The United Kingdom's early interest in Zanzibar was motivated by both commerce and the determination to end the slave trade. b) The towns also wished to maintain their independence as they were during the Portuguese rule. The sultan then terminated the Treaty of Seeb and eliminated the office of the imam. His interest in East Africa was not simply to gain increased tax revenue: it was primarily commercial. At a formal level the transfer of his court and other changes are marked by the establishment in Zanzibar of foreign consulates: United States (1837), Britain (1841), France (1844). Date posted: April 27, 2019. The "Protectorate of Kenya" was a 16km (10mi) coastal strip together with certain islands which remained under the sovereignty of the Sultan of Zanzibar until the independence of Kenya. 246. The economy collapsed, and many Omani families migrated to Zanzibar. All Rights Reserved | Home | About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertise, State and discuss the effects of the Oman rule on the East Coast of Africa, Give some of the trade commodities that were exported from Zanzibar during Seyyid Said rule, Discuss the factors that facilitated plantation farming by Seyyid Said in the East African Coast, History and Government Questions and Answers, Give the reasons that the Oman ruler had for choosing Zanzibar. The Sultanate of Zanzibar (Swahili: Usultani wa Zanzibar, Arabic: , romanized:Sulanat Zanjbr), also known as the Zanzibar Sultanate,[2] was a state controlled by the Sultan of Zanzibar, in place between 1856 and 1964. Sad ibn Suln, in full Sad ibn Suln ibn Amad ibn Sad l B Sad, also called Sad Imm or Sad Sayyid, (born 1791, Omandied Oct. 19, 1856, at sea), ruler of Muscat and Oman and of Zanzibar (1806-56), who made Zanzibar the principal power in East Africa and the commercial capital of the western Indian Ocean. The height of Arab rule came during the reign of Seyyid Said (more fully, Sayyid Said bin Sultan al-Busaid), who in 1840 moved his capital from Muscat in Oman to Stone Town. Are Moroccos Phosphate Reserves the Key To Avert a Global Food Crisis? By early 1975, the guerrillas were confined to a 50-square-kilometer (20-square-mile) area near the Yemeni border and shortly thereafter were defeated. He constructed profitable trading posts that reached deep into Central Africa. 22Poniedziaek - pitek 08:00 - 15:00, Orodek:kom. 7 Sayyid Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said 27 August 1896 18 July 1902 Issued the final decree abolishing slavery from Zanzibar on 6 April 1897. % By 1834 it was believed that he intended to transfer his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar, but, until the 1840s, he divided his time more or less equally between them. Jetha Lila, the one locally-owned bank in Zanzibar, or for that matter in all of East Africa, closed. [12], According to the 16th-century explorer Leo Africanus, Zanzibar (Zanguebar) was the term used by Arabs and Persians to refer to the eastern African coast running from Kenya to Mozambique, dominated by five semi-independent Muslim kingdoms: Mombasa, Malindi, Kilwa, Mozambique, and Sofala. HC Deb 22 November 1963 vol 684 cc1329-400 wherein the UK Under-Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations and for the Colonies stated" "An agreement was then signed on 8 October 1963, providing that on the date when Kenya became independent the territories composing the Kenya Coastal Strip would become part of Kenya proper. 4 Sayyid Sir Ali bin Said Al-Busaid 13 February 1890 5 March 1893 The British and German Empires signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty in July 1890. This is a specific subject page, dealing exclusively with, or primarily with, the subject in the title. View More History and Government Questions and Answers | Return to Questions Index, Seyyid Said made Zanzibar a commercial center for the whole of east Africa coast and revived the trade links with the interior and with local communities such as the Mijikenda and the Akamba. Give the reasons that the Oman ruler had for choosing Zanzibar. In mid-1974, the Bahrain branch of the PFLOAG was established as a separate organisation and the Omani branch changed its name to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman (PFLO), while continuing the Dhofar Rebellion. Oman is in the Middle East (in Asia); Zanzibar part of Africa. [20]:762[25][26] In summary, the "Colony of Kenya" referred to the interior lands. East Africa. In an effort to curb the Dhofar insurgency, Sultan Qaboos expanded and re-equipped the armed forces and granted amnesty to all surrendering rebels while vigorously prosecuting the war in Dhofar. In order to consolidate his power, his transferred his capital to Zanzibar in 