List of Sultans of Zanzibar
Encyclopedia
The post of Sultan of Zanzibar was created on 19 October 1856, after the death of Sa'id ibn Sultan
, who had ruled Oman
and Zanzibar
as the Sultan of Oman since 1804. The Sultans of Zanzibar were of a cadet branch
of the Al Bu Sa'id Dynasty of Oman.
In 1698, Zanzibar became part of the overseas holdings of Oman
, falling under the control of the Sultan of Oman. In 1832, or 1840 the date varies among sources, Sa'id ibn Sultan moved his capital from Muscat
in Oman to Stone Town
. He established a ruling Arab elite and encouraged the development of clove
plantation
s, using the island's slave labour. Zanzibar's commerce fell increasingly into the hands of traders from the Indian subcontinent
, whom Sa'id encouraged to settle on the island. After his death in 1856, two of his sons—Majid ibn Sa'id and Thuwaini ibn Sa'id—struggled over the succession
. Zanzibar and Oman were divided into two separate principalities. Majid became the Sultan of Zanzibar, while Thuwaini became the Sultan of Oman. During his 14-year reign as sultan, Majid consolidated his power around the East African slave trade. His successor, Bargash ibn Sa'id, helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar and largely developed the country's infrastructure. The third sultan, Khalifa ibn Sa'id
, also furthered the country's progress toward abolishing slavery.
Until 1886, the Sultan of Zanzibar controlled a substantial portion of the east African coast, known as Zanj
, and trading routes extending further into the continent, as far as Kindu
on the Congo River
. That year, the British and Germans secretly met and re-established the area under the sultan's rule. Over the next few years, most of the mainland possessions of the sultanate were taken by European imperial powers. With the signing of the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty
in 1890 during Ali ibn Sa'id's reign, Zanzibar became a British protectorate
. In August 1896, Britain and Zanzibar fought a 38-minute war
, the shortest in recorded history, after Khalid ibn Barghash had taken power after Hamid ibn Thuwaini's death. The British had wanted Hamoud bin Mohammed to become the sultan, believing that he would be much easier to work with. The British gave Khalid an hour to vacate the sultan palace in Stone Town. Khalid failed to do so, and instead assembled an army of 2,800 men to fight the British. The British launched an attack on the palace and other locations around the city. Khalid retreated and later went into exile. Hamoud was then peacefully installed as the sultan.
In December 1963, Zanzibar was granted independence by the United Kingdom and became a constitutional monarchy
under the sultan. The sultan, Jamshid ibn Abdullah, was overthrown a month later during the Zanzibar Revolution
. Jamshid fled into exile, and the sultanate was replaced by the Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. In April 1964, the republic was united with Tanganyika
to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which became known as Tanzania
six months later.
, contested the accession to power. Following a struggle over the position, it was decided that Zanzibar and Oman would be divided into two separate principalities. Majid would rule as the Sultan of Zanzibar while Thuwaini would rule as the Sultan of Oman. From 1886, the United Kingdom and Germany had plotted to obtain parts of the Zanzibar sultanate for their own empires. In October 1886, a German-British border commission established the Zanj
as a 10 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
. Over the next few years, almost all of these mainland possessions were lost to European imperial powers. Hamoud bin Mohammed
, the son-in-law of Majid bin Sa'id, was supposed to become the Sultan of Zanzibar after Hamid ibn Thuwayni's death. However, Khalid ibn Bhargash, son of Bargash ibn Sa'id, seized the sultan's palace and declared himself the ruler of Zanzibar. The British, who had supported Hamoud, responded on 26 August by issuing an ultimatum to Khalid and his men to leave the palace within one hour. After he refused, the Royal Navy
began firing at the palace and other locations in Stone Town. Khalid assembled an army of 2,800 and stationed them all around the town. Thirty-eight minutes later, Khalid retreated to the German consulate, where he was granted asylum. This conflict, known as the Anglo-Zanzibar War
, was the shortest war in recorded history. Khalid later went into exile in Dar es Salaam
until being captured by the British in 1916.After attending the coronation of King George V
, Ali decided to abdicate from the throne to live in Europe. Abdullah ibn Khalifah died from complications of diabetes. Jamshid ibn Abdullah overthrown on 12 January 1964 during the Zanzibar Revolution
. Jamshid managed to flee to Great Britain
with his family and ministers where he travelled around England from hotel to hotel.
Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman
Said bin Sultan Al-Said was Sultan of Muscat and Oman from November 20, 1804 to June 4, 1856. He became joint ruler of the country along with his brother Salim on the death of their father, Sultan bin Ahmad, in 1804...
