Microsoft founder Bill Gates tops the list of billionaires for Forbes World with a net worth of $ 79.2 billion. Gates is followed by Mexican business magnate Carlos Slim Helu, who has a net worth of $ 77.1 billion, and by American businessman Warren Buffet with a net worth of $ 72.7 billion. of dollars.
Their net worth may seem unimaginable to ordinary people like us, but did you know that there are individuals who lived before them and who had more wealth than these three richest billionaires in the world?
Check out the following pages for a list of 10 people who are richer than the list of billionaires in the world of Forbes.
10- CORNELIUS VANDERBILT (WEALTH: $ 185 Billion)
You probably remember him from your history classes, or from the fact that he founded Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Cornelius Vanderbilt is an American businessman who established his empire by building railroads and shipping lines. He started his business with a boat that served as a passenger ferry before finally developing his steamboat company. In the 1860s, Vanderbilt also began buying railroads from New York and extended them to the western states in the United States. He was the one who urged the construction of the Manhattan Grand Central Depot in 1871, which was replaced by the popular Grand Central Terminal in 1913. During his time, Vanderbilt was known to have accumulated about 185 billion dollars. He died at the age of 82 in his Manhattan home, leaving most of his fortune ($ 100 billion) to his son, William.
9- ALAN RUFUS (WEALTH: 194 Billion)
Alan Rufus, also known as Alan the Red, served his uncle William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England. During his service, Rufus was able to acquire a vast amount of land titles in England. Rufus also commissioned the construction of Richmond Castle and was known to be a generous donor of several religious structures. He died in 1090 at the age of 53 with a fortune that accounted for 7% of England's GDP during his time; which currently stands at $ 194 billion.
8- HENRY FORD (WEALTH: 199 Billion)
One of the most popular icons in the history of American commerce is the industrial and automotive manufacturer Henry Ford. As you already know, he is the founder of Ford Motor Company, making it one of the biggest motors in the history of transportation. Ford is known for introducing cheap cars that were affordable to the masses, as well as the use of assembly lines for production.
Ford was born into a farming family. He left home at the age of 16 to work as a machinist. When he was 28, Ford was an engineer in Thomas Edison's company where he experimented with engines that ran on gasoline. At the age of 36, Ford began establishing its first automobile business only to experience bankruptcy and problems with its business partners for its following businesses; until he made a fortune with the Ford Motor Company with his partners Alexander Malcomson and the Dodge brothers. In his life, Ford would have acquired a net worth of $ 199 billion.
7- MUAMMAR GADDAFI (WEALTH: $ 200 Billion)
Former Libyan Prime Minister Muammar Gaddafi has reportedly acquired a fortune of 200 billion dollars. Gaddafi led the African country for 42 years, taking control of the country's vast oil fields.
Gaddafi describes himself as a "simple revolutionary" and a "pious Muslim"; however, it is believed that his great wealth has been hidden in secret bank accounts around the world and invested in real estate and issues.
He is known to have had an army of female (and virgin) bodyguards, wearing flamboyant clothes, and his other inclinations like bringing a large Bedouin tent with him wherever he went to meet world leaders. Gaddafi's death in October 20, 2011 became a global news when videos of how he was beaten and shot by the rebels were released to the public.
6- GUILLAUME LE CONQUERANT (WEALTH: $ 209 Billion)
Born in Normandy, France, William the Conqueror led the invasion of England and was instituted as the first Norman king of England after the death of King Harold and his brother at the Battle of Hastings. He reigned in England for 21 years (1066-1087) where he was known to acquire vast properties, which were also distributed to his fellow Normans. During his time, William the Conqueror was able to amass nothing less than $ 209 billion in wealth.
5- JAKOB FUGGER (WEALTH: $ 221 Billion)
His name is not as popular as other people on this list, but Jakob Fugger, also known as Jakob Fugger the Rich, is a well-known trader in Europe. Born in Ausburg, Germany, Fugger was born into a family of merchants. He further expanded his family's business when he was able to establish his textile business in Italy as well as his mining activities (gold and silver) in Hungary and Bohemia. He died at the age of 66, leaving a net worth of $ 221 billion.
4- MIR OSMAN ALI KHAN (WEALTH: $ 230 Billion)
Known as the richest Indian in the world, Mir Osman Ali Khan served as Nizam of Hyderabad (a monarchical state) for 37 years after succeeding his father to the throne in 1911. During his time as Nizam, Khan became focused on the development of transport, electricity, irrigation and education.
Shown in the photo above (right) with one of his many sons (left), Mir Osman Ali Khan was a stingy man, wearing the same fez hat for over three decades and even thought he was eating on a plate of tinplate. However, Khan lived in a palace that had 6,000 workers (38 of whom had jobs just to dust off chandeliers), possessed a treasure of gold, silver, and jewelry valued at millions of dollars and owned a press - $ 200 million diamond paper. When Khan died in 1967, he would have left 230 billion dollars of wealth, seven women, 42 mistresses and 149 children.
3- NIKOLAI ALEXANDROVICH ROMANOV (WEALTH: $ 300 Billion)
Also known as Tsar Nicholas II, Nikolai Alexandrovich Romanov is the last emperor of Russia. During his reign, Tsar Nicholas II was supposed to amass 300 billion dollars of wealth. He and his family were executed in 1918 during the Russian Revolution.
2- JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER (WEALTH: $ 340 Billion)
Known as the richest man in American history, John D. Rockefeller is a philanthropist and business mogul who founded the Standard Oil Company. Rockefeller was able to develop such wealth that he was able to spend the last four decades of his life in retirement where he gave most of his wealth to education and medical research and also founded the University from Chicago.
1- MANSA MUSA (WEALTH: $ 400 Billion)
The richest man who has ever walked on earth (to this day) is Mansa Musa, the Emperor of Mali. Musa, born in 1280, was able to develop his wealth through the country's natural resources - gold. The emperor lived a lifestyle so sumptuous where it was believed that his pilgrimages to Mecca involved dozens of camels carrying kilos of gold. It is also believed that Musa had a huge army of 200,000 men with 40,000 archers. In addition to spending money for himself, Musa has also built educational structures and mosques, some of which are still standing today.