1846. Consider Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, a native of Zanzibar who has ancestral ties to Oman. With the signing of the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty between the United Kingdom and the German Empire in 1890, Zanzibar itself became a British protectorate. [22] That part of the former Protectorate was thereby constituted as the Colony of Kenya and from that time, the Sultan of Zanzibar ceased to be sovereign over that territory. For this he was decorated by Queen Victoria and his son and heir, Ali bin Hamud, was brought to England to be educated. Give the reasons that the Oman ruler had for choosing Zanzibar . State and explain the reasons for the coming of the Portuguese to the Coast of East Africa. In a violent 1964 uprising known as the Zanzibar Revolution, the islands non-Arab majority revolted. He developed a small army and a fleet that also served mercantile purposes. 08:00 - 15:00), Orodek:kom. [20]:761, On 23 July 1920, the inland areas of the East Africa Protectorate were annexed as British dominions by Order in Council. A majority of his subjects were Sunnite Muslims, and for them he appointed a special judge. When Sultan Sa'id bin Sultan Al-Busaid died in 1856, his sons quarreled over the succession. Name the families to whom the duty was delegated the cities of which they were in charge of. The Iranians had occupied the coast beforeindeed the coast was often the possession of various empires. vol. As a result of this struggle, the empirethrough the mediation of the British Government under the Canning Awardwas divided in 1861 into two separate principalities: Zanzibar (with its East African dependencies), and Muscat and Oman. Because they needed to control the Persian Gulf trade route, the Parthians established garrisons in Oman. Many Arabs relocated to the island, introducing Zanzibar to Ibadism, the obscure strand of Islam to which a majority of Omanis subscribe. This meant that Stone Town, for a time, served as . The Arabs established garrisons at Zanzibar, Pemba, and Kilwa. [16] In August 1896, following the death of Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, Britain and Zanzibar fought a 38-minute war, the shortest in recorded history. Sayyid Majid bin Said Al-Busaid (1834/51870), his sixth son, became the Sultan of Zanzibar, while the third son, Sayyid Thuwaini bin Said al-Said, became the Sultan of Oman. As the Omani Empires size fluctuated, these two territories remained the core of its state. The Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council) has the mandate of reviewing legislation pertaining to economic development and social services prior to its becoming law. In November 1886, a German-British border commission established the Zanj as a ten-nautical mile (19 km) wide strip along most of the coast of East Africa, stretching from Cape Delgado (now in Mozambique) to Kipini (now in Kenya), including Mombasa and Dar es Salaam, all offshore islands, and several towns in what is now Somalia. Sandwiched between these imperial celebrities, the little-known history of the Omani Empire has failed to pique the interest of popular culture or more than a handful of scholars. From 1913 until independence in 1963, the British appointed their own residents (essentially governors). Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain good relations with all Middle Eastern countries. Date posted: April 27, 2019. Updates? 5 Sayyid Sir Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid 5 March 1893 25 August 1896. He died at sea in 1856 and was greatly mourned by his subjects. Africanus further noted that they all had standing agreements of loyalty with the major central African states, including the Kingdom of Mutapa.[13][14]. Ta strona korzysta z ciasteczek aby wiadczy usugi na najwyszym poziomie. In about the year 1600, Nabhani rule was temporarily restored to Oman, although that lasted only to 1624, when fifth imamate, which is also known as the Yarubid Imamate. It was to remain a possession of Portugal for almost two centuries. 4 0 obj Oman has concerns with regional stability and security, given tensions in the region, the proximity of Iran and Iraq, and the potential threat of political Islam. The publication presented a vivid picture of British and world events including news of war, disaster, ceremonies, the arts and science. A notorious slave trader, plantation owner and governor, who worked for a succession of sultans of Zanzibar, he led many trading expeditions into east-central Africa, involving the slave trade and ivory trade. Sultan changed the seat of Omans government from Muscat to Stone Town in 1840. For this, he was knighted by Queen Victoria. The sultans death resulted in a dispute between his sons over who would replace him, a succession crisis that the