10 Wealthiest Historical Figures That Ever Lived
8. Muammar Gaddafi - £117.5 Billion
We dont have to go very far back in history for this entry on our list. At the time of his death in 2011, Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was the richest man on the face of the earth, with a net worth approximately equal to the industrialist Henry Ford. He ruled Libya for 42 years - from 1969 until 2011 - becoming extravagantly wealthy in the process. The son of a goat herder who grew up in poverty, Gaddafi seized control of Libya while acting as the leader of a revolutionary faction within the Libyan military during a bloodless coup. He replaced the existing monarchy with a republic and installed himself as leader.
His reign was characterized as anti-democratic, violent, and supportive of terrorist organizations vying for pan-arabic and pan-african unity under Sharia law. He acquired his wealth primarily through Libyas massive oil reserves, which he nationalized upon acquiring power. In 2011, during the Libyan revolution sparked by the Arab Spring, his citizens - some of whom had only known life under Gaddafis rule - rose up and deposed of the longtime dictator in violent fashion.