Mansa

Mansa is a royal title used in the Mali Empire and other West African states of the Mande cultural sphere. The term comes from Mandé languages and roughly means "king" or "emperor." In the Mali Empire, which rose to prominence after the 13th century, the Mansa served as the supreme ruler, combining political, military, and religious authority and presiding over a realm whose wealth depended on trans-Saharan trade in gold, salt, and slaves.

The best-known bearer of the title was Mansa Musa I, who reigned in the early 14th century. Musa’s pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 highlighted the empire’s wealth and contributed to Mali’s fame in both the Islamic world and Europe. Other rulers of the empire also used the title, though the Mali polity declined later in the 14th and 15th centuries due to internal and external pressures, including dynastic struggles and the reorientation of trade routes.

Outside West Africa, Mansa also appears as a place name. Mansa, Punjab, is a city in northern India, serving as the administrative center of Mansa district. In contemporary usage, Mansa may appear as a surname or given name in some communities, independent of the historical title.