Omani Empires greatest European rival at the time, the British Empire, sought to exploit. Zanzibar paid an annual subsidy to Muscat and Oman until its independence in early 1964. By 1842 the average annual import of slaves was reported as approximately 15,000, some doubtless necessitated by the development of the clove plantations. The same year the German East Africa Company acquired formal direct rule over the coastal area previously submitted to German protection. The Mazrui, established themselves as independent rulers of Mombasa and ordered towns like pate, Pemba, and Malindi to pay allegiance to them. 3 0 obj One of the new sultan's first measures was to abolish many of his father's harsh restrictions, which had caused thousands of Omanis to leave the country, and to offer amnesty to opponents of the previous rgime, many of whom returned to Oman. Qaboos bin Said - present sultan. (Hansard, 13 June 1895)", "The Harem and Tower Harbour of Zanzibar", http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/55/contents/, "An African Cuba? After his death in 1856, two of his sons, Majid bin Said and Thuwaini bin Said, struggled over the succession, so Zanzibar and Oman were divided into two separate realms. In antiquity, Ancient Egypt and Babylonia made some of humanitys longest-lasting advances, and the Sasanian Empire in Persia rivaled its Roman and Byzantine counterparts. [9][10] During his 14-year reign as Sultan, Majid consolidated his power around the local slave trade. At the same time, however, vestiges of the Omani Empire remained. The British instead wanted Hamoud bin Mohammed to become Sultan, believing that he would be much easier to work with. In 1698, Zanzibar became part of the overseas holdings of Oman, falling under the control of the Sultan of Oman. The British gave Imam Azzam's rival, Turki ibn Said Al-Busaid, financial and political support. Dalsze korzystanie ze strony oznacza, e zgadzasz si na ich uycie. The Council of Ministers, which functions as a cabinet, consists of 26 ministers, all directly appointed by Qaboos. One distinguishing feature of Ibadism is the choice of ruler by communal consensus and consent. Before he could enter the palace, another potential contender for the throne, Khalid bin Barghash, seized the palace and declared himself sultan. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Said-ibn-Sultan, Greville Stewart Parker Freeman-Grenville. Highlight the functions of the captains. [20]:761 After the First World War, more immigrants arrived from Britain and South Africa, and by 1919 the European population was estimated at 9,000 strong. After the rise of Islam, the Rashidun, Umayyad, and Abbasid Caliphates conquered much of Africa and Asia. It has been converted into a museum with exhibits highlighting Zanzibars ties to Oman. The United Kingdom ceded sovereignty over the Colony of Kenya and, under an agreement dated 8 October 1963, the Sultan agreed that simultaneously with independence for Kenya, the Sultan would cease to have sovereignty over the Protectorate of Kenya. Since his accession in 1970, Sultan Qaboos has balanced tribal, regional, and ethnic interests in composing the national administration. He also established a modern government structure and launched a major development programme to upgrade educational and health facilities, build a modern infrastructure, and develop the country's natural resources. It was East Africa's main slave-trading port, and in the 19th century as many as 50,000 slaves were passing through the slave markets of Zanzibar each year. At Sads accession Omani weakness made this allegiance little more than nominal, for at Mombasa the Mazari family had set up a virtually independent dynasty. Although a significant number of Hinawi tribes recognized him as imam, the public neither elected him nor acclaimed him as such. On his death, his will freed them but not his plantation slaves. Helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar by signing an agreement with Britain in 1870, prohibiting slave trade in his kingdom, and closing the slave market in Mkunazini. %PDF-1.5 His domestic slaves may have numbered more than 1,000. Hamoud was then peacefully installed as Sultan. His pilgrimage to Mecca in 1824 demonstrated that he had overcome both internal and external enemies and could risk absence from his own land. 2 0 obj The relationship between Oman and Zanzibar no longer rests on an African colonys involuntary absorption into an Arab empire. His successor, Barghash bin Said, helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar and largely developed the country's infrastructure. The Portuguese ruled the east African coast for over 200 years. The Middle East has hosted many of the worlds most storied cultures and empires. When the