The richest people of all time
The most wealthy individuals ever
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Heshen – peak net worth: $132 billion (£95bn)
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Bill Gates – peak net worth: $144 billion (£104bn)
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Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates is today worth $127 billion (£91bn), based on the very latest figures from Forbes. However, the Microsoft founder's personal fortune hit $101 billion for a short time in 1999. Adjusted for inflation, this brings his peak net worth up to $144 billion (£104bn).
William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey – peak net worth: $146 billion (£105bn)
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John Jacob Astor – peak net worth: $168 billion (£121bn)
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Elon Musk – peak net worth: $189.7 billion (£136.5bn)
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Bernard Arnault – peak net worth: $193.4 billion (£139bn)
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The CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LMVH, which numbers Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy among its portfolio of brands, Arnault saw his fortune plummet in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But it has spectacularly skyrocketed as the demand for luxury goods has returned, particularly from China. His net worth has peaked so far this year at $193.4 billion (£139bn), according to Forbes, and he was briefly the world's richest person.
Alan Rufus, 1st Lord of Richmond – peak net worth: $195 billion (£140bn)
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Vladimir Putin: up to $200 billion (£144bn)
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Henry Ford – peak net worth: $200 billion (£144bn)
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Cornelius Vanderbilt – peak net worth: $202 billion (£145bn)
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Jeff Bezos – peak net worth: $204.6 billion (£147bn)
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The Amazon founder became the first person in Forbes' history of tracking the super-rich to be worth $200 billion back in August 2020. He surpassed the milestone again this year as Amazon's stock price rocketed due to demand in the pandemic. His peak net worth hit $204.6 billion (£147bn), before falling back again as he continues to sell his Amazon holding, but some experts tip him to eventually become a trillionaire.
Muammar Gaddafi – peak net worth: $212 billion (£152bn)
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William the Conqueror – peak net worth: $228 billion (£164bn)
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Jakob Fugger – peak net worth: $277 billion (£199bn)
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Osman Ali Khan, Asaf Jah VII– peak net worth: $230 billion (£165bn)
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Tsar Nicholas II of Russia – peak net worth: $300 billion (£216bn)
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Andrew Carnegie – peak net worth: $337 billion (£242bn)
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John D. Rockefeller – peak net worth: $367 billion (£264bn)
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Mansa Musa I of Mali – peak net worth: $415 billion (£299bn)
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King Solomon of Israel – peak net worth: $2 trillion (£1.4tn)
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Augustus Caesar – peak net worth: $4.63 trillion (£3.3tn)
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Akbar I – peak net worth: $21 trillion (£15tn)
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Emperor Shenzong of Song – peak net worth: $30 trillion+ (£21.6tn+)
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Genghis Khan – peak net worth: $100s trillions (£100s of trillions)
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The fearsome Mongol leader conquered a mind-blowing 12 million square miles of land between 1206 and his death in 1227, more than anyone else in history. But while his hordes pillaged their way through huge swathes of Eurasia (the combined continental landmass of Europe and Asia) – territory that is now worth trillions of dollars – Khan didn't actually hoard his spoils, choosing to redistribute the stolen loot and territory among his subjects instead.
Now see how much money you need to be rich in different countries today
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