10 Richest People Of All Time

6. Jakob Fugger ~ $280 - 300 Billion

Richest Men Augustus Caesar
Albrecht Dürer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Jakob Fugger and family amassed such considerable wealth through the Italian textile trade that he earned the sobriquet 'Fugger the Rich'. Historical accounts tell of shouts throughout the streets of medieval Augsburg echoing, "there's that rich Fugger!" Presumably his mum was similarly known as "Rich Mother Fugger"?

Greg Steinmetz's book about the German industrialist inflated Fugger's wealth somewhat, proclaiming him on its cover as 'The Richest Man Who Ever Lived', but he wasn't far off. Fugger began life with not a silver, but a solid gold spoon in his mouth, inheriting vast sums from his grandfather Hans, one of Augsburg's richest burghers. Leading the family business, Fugger's company grew exponentially when it began mining copper and silver in Bohemia, and soon held a monopoly on the copper trade across Europe.

Though Fugger's supposed $280 billion is difficult to ascertain, it is corroborated by his considerable, almost crucial influence on 15th century politics. In exchange for state concessions which would allow his pockets to grow wider, Fugger funded various arms of statecraft, helping prop up Emperor Maximilian I and the Spanish King Charles V. Fugging hell.

Editorial Team
Editorial Team

Benjamin was born in 1987, and is still not dead. He variously enjoys classical music, old-school adventure games (they're not dead), and walks on the beach (albeit short - asthma, you know). He's currently trying to compile a comprehensive history of video game music, yet denies accusations that he purposefully targets niche audiences. He's often wrong about these things.