Portuguese were driven out of the east coast in 1698, the coast came under the rule of Oman Arabs. During this period Oman's administrative name was Mazun. From 1890 to 1913, traditional viziers were appointed to govern as puppets, switching to a system of British residents (effectively governors) from 1913 to 1963. The House of Wonders in Stone Town was once the local residence of the Omani royal family. stream 1902 No. Even so, the centuries-long saga of this one-time regional power played a crucial role in the development of two civilizationsnot only Oman but also Zanzibar, an island off the eastern coast of Africa. This is the southern route out of Africa. He was exiled to Bombay for two years. His daughter Salamahs Memoirs of an Arabian Princess (1886) gives an intimate portrait of his private life. Vasco da Gama's visit in 1499 marks the beginning of European influence, and the Portuguese established control over the island four years later. Said II bin Sultan (second reign) 14 September 1806 19 October 1856 Sole Ruler While Oman directed its focus inward after the 19th-century fall of its colonial empire, Zanzibar found itself wrestling with the implications of Omani rule for some time after. Give any five sources of information on the contacts between east Africa and the outside world up to the nineteenth century, State and explain the effects of the migration and settlement of the people of Kenya up to the nineteenth century, Briefly explain any three factors for migration of ethic communities in Kenya under each of the following of the following categories: Economic Social Political Environmental. Said III bin Taimur 10 February 1932 23 July 1970 Deposed Zanzibar also attracted business from India and Persia, with its status as one of the Indian Oceans most important trading posts serving as the basis of foreign designs on the island. A notorious slave trader, plantation owner and governor, who worked for a succession of sultans of Zanzibar, he led many trading expeditions into east-central Africa, involving the slave trade and ivory trade. In 1902 the boundaries of the Protectorate were extended to include what was previously the Eastern Province of Uganda. <> State and explain the effects of Luo migration and eventual settlement in Kenya. Pate for example refused to pay tax and even, murdered the imams messengers. Later Hamoud complied with British demands that slavery be banned in Zanzibar and that all the slaves be freed. Discuss the factors that influenced the migration of plain nilotes and eventual settlement in Kenya. Aided by Communist and leftist governments such as the former South Yemen (People's Democratic Republic of Yemen), the rebels formed the Dhofar Liberation Front, which later merged with the Marxist-dominated Popular Front for the Liberation of Oman and the Arab Gulf (PFLOAG). Until 1884, the Sultans of Zanzibar controlled a substantial portion of the Swahili Coast, known as Zanj, and trading routes extending further into the continent, as far as Kindu on the Congo River. [11] The third Sultan, Khalifa bin Said, also furthered the country's progress toward abolishing slavery. His earlier years were complicated by family and tribal quarrels, by Anglo-French rivalry in the Indian Ocean, by the expansion of the Wahhb Muslim puritan movement in Arabia, and by the incessant depredations of the Qawsim pirates. [From Oman to Morocco: Living at Opposite Ends of the Arab World], [Omans Sultan Haitham Appoints a Crown Prince in a Historic Move]. Oman is currently the only country in the Islamic world with a majority Ibadi population. Briefly explain any three factors for migration of ethic communities in Kenya under each of the following of the following categories: Discuss the factors that influenced the migration of plain nilotes and eventual settlement in Kenya, Discuss the economic organization of the Luo during pre-colonial period, Briefly describe the social organization of the Luo during pre-colonial period, Primary and High School Exams in Kenya With Marking Schemes. [31] Zanzibar had a population of around 230,000 natives, some of whom claimed Persian ancestry and were known locally as Shirazis. Outline reasons why Northern Kenya is experiencing food scarcity today. This treaty turned Zanzibar into a British protectorate. Answers (1). Taimur bin Feisal 9 October 1913 10 February 1932 Abdicated Born in 1791, Sad succeeded his father jointly with his brother Salm in 1804, but their cousin Badr immediately usurped the throne. When the Portuguese were driven out of the east coast in 1698, the coast came under the rule of Oman Arabs. to the arrival of Islam in the 7th century A.D, Oman was controlled by two other Iranian dynasties, the Parthians (Whites) and the Sassanids. Zanzibars new government then