, who had ruled Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
and Zanzibar
Zanzibar
Zanzibar ,Persian: زنگبار, from suffix bār: "coast" and Zangi: "bruin" ; is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, in East Africa. It comprises the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of numerous small islands and two large ones: Unguja , and Pemba...
as the Sultan of Oman since 1804. The Sultans of Zanzibar were of a cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of the Al Bu Sa'id Dynasty of Oman.
In 1698, Zanzibar became part of the overseas holdings of Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, falling under the control of the Sultan of Oman. In 1832, or 1840 the date varies among sources, Sa'id ibn Sultan moved his capital from Muscat
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
in Oman to Stone Town
Stone Town
Stone Town also known as Mji Mkongwe is the old part of Zanzibar City, the main city of Zanzibar, in Tanzania, as opposed to Ng'ambo . It is located on the western coast of Unguja, the main island of the Zanzibar Archipelago...
. He established a ruling Arab elite and encouraged the development of clove
Clove
Cloves are the aromatic dried flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae. Cloves are native to the Maluku islands in Indonesia and used as a spice in cuisines all over the world...
plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s, using the island's slave labour. Zanzibar's commerce fell increasingly into the hands of traders from the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
, whom Sa'id encouraged to settle on the island. After his death in 1856, two of his sons—Majid ibn Sa'id and Thuwaini ibn Sa'id—struggled over the succession
Order of succession
An order of succession is a formula or algorithm that determines who inherits an office upon the death, resignation, or removal of its current occupant.-Monarchies and nobility:...
. Zanzibar and Oman were divided into two separate principalities. Majid became the Sultan of Zanzibar, while Thuwaini became the Sultan of Oman. During his 14-year reign as sultan, Majid consolidated his power around the East African slave trade. His successor, Bargash ibn Sa'id, helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar and largely developed the country's infrastructure. The third sultan, Khalifa ibn Sa'id
Khalifah bin Said of Zanzibar
Sayyid Khalifa I bin Said Al-Busaid, GCMG, was the third Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from March 26, 1888 to February 13, 1890 and was succeeded by his brother, Ali bin Said Al-Busaid....
, also furthered the country's progress toward abolishing slavery.
Until 1886, the Sultan of Zanzibar controlled a substantial portion of the east African coast, known as Zanj
Zanj
Zanj was a name used by medieval Arab geographers to refer to both a certain portion of the coast of East Africa and its inhabitants, Bantu-speaking peoples called the Zanj...
, and trading routes extending further into the continent, as far as Kindu
Kindu
Kindu is a town in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the capital of Maniema province. It has a population of about 200,000 and is situated on the Congo River at an altitude of about 500 metres, and is about 400 km west of Bukavu....
on the Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
. That year, the British and Germans secretly met and re-established the area under the sultan's rule. Over the next few years, most of the mainland possessions of the sultanate were taken by European imperial powers. With the signing of the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty
Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty
The Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty of 1 July 1890 was an agreement between the United Kingdom and the German Empire concerning mainly territorial interests in Africa.-Terms:...
in 1890 during Ali ibn Sa'id's reign, Zanzibar became a British protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
. In August 1896, Britain and Zanzibar fought a 38-minute war
Anglo-Zanzibar War
The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. The conflict lasted 38 minutes and is the shortest war in history. The immediate cause of the war was the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the subsequent succession...
, the shortest in recorded history, after Khalid ibn Barghash had taken power after Hamid ibn Thuwaini's death. The British had wanted Hamoud bin Mohammed to become the sultan, believing that he would be much easier to work with. The British gave Khalid an hour to vacate the sultan palace in Stone Town. Khalid failed to do so, and instead assembled an army of 2,800 men to fight the British. The British launched an attack on the palace and other locations around the city. Khalid retreated and later went into exile. Hamoud was then peacefully installed as the sultan.
In December 1963, Zanzibar was granted independence by the United Kingdom and became a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
under the sultan. The sultan, Jamshid ibn Abdullah, was overthrown a month later during the Zanzibar Revolution
Zanzibar Revolution
The Zanzibar Revolution by local African revolutionaries in 1964 overthrew the Sultan of Zanzibar and his mainly Arab government. An ethnically diverse state consisting of a number of islands off the east coast of Tanganyika, Zanzibar had been granted independence by Britain in 1963...
. Jamshid fled into exile, and the sultanate was replaced by the Republic of Zanzibar and Pemba. In April 1964, the republic was united with Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, which became known as Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
six months later.
