seaboard itself took the name of Zanquebar (corrupted to Zanzibar by the Banyan traders), the Balid ez-Zenj, or “Land of the Zenj” of the Arabs, a term which corresponds to the Hindu-bar, or “land of the Hindu,” formerly applied to the west coast of India. By Ibn Batuta, who visited the coast in 1328, and other Arab writers the Zenj people are referred to in a general way as Mahommedan negroes; and they are no doubt still represented by the semi-civilized Mahommedan Bantus now collectively known as the Swahili or “coast people,” and in whose veins is a large admixture of Asiatic blood. The Zenj “empire” began to decline soon after the appearance of the Portuguese in East African waters at the close of the 15th century. To them fell in rapid succession the great cities of Kilwa with its 300 mosques (1505), Mombasa the "Magnificent” (1505), and soon after Malindi and Mukdishu the “Immense” (Ibn Batuta). The Portuguese rule was troubled by many revolts, and towards the end of the 16th century the chief cities were ravaged by the Turks, who came by sea, and by the Zimbas, a fierce negro tribe, who came overland from south of the Zambezi. On the ruins of the Portuguese power in the 17th century was built up that of the Imams of Muscat. Over their African dominions the Imams placed valis or viceroys, who in time became independent of their overlord. In Mombasa power passed into the hands of the Mazrui family. The island of Zanzibar, conquered by the Portuguese in 1503–8, was occupied by the Arabs in 1730, and in 1832 the town of Zanzibar, then a place of no note, was made the capital of his dominions by the Sayyid Said of Muscat, who reconquered all the towns formerly owning allegiance to the Imams, Mombasa being taken by treachery in 1837. On the death of Said in 1856 his dominions were divided between his two sons, the African section falling to Majid, who was succeeded in 1870 by his younger brother Bargash ibn Said, commonly known as sultan of Zanzibar. Bargash witnessed the dismemberment of his dominions by Great Britain, Germany and Italy (see Africa, § 5), and in March 1888 left to his successor, Sayyid Khalifa, a mere fragment of the territories over which he had once ruled. The Sayyids Majid and Bargash acted largely under the influence of Sir John Kirk (q.v.), who from 1866 to 1887 was consular representative of Great Britain at Zanzibar. By Sir John’s efforts a treaty for the suppression of the slave trade throughout the sultanate had been concluded in 1873. In the negotiations between the Powers for the partition of Africa the supremacy of British interests in the island was acknowledged by Germany and France, thus rendering a treaty made in 1862 between France and Great Britain recognizing the “independence” of Zanzibar of no effect. On the 4th of November 1890 the sultanate was proclaimed a British protectorate, in conformity with conventions by which Great Britain on her part ceded Heligoland to Germany and renounced all claims to Madagascar in favour of France.[1] Sultan (Sayyid) Ali, who had succeeded his brother Sayyid Khalifa in February 1890, in August following issued a decree which resulted in the liberation of large numbers of slaves. Sayyid Ali was succeeded in March 1893 by Hamed bin Thwain, on whose death in August 1896 his cousin, Sayyid Khalid, proclaimed himself sultan, and seized the palace. The British government disapproved, and to compel Khalid's submission the palace was bombarded by warships. Khalid fled to the German consulate, whence he was removed to the mainland, and Hamed bin Mahommed, brother of Hamed bin Thwain, was installed sultan by the British representative (27th of August 1896). The government was reconstituted under British auspices in October 1891, when Sir Lloyd Mathews[2] was appointed prime minister, and the sultan made virtually a crown pensioner, with a civil list of 120,000 rupees. In 1897 the legal status of slavery was abolished, compensation being given to slave owners. In July 1902 Hamed bin Mahommed died, and was succeeded by his son Ali bin Hamud, born in 1885. The British government is represented by an agent and consul-general, without whose sanction no important steps can be undertaken. This officer also administered the East Africa Protectorate, but the dual appointment was found to hamper the progress of both protectorates, and in 1904 when Mr Basil S. Cave was given charge of the Zanzibar protectorate another officer was appointed for the mainland. In 1906 the British agent assumed more direct control over the protectorate and again reorganized the administration, Capt. (locally general) A. E. H. Raikes being appointed prime minister. These changes, together with the abolition of foreign consular jurisdiction, led to many reforms in the government and the increased prosperity of the Zanzibari.