opted to merge with the neighboring republic of Tanganyika, forming what would become Tanzania. Because of need, there are many such pages at RHWW: usually, but not always, linked to primary pages. [17], That "Zanzibar" for these purposes included the 16km (10mi) coastal strip of Kenya that would later become the Protectorate of Kenya was a matter recorded in the parliamentary debates at the time. endobj In the 3rd century A.D, the Sassanids succeeded the Parthians and held the area until the rise of Islam four centuries later. It administered about 240km (150mi) of coastline stretching from the River Jubba via Mombasa to German East Africa which were leased from the Sultan. The Canning Award split Zanzibar from Oman, but the Arab descendants of Omani royalty continued to govern the island for decades. ", National March for the Sultan of Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, "Zanzibar (1911-1964) nationalanthems.info", "BRITISH EAST AFRICA. The Sultan of Zanzibar controlled a substantial portion of the east African coast, known as Zanj, and trading routes extending much further across the continent, as far as Kindu on the Congo River. Highlight the negative effects of the Portuguese rule over the 200 years during which they administrated over the east African coast. Turki ibn Said succeeded in defeating the forces of Imam Azzam, who was killed in battle outside Matrah in January 1871. Thuwaini became the Sultan of Muscat and Oman while Majid became the first Sultan of Zanzibar, but obliged to pay an annual tribute to the Omani court in Muscat. The island soon became a hub of Islamic learning in its own rightto the extent that a number of leading Ibadi scholars from Oman chose to migrate to Zanzibar. The Protectorate of Kenya was governed as part of the Colony of Kenya by virtue of an agreement between the United Kingdom and the Sultan dated 14 December 1895. That year, Zanzibar became a protectorate (not a colony) of Britain. Only a few scholars have taken the time to explore the shared past of Oman, an introspective Middle Eastern sultanate, and Zanzibar, a picturesque East African island. After his death in 1856, his sons struggled over the succession. During the period of Sultan Said ibn Sultan Al Said's rule (18061856), Oman cultivated its East African colonies, profiting from the slave trade. [20]:762 The capital was shifted from Mombasa to Nairobi in 1905. Oman rule was established along the east African coast in 1698 after the Portuguese were driven out but it was not until later in the 19th century that the rule Oman rule was first made very effective under the leadership of Seyyid Said. But Oman was nonetheless conquered by several foreign powers, having been controlled by the Qarmatians between 931932 and then again between 933934. [20]:761[21] Also, in 1902, the East Africa Syndicate received a grant of 1,300km2 (500sqmi) to promote white settlement in the Highlands. Until his death in 1856, the sultan split his time between Oman and Zanzibar, a period marking the height of the Omani Empires decisive influence over international trade in the Indian Ocean. Lots of Omanis traveled to settle in Zanzibar. Kenya (Annexation) Order in Council, 1920, S.R.O. Khalid failed to do so, and instead assembled an army of 2,800 men to fight the British. There have been discoveries of Palaeolithic stone tools in caves in southern and central Oman, and in the United Arab Emirates close to the Straits of Hormuz at the outlet of the Persian Gulf. Both powers leased coastal territory from Zanzibar and established trading stations and outposts. In order to consolidate his power, his transferred his capital to Zanzibar in 1846. The prospect of holding this chokepoint attracted the Portuguese Empire, whose military captured much of the area around Muscat in 1507. Discuss the economic organization of the Luo during pre-colonial period. Mombasa was the administrative centre at this time. ^ S.I. Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, The Role of Mass Media in Shaping Public Opinion.docx, My Order #321223117-Threat Intelligence Sources and Providers.edited.docx, The senior citizen is from a neighborhood in Mendocino County.docx, Wired Equivalent Privacy WEP also provides security but WPA is considered more, Leccin 2 ciento diecisiete 117 Nota gramatical You already know that you can, date such as the end of a fiscal year or accounting period Of the four basic, How to practice the art of listening.docx, The two percent of genetic variation that exists between humans can be explained, Minimizing resistance means return current should spread out Minimizing, Question 7 Incorrect Mark 000 out of 100 Question 8 Correct Mark 100 out of 100, taking a course test or completing any course related assignment using