The 12 Richest People In History—And Their Net Worth Today
Akbar I
The Mughal Empire once ruled almost all of modern day India, and under the control of their third ruler, Akbar I or Akbar the Great, they became one of the most powerful empires in the world.
Akbar’s court was extravagant and luxurious—but it’s hard to truly grasp just how much wealth he controlled.
There’s No Comparison
While there is no real way to accurately compared Akbar I’s wealth to the modern day, his empire controlled an unbelievable 25% of the world’s GDP.
Since he had complete control over the empire, that’s like having a net worth of over $20 trillion in today’s dollars.
Andrew Carnegie
In the late 1800s, steel was the hottest commodity on Earth—and if you needed steel in America, you got it from Andrew Carnegie. He built his first steel mill in 1875.
By 1901, he sold the Carnegie Steel Company that he’d built in the decades since for over $300 million.
He Gave It All Away
Adjusted for inflation, Andrew Carnegie’s net worth reached $310 billion. After selling Carnegie steel, he became a famous philanthropist, eventually giving away $350 million in his lifetime—nearly 90% of his total wealth.
Henry Ford
Henry Ford—and the affordable Model Ts that rolled off of his ingenious assembly lines—completely revolutionized the modern world as we know it.
This made Henry Ford extremely famous—and extremely rich.