Authorities.—J. L. Krapf, Travels . . . in Eastern Africa (London, 1860); Précis of Information concerning . . . Zanzibar (War Office, London, 1902); W. W. A. Fitzgerald, Travels in . . . the island of Zanzibar (London, 1898); H. S. Newman, Banani, the Transition from Slavery to Freedom in Zanzibar (London, 1898); Sir C. Eliot, The East Africa Protectorate (London, 1905); R. N. Lyne, Zanzibar in Contemporary Times (London, 1905), a useful historical summary, with bibliography of British Blue Books; Drumkeys’ Year Book for East Africa (annually since 1908); and the annual reports to the British Foreign Office.
ZANZIBAR, an East African seaport, capital of the island and sultanate of the same name, in 6° 9′ S., 39° 15′ E. The town is situated on the western side of the island, 26 m. N.E. of the mainland port of Bagamoyo, which is visible from Zanzibar in very clear weather. Zanzibar is built on a triangular-shaped peninsula about a mile and a half long which runs from east to west, forming a safe and spacious roadstead or bay with a minimum depth of water exceeding five fathoms. Ocean steamers anchor in the roadstead and are loaded and discharged by lighters. The harbour, frequented by British, German and French steamers, warships and Arab dhows, affords a constant scene of animation. Viewed from the sea, the town presents a pleasant prospect with its mosques, white flat-topped houses, barracks, forts, and round towers. The most prominent buildings are the Sultan’s palace and the Government offices (formerly the British consulate), the last-named situated at the Point, the south-west horn of the bay. To the left of the palace—viewed from the sea—is the “stone ship,” a series of water tanks (now disused) the front of which is cleverly carved to resemble a ship. The town consists of two quarters—Shangani, the centre of trade and residence of the sultan, and the eastern suburb, formerly separated from the rest of the town by the Malagash lagoon, an inlet of the sea, now drained. For the most part Zanzibar consists of a labyrinth of narrow and dirty streets, in which live the Banyans, Singalese, the negro porters, fishermen and half-castes. There are numerous markets. In Shangani are the houses of the European merchants and the chief Arabs, and the headquarters of various Protestant and Roman Catholic missions. Characteristic of the streets are the carved and massive wooden doors, whose blackness contrasts with the white stone of the houses, and the bright red of the acacias in the garden enclosures. Ndia Kun or Main Road extends from the Sultan’s palace to the (new) British Agency at Mnazi Moja, a castellated building situated in beautiful grounds. Along this thoroughfare are the custom house, the post office buildings (an imposing edifice) and several consulates. In a turning off Main Street is the residence of Tippoo Tib (now an hotel). Next to this house is the English Club, and in the same street are the law courts (built 1909–10). The Anglican cathedral (built 1873–79) a semi-Gothic coral building, occupies the site of the old slave market. The Roman Catholic cathedral—in the Renaissance style—is one of the finest buildings in East Africa. On the outskirts of the town at Mnazi Moja is a public park, a golf course and cricket ground. Zanzibar is well supplied with pure water brought from the neighbouring hills.
- ↑ By the Zanzibar Order in Council, 1906, the protectorate of Zanzibar was limited to the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba, including the territorial waters thereof and any islets within those waters.
- ↑ Sir Lloyd Mathews (1850–1901) was a British naval officer. He served in Ashanti 1873–74 and went to Zanzibar in 1875 as lieutenant on a ship engaged in the suppression of the slave trade. In 1877 he was selected to command the military force being raised by Sayyid Bargash and thereafter devoted his services entirely to the Zanzibar government. He was made a K.C.M.G. in 1894.
