25 richest kings in history (26 photos)

Wealth and power often go hand in hand, and in the first place this applies to kings who have inherited unthinkable fortunes. Certainly, it is difficult to determine the truly richest people in history, because to do this, you need to translate all their lands and wealth into a modern currency. Regardless, here are 25 kings, kings and emperors who considered one of the richest and most powerful figures in history.





25. Emperor Meiji



Emperor Meiji, also known as Emperor Mutsuhito, was the 122nd Emperor of Japan and reigned from 1867 to 1912. He is famous the fact that he modernized Japan and turned the country into one of the strongest world powers. Meiji honorably distributed his extravagant wealth to help those he served. Some of his reforms included the creation of a modern education system, assistance industrial development and expansion of the country's infrastructure, including construction of new roads, railways and ports.

24. Mswati III





Mswati III is the current king of Eswatini (formerly the Kingdom of Saziland is a small landlocked country in southern Africa. IN In 1986, he ascended the throne after the death of his father, King Sobhuza II. As a result, Mswati III has access to all the wealth and resources Eswatini, including valuable property and assets. His personal fortune estimated in the range of $200 million to $500 million.

23. Amenhotep III



Amenhotep III, ancient Egyptian pharaoh, who ruled from 1391 to 1353 BC, inherited the rule of Egypt at its peak. With more territory than at any other time in history, with more wealth than anyone could imagine, and without wars, Amenhotep III could afford yourself to do other things. During his reign, the pharaoh supervised the construction of many grandiose architectural structures, including the Karnak temple and the Soleb temple complex, which intended to glorify the gods and demonstrate power and wealth of the Egyptian state.

22. Bhumibol Adulyadej



The current king of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn, is also known as King Rama X, ascended the throne in 2016 after his death his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Reign of Bhumibol Adunyadej became one of the longest in world history - it was on the throne for 70 years - from June 9, 1946 to October 13, 2016, becoming the most longest reigning king in Thai history. October 26, 2017 body of the king was cremated in Bangkok, according to media reports, the ceremony cost 30-90 million US dollars.

21. Louis XIV



King Louis XIV, also known as the "Sun King", was King of France from 1643 to 1715. After ascending the throne, he inherited a large fortune and many valuable possessions. Louis was known for his extravagant and luxurious lifestyle, including construction of the Palace of Versailles, a luxurious residence and center of power French monarchy.

20. Henry VIII



King Henry VIII was King of England from 1509 to 1547. He was a powerful and influential figure during his reign and primarily known for his role in the Reformation in England, which led to the separation of the Anglican Church from the Roman Catholic Church. King Henry VIII was a wealthy and powerful figure during his lifetime. He was second son of King Henry VII and, upon accession to the throne, inherited vast fortune and many valuable holdings and assets. He also acquired considerable wealth through his numerous marriages with rich and powerful women, as well as his successful military campaigns and diplomatic deals.

19. Mohammed VI



Mohammed VI is the current King of Morocco. In 1999 he ascended succeeded to the throne after the death of his father, King Hassan II. King Mohammed VI is a wealthy and influential figure in Morocco. His personal fortune is estimated to range from US$2.1 billion to US$8.2 billion, making it one of the richest kings in Africa.

18. Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg



Grand Duke Henri is the current head of state Luxembourg. In 2000, he ascended the throne after abdicating his father, Grand Duke Jean. Henri's net worth is estimated at 4-5 billion US dollars, which he has accumulated by investing in various fields, including agriculture and forestry, development real estate and renewable energy projects.

17. Charles III



Charles Philip Arthur George aka Charles III - eldest son Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. He inherited the British throne after the death of his mother on September 8, 2022. His condition estimated at $600 million. Charles owns many business ventures and investments, and there are many charities and philanthropic foundations, including the Prince's Trust, which supports youth in the UK, and the Prince's Foundation, which contributes to sustainable development.

16. Philip VI



Philip VI is the current King of Spain. In 2014 he ascended to the throne after the abdication of his father, King Juan Carlos I. Soon after that, he disclosed the amount of personal capital (2.6 million euros) in response to calls for more transparency and accountability in the Spanish monarchy. Spain's royal house has been criticized in the past for lack of transparency in this matter, especially during the reign King Juan Carlos I, who faced allegations of financial fraud.

15. Salman ibn Abdulaziz Al Saud



Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is the current king Saudi Arabia. In 2015, he ascended the throne after the death of his brother of King Abdullah. His personal fortune is estimated at 17–18 billion US dollars, which he has accumulated through various investments, including real estate and business ventures.

14. Hassanal Bolkiah



Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is the current Sultan of Brunei and head of states. He has held this position since 1967 and after his death Elizabeth II became the longest-reigning monarch in the world. Like a sultan, he is the head of state and has constitutional authority over executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. State Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah is estimated at 20-28 billion dollars.

