Final answer:
Mansa Musa was a powerful ruler of Mali, known for his wealth, his promotion of Islam, and his funding of educational centers like those in Timbuktu.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mansa Musa was indeed one of the most powerful rulers of the West African Kingdom of Mali, particularly known for his devout Muslim faith and for his pilgrimage to Mecca. During his reign from 1312 to 1337, he expanded the empire of Mali, increased the wealth and prestige of his nation through the gold and salt trade, and elevated Timbuktu to a center of Muslim scholarship and learning by establishing universities and mosques. As recorded by the likes of al-Umari, Mansa Musa's wealth was so immense that he distributed significant gold during his pilgrimage, which caused inflation in local economies. His lasting influence is evident with Mali being twice the size of the previous Ghana empire and its inclusion on maps such as the one created by Abraham Cresques in The Catalan Atlas of 1375.