Sultans of Zanzibar
| # | Sultan | Full name | Portrait | Began rule | Ended rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Majid ibn Sa'id Majid bin Said of Zanzibar Sayyid Majid bin Said Al-Busaid was the first Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from October 19, 1856 to October 7, 1870.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Majid bin Said Al-Busaid |
Bargash ibn Sa'id attempted to usurp the throne from his brother in 1859, but failed. He was exiled to Bombay for two years. | |||
| 2 | Barghash ibn Sa'id Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar Sayyid Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid, GCMG, GCTE , son of Said bin Sultan,was the second Sultan of Zanzibar. Barghash ruled Zanzibar from October 7, 1870 to March 26, 1888.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid |
Responsible for developing much of the infrastructure Infrastructure Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function... in Zanzibar (especially Stone Town), like piped water Water pipe Water pipes are pipes or tubes, frequently made of polyvinyl chloride , ductile iron, steel, cast iron, polypropylene, polyethylene, or copper, that carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings , as well as inside the building.-History:For many centuries, lead was the favoured material... , telegraph Telegraphy Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver... cable Cable A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry... s, buildings, roads, etc. 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. |
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| 3 | Khalifa ibn Sa'id Khalifah bin Said of Zanzibar Sayyid Khalifa I bin Said Al-Busaid, GCMG, was the third Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from March 26, 1888 to February 13, 1890 and was succeeded by his brother, Ali bin Said Al-Busaid.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Khalifa I bin Said Al-Busaid |
 |
Supported abolitionism Abolitionism Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first... , like his predecessor. |
||
| 4 | Ali ibn Sa'id Ali bin Said of Zanzibar Sayyid Ali bin Said Al-Busaid, GCSI, was the fourth Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from February 13, 1890 to March 5, 1893, and was succeeded by his nephew, Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid.-Titles:... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Ali bin Said Al-Busaid |
The British United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... and German Empire German Empire The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German... s signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty The Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty of 1 July 1890 was an agreement between the United Kingdom and the German Empire concerning mainly territorial interests in Africa.-Terms:... in July 1890. This treaty turned Zanzibar into a British protectorate Protectorate In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity... . |
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| 5 | Hamid ibn Thuwayni Hamad bin Thuwaini of Zanzibar Sayyid Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid, GCSI, was the fifth Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from March 5, 1893 to August 25, 1896.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid |
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| 6 | Khalid ibn Barghash Khalid bin Barghash of Zanzibar Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaid was the sixth Sultan of Zanzibar and the eldest son of the second Sultan of Zanzibar, Sayyid Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid. Khalid briefly ruled Zanzibar , seizing power after the sudden death of his cousin Hamad bin Thuwaini of Zanzibar who many suspect was... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaid |
Was a belligerent in the Anglo-Zanzibar War Anglo-Zanzibar War The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. The conflict lasted 38 minutes and is the shortest war in history. The immediate cause of the war was the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the subsequent succession... , the shortest war in recorded history. |
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| 7 | Hamud ibn Muhammad Hamoud bin Mohammed of Zanzibar Sayyid Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said, GCSI, was the British-controlled Omani sultan of the protectorate of Zanzibar, who outlawed slavery on the island.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said |
Issued the final decree abolishing slavery from Zanzibar on 6 April 1897. For this, he was knighted by Queen Victoria Victoria of the United Kingdom Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India.... . |
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| 8 | Ali ibn Hamud Ali bin Hamud of Zanzibar Sayyid Ali bin Hamud Al-Busaid was the eighth Sultan of Zanzibar. Ali ruled Zanzibar from July 20, 1902 to December 9, 1911, having succeeded to the throne of the death of his father, the seventh Sultan. He served only briefly as sultan because of illness... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Ali bin Hamud Al-Busaid |
 |
The British First Minister First Minister A First Minister is the leader of a government cabinet.-Canada:In Canada, "First Ministers" is a collective term that refers to all Canadian first ministers of the Crown, otherwise known as heads of government, including the Prime Minister of Canada and the provincial and territorial premiers... , Mr A. Rogers, served as regent Regent A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu... until Ali reached the age of 21 on 7 June 1905. |
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| 9 | Khalifa ibn Kharub Khalifa bin Harub of Zanzibar Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said, GCB, GCMG, GBE was the ninth Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from December 9, 1911 to October 9, 1960.... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said |
Brother-in-law of Ali ibn Hamud. Oversaw the construction of harbor in Stone Town and tar roads in Pemba Pemba, Tanzania Pemba Island, known as "The Green Island" in Arabic , is an island forming part of the Zanzibar archipelago, lying off the east coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. It is situated about 50 kilometres to the north of the Unguja . In 1964 Zanzibar was united with the former colony of Tanganyika to... . |
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| 10 | Abdullah ibn Khalifah Abdullah bin Khalifa of Zanzibar Sayyid Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Said, KBE, CMG was the 10th Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from October 9, 1960 to July 1, 1963... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Said |
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| 11 | Jamshid ibn Abdullah Jamshid bin Abdullah of Zanzibar Sayyid Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said GCMG, was the last Sultan of Zanzibar. He ruled Zanzibar from July 1, 1963 to January 12, 1964. On December 10, 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under Jamshid. This state of affairs was short... |
Sayyid Sayyid Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,... Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said |
On 10 December 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy Constitutional monarchy Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution... under Jamshid. |
Footnotes
Majid ibn Sa'id, the youngest son of Sa'id bin Sultan, became the Sultan of Oman after his father's death on 19 October 1856. However, Majid's elder brother, Thuwaini bin Sa'idThuwaini bin Said, Sultan of Muscat and Oman
Sultan Thuwaini bin Said al-Said also called Tueni, Sultan of Muscat and Oman , was the third son of Said bin Sultan, Sultan of Muscat and Oman. Thuwaini was born in Oman, and never visited Zanzibar...
