent pilgrimage, involving 60,000 people and countless camels laden with gold. More significantly, the narrative follows the challenges encountered along the way, such as the illness of Musa's favorite wife, Inari Conte, prompting the resourceful creation of a temporary lake in the desert to alleviate her homesickness. The episode further describes the difficult decision to leave behind hundreds of pilgrims afflicted by a plague in Tuat, illustrating the harsh realities of such a journey. Finally, the episode concludes with the caravan's arrival near Cairo and the looming threat of an unexpected confrontation, setting the stage for future episodes.