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1815-1886 |
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1815-1886 |
| Zanzibar's Early History |
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Visited by Arab traders since the 8th century, Islam had been introduced by the early 12th century. There was regular trade between
Zanzibar and Arabia (Oman). The SHIRAZI Persians, according to legend descendants of Ali ben Sultan Hasan (975), migrated to
Zanzibar and the Comores which they subjugated; over time, numerous Shirazi sultanates emerged on these islands. A major trade commodity were SLAVES. Early in the 16th century the Portuguese came to dominate trade on the Indian Ocean. In 1503 they established a trading station. They were ousted by a coalition of the Kilwanese and Omani Arabs in 1698. The city of Zanzibar soon outshadowed the old city of KILWA as the trade hub of the East African coast. From 1741, Zanzibar was a remote outpost of the SULTANATE OF OMAN, an island of some economic importance, with an ethnically mixed population due to intermarriage of African, Arabian, Persian and Indian immigrants. The predominant religion was Islam. When there was a power struggle over succession in Oman in 1741, the Governor of Mombasa used the opportunity to virtually declare his independence; Mombasa was ruled by the MAZRU'I DYNASTY until it was reintegrated into the Sultanate of Zanzibar in 1837. |
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EXTERNAL FILES |
History of Zanzibar, from Zanzibar.net Articles from Infoplease : Zanzibar Links to Zanzibar History, from Looksmart Zanzibar History Page from Zanzinet, detailed subfiles History of Tanzania, from geographia.com Islam and the Catholic Crusade Movement in Zanzibar, by Khatib M. Rajab al Zinjibari Kilwa, Past and Present, from swahilicoast.com |
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This page is part of World History at KMLA First posted in 2001, last revised on November 7th 2004 Click here to go Home Click here to go to Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster Click here to go to Statistics |