, contested the accession to power. Following a struggle over the position, it was decided that Zanzibar and Oman would be divided into two separate principalities. Majid would rule as the Sultan of Zanzibar while Thuwaini would rule as the Sultan of Oman. From 1886, the United Kingdom and Germany had plotted to obtain parts of the Zanzibar sultanate for their own empires. In October 1886, a German-British border commission established the Zanj
Zanj
Zanj was a name used by medieval Arab geographers to refer to both a certain portion of the coast of East Africa and its inhabitants, Bantu-speaking peoples called the Zanj...
as a 10 nautical mile (19 km) wide strip along most of the coast of East Africa, stretching from Cape Delgado
Cape Delgado
Cape Delgado, Portuguese Cabo Delgado , is a coastal promontory on the border of Mozambique and Tanzania, and is the northernmost point in Mozambique....
(now in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
) to Kipini (now in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
), including Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
and Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
. Over the next few years, almost all of these mainland possessions were lost to European imperial powers. Hamoud bin Mohammed
Hamoud bin Mohammed of Zanzibar
Sayyid Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said, GCSI, was the British-controlled Omani sultan of the protectorate of Zanzibar, who outlawed slavery on the island....
, the son-in-law of Majid bin Sa'id, was supposed to become the Sultan of Zanzibar after Hamid ibn Thuwayni's death. However, Khalid ibn Bhargash, son of Bargash ibn Sa'id, seized the sultan's palace and declared himself the ruler of Zanzibar. The British, who had supported Hamoud, responded on 26 August by issuing an ultimatum to Khalid and his men to leave the palace within one hour. After he refused, the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
began firing at the palace and other locations in Stone Town. Khalid assembled an army of 2,800 and stationed them all around the town. Thirty-eight minutes later, Khalid retreated to the German consulate, where he was granted asylum. This conflict, known as the Anglo-Zanzibar War
Anglo-Zanzibar War
The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. The conflict lasted 38 minutes and is the shortest war in history. The immediate cause of the war was the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini on 25 August 1896 and the subsequent succession...
, was the shortest war in recorded history. Khalid later went into exile in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
until being captured by the British in 1916.After attending the coronation of King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
, Ali decided to abdicate from the throne to live in Europe. Abdullah ibn Khalifah died from complications of diabetes. Jamshid ibn Abdullah overthrown on 12 January 1964 during the Zanzibar Revolution
Zanzibar Revolution
The Zanzibar Revolution by local African revolutionaries in 1964 overthrew the Sultan of Zanzibar and his mainly Arab government. An ethnically diverse state consisting of a number of islands off the east coast of Tanganyika, Zanzibar had been granted independence by Britain in 1963...
. Jamshid managed to flee to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
with his family and ministers where he travelled around England from hotel to hotel.
See also
- TanzaniaTanzaniaThe United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
- Politics of TanzaniaPolitics of TanzaniaPolitics of Tanzania takes place in a framework of a unitary presidential democratic republic, whereby the President of Tanzania is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the...
- List of colonial heads of Tanganyika
- List of Governors-General of Tanganyika
- List of Presidents of Tanganyika
- List of Prime Ministers of Tanganyika
- List of Presidents of Tanzania
- List of Prime Ministers of Tanzania
- List of Presidents of Zanzibar
- List of Prime Ministers of Zanzibar
- List of rulers of Oman
- Politics of Tanzania
- Lists of Incumbents