13. Frame X



Maha Vajiralongkorn aka Rama X is the current king Thailand. He has held this position since 2016, when he ascended throne after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. According to Business Insider, Vajiralongkorn's net worth ranges from 30 to 40 billion US dollars. Most of his wealth comes from real estate investment.

12. Muammar Gaddafi



Muammar Gaddafi was the leader of Libya from 1969 until his death in 2011. He was a controversial and influential figure, which played a significant role in the history of Libya and the region as a whole. He controlled much of Libya's oil wealth, which used to finance various projects and initiatives. Him also had access to the resources of the Libyan state, including its armed forces. In terms of political power, Gaddafi was the de facto leader of Libya and controlled the country's government.

11. William I the Conqueror



William was the first Norman ruler of England, who lived from 1028 to 1087, and primarily known for invasion and conquest England. The more kingdoms he conquered, the more wealth acquired: today his fortune would be estimated at 228 billion US dollars. He spent his lavish fortune on everything from tapestries to castles, including the iconic White Tower in the Tower of London.

10. Asaf Jah VII



Osman Ali Khan, also known as Asaf Jah VII, was the last nizam (ruler) of the princely state of Hyderabad in India. He ruled from 1911 to 1948 when the Indian government annexed the state. During the reign of Asaf Jah was famous for his wealth and extraavant-garde. At that time he was one of the most richest people in the world, his personal fortune was estimated at about 2 billion US dollars. He owned vast estates, palaces and other property and led a rather lavish lifestyle.

9. Nicholas II



Nicholas II ruled the Russian Empire from 1894 to 1917 and during this time had full access to the state treasury, which makes him one of the wealthiest monarchs in history. personal fortune king in 1916 can be equated to 300 billion US dollars in today's money.

8. King Solomon



Solomon was the third king of Israel and the son of King David. According to the Hebrew Bible, he was famous for his wisdom and wealth, in particular by skillful trading in valuable resources, including gold, silver and gems. He also received tribute from other nations and used his wealth to finance ambitious projects, including the construction of the First Temple in Jerusalem. According to approximate calculations, the fortune of the biblical ruler could exceed 2 trillion dollars in today's money.

7. Akbar I



Akbar I, also known as Akbar the Great, was the third Mughal Emperor of India from 1556 to 1605. He was powerful and influential ruler, remembered for his military conquests, administrative reforms and cultural achievements. In During his reign, Akbar I accumulated great wealth and power. IN at his disposal was an area approximately the size of a modern India, which accounted for 25% of world GDP. Today it is 21 trillion dollars.

6. Abdullah II ibn Hussein



Abdullah II bin Al Hussein is the current king Jordan. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, he inherited a significant fortune and wields great political power in Jordan. State King Abdullah II is estimated at between 1 and 5 billion dollars. He also has access to the wealth and resources of the Jordanian monarchy, which is one of the oldest and most influential in the Middle East.

5. Genghis Khan



Genghis Khan was the founder and first great khan of the Mongolian empire, which after his death became the largest contiguous empire. He lived in the 13th century and is remembered as a military genius and skillful statesman. Genghis Khan was extremely wealthy by the standards of his time: as the leader of the Mongol Empire, he had access to only to the riches of his state, but also to the riches of all conquered territories.

4. Alain Red



Alain Rufus, also known as Alan the Red, was a Norman a nobleman who lived in the 11th century. Although he did not hold a royal title, he was a close relative of King William I the Conqueror and is one of the richest people in history. Alain the redhead played vitally important role in the Norman conquest of England in 1066, after which he was granted a large number of lands in England, including in Yorkshire, where he built Richmond Castle. At the time of his death the state was 11 thousand pounds sterling - about 7% of England's GDP that time.

3. Emperor Shenzong



Emperor Shenzong, whose real name was Zhao Xu, and the name of the temple is Zhezong, was the tenth emperor of the Song Dynasty in China. He reigned from 1067 to 1085 and is remembered as a patron of the arts and reformer. It was thanks to him that the Song dynasty became one of the most rich and prosperous empires in Chinese history. He controlled about 30% of the world's GDP, equivalent to more than $30 trillion today.

2. Octavian August



Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian Augustus was the first Roman emperor and one of the most influential figures in world history. Being the first Roman emperor, he had access to the wealth of the Roman empire, which at that time accounted for about 25-30% of world GDP. In addition, he had a personal fortune of about $4.6 trillion. US dollars in today's money. Augustus was famous for his extravagance and owned several luxurious villas and palaces, includingtea at the Villa of the Papyri in Herculaneum.

1. Mansa Musa



Musa I, better known as Mansa Musa, was the ruler empire of Mali in West Africa in the 14th century. About the wealth of Mansa Musa went legends: in 2012, his fortune was estimated at 400 billion US dollars, which allowed him to take the first line in the list of the richest people in history. In addition, he is credited with making Mali one of the richest and most powerful empires in West Africa.