buying, P100000000 attributable to its zero rated sales Hoping to impress his boss Mr G, The net unrealized gainloss from mark to market adjustments recognized in, d Transferred to another department 31 Which of the following are business, 5-2 First Draft of Critical Analysis Essay.docx, Wholesalers and retailers that buy physical products and resell them without any, I-human case solution for Heather A. Miller women's health. <>/ExtGState<>/XObject<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> His rule was jeopardized by the British, who interpreted his policy of bringing the interior tribes under the central government as a move against their established order. A British naval force occupied Mombasa irregularly from 1824 to 1826, when the action was repudiated by the British government. [23] That coastal strip, remaining under the sovereignty of the Sultan of Zanzibar, was constituted as the Protectorate of Kenya in 1920.[15][24]. He told a captain of the Royal Navy that to put down the slave trade with the Muslims, that is a stone too heavy for me to lift without some strong hand to help me. By a treaty of collaboration with Britain concluded in 1822, he agreed to forbid his subjects to sell slaves to the subjects of Christian powers. Apart from threats within the ruling family, there was the omnipresent challenge from the independent tribes of the interior who rejected the authority of the sultan, recognizing the imam as the sole legitimate leader and pressing, by resort to arms, for the restoration of the imamate. In August 1505, it became part of the Portuguese Empire when Captain John (Joo) Homere, part of Francisco de Almeida's fleet, captured the island. With Nizar Banats Murder, the PA Has Gone Too Far, Places of Mind: A Life of Edward Said by Timothy Brennan, From Oman to Morocco: Living at Opposite Ends of the Arab World, Omans Sultan Haitham Appoints a Crown Prince in a Historic Move, Qatar and Jordan Strengthen Ties, Overcoming Regionwide Tensions, 2020 Highlights of Political Events in the Middle East and North Africa, The Rabaa Massacre: Seven Years Later, a Measure of Justice for Egypts Victims, UAE Occupation of Socotra Has Far-Reaching Implications, FIFA World Cup Allowed Muslims to Dream of a United Islamic Ummah. The British launched an attack on the palace and other locations around the city after which Khalid retreated and later went into exile. Born in 1791, Sad succeeded his father . The population of Muscat fell from 55,000 to 8,000 between the 1850s and 1870s. He was famously known as Tippu Tib after an eye disease which made him blind. These empires brought order to the religious and ethnic diversity of the population of this cosmopolitan region. The Canning Award split Zanzibar from Oman, but the Arab descendants of Omani royalty continued to govern the island for decades. As disparate as Oman and Zanzibars trajectories may seem, a shared history still informs their ties. The Portuguese were expelled and a lucrative trade in slaves and ivory thrived, along with an expanding plantation economy centring on cloves. Even before the Omani conquest, Zanzibar had a strong connection to the Arab world. Characteristic Maya Aztec Both Developed an economy based partly on trade Developed a society. In resorting to military means to unify Muscat and Oman, Imam Azzam alienated members of the Ghafiri tribes, who revolted in the 18701871 period. ", The Official Website of the Zanzibar Royal Family, "Zanzibar, a sultanate and British protectorate of East Africa", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sultanate_of_Zanzibar&oldid=1133751258, Former British colonies and protectorates in Africa, States and territories established in 1856, States and territories disestablished in 1964, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Swahili (macrolanguage)-language text, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the flag caption or type parameters, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2022, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 15 January 2023, at 09:55. On 12 January 1964, Jamshid bin Abdullah, the last sultan, was deposed and lost sovereignty over the last of his dominions, Zanzibar, marking the end of the Sultanate. He depended heavily in his commercial ventures on Indian merchants, whose immigration he encouraged. He formed a British East Africa Association which led to the Imperial British East Africa Company being chartered in 1888 and given the original grant to administer the territory. The conquest of the east coast of Africa by the Portuguese was led by several individuals who all conquered different towns and states. By the 1840s he had made Zanzibar the principal power in eastern Africa and the commercial capital of the western Indian Ocean.