Arabs in sub-Saharan Africa.

[Wholegrain]

Arabs had been in contact with the Swahili coast since pre-Islamic times, and extensive development of commercial ties and urban growth occured in the medieval era. However, extensive Arab migration and political control of East Africa was spurred on by the invasion of the Portuguese.

The Portuguese invaded the Swahili Coast and went on to invade Muslim controlled cities in India and invaded the Khaleej itself and captured Muscat in 1507. Their conquests and conduct were particularly brutal because of their anti-Muslim feelings dating to the Reconquista. They would deliberately attack Arab shipping and sought to conquer all areas of Arab and Muslim political control, torturing and slaughtering women and children. The Portuguese took over Zanzibar, the Swahili coast, and several cities in India like Goa, Daman and Diu.

http://books.google.com/books?id=_vvOAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA324#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=FTTGWSme30YC&pg=PR47#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=mJWrVWZuUJEC&pg=PA11#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=1pbOYuGWKJgC&pg=PT29#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iPA8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=GCYrLnzeuZwC&pg=PA35#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=rN69iFj1PJoC&pg=PA131#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Ottomans tried to put together an alliance of Muslim states to fight the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean, but after deacdes of fighting back and forth, with the Ottomans and their allies taking and then losing cities again to the Portuguese. they did not succeed.

It was the Ibadi Arabs in Oman who eventually drove out the Portuguese. Nasir bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi was elected as Imam in 1624 and united the Ibadi tribes to declare war on the Portuguese. The Ya'ariba Imams gathered their followers and defeated the Portuguese in Oman itself, retaking Muscat in 1650. They then started a fleet of warships and prepared to drive the Portuguese entirely out of the Indian Ocean. The inhabitants of the Swahili coast sent a letter to the Ya'ariba Imams asking them to liberate them from the Portuguese.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dJMoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Ya'ariba Imamate captured Portuguese ships in Muscat and began to raid Portuguese colonies in India and the Swahili coast in East Africa. Thry built their fleet by capturing more Portuguese ships in naval battles off the coast of India and sacked Portuguese ruled Diu in India. Eventually Zanzibar and the Swahili coast were liberated by the Ya'ariba from the Portuguese after they besieged Portuguese forts and fought for several decades. The forts fell and and the Swahili coast became part of the Ya'ariba Imamate.

Mozambique almost fell to Ya'ariba forces during a siege of a vital fort in 1670, but they gave up and Mozambique remained as a Portuguese colony.

Some remnants of the Portuguese rule include a fort in Muscat and Fort Jesus in Muscat, both of which were sieged and taken by Ya'ariba forces.

The Ya'ariba Imams appointed Arab governors (liwali) to rule over important cities on the Swahili coast. The major Arab family ruling Mombasa (now in modern day Kenya) were the Mazrui.
Ahmad bin Said overthrew the last Ya'ariba Imam and established the rule of the Al Busaid family over Oman and its colonies. He and his son Said bin Ahmed ruled as Ibadi Imams, but the next Al Busaid ruler Hamad bin Said used the title of Sultan only and established Muscat and Oman as a Sultanate.

The Al Busaid Sultans struggled for control of Mombasa with the Mazrui and eventually the Al Busaid conquered Mombasa from the Mazrui in 1837. The Mazrui were defeated through trickery when the Al Busaid invited their elders to celebrate a holiday, when they were seized and imprisoned.

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false

Had it not been for modern European colonial rule (British took over Kenya and Germany took over Tanzania), the Al Busaid Sultans might have firmly consolidated their power over the Swahili coast and expand their empire further, but the colonial powers prevented it from happening.

Said bin Sultan was the last Al Busaidi Sultan to rule over a united Muscat and Oman, and Zanzibar and the Swahili coast. After his death, two of his sons divided the Sultanate between them. Muscat and Oman went to Sultan Thuwaini bin Said and Zanzibar went to Majid bin Said.
The British and Germans as I mentioned, took over the Swahili coast from the Zanzibar Sultans, leaving only Zanzibar and surrounding islands in control of the Sultanate.

The Sultanate of Zanzibar gained independence on 1963 from the British. There were some native african Muslim opposition parties discontent with the government like Abeid Karume's Afro Shirazi party and the Marxist Umma Party. However, they were not the ones who overthrew the Sultanate.

A fanatically and mentally ill African Christian from Uganda named Joseph Okello saw himself as some kind of religious messiah and led an invasion of Zanzibar against the Sultanate, taking over the island and committing massacres against the non-African population. Okello claimed he heard divine messages telling him to "liberate" the African population. The Sultan Jamshid and his family fled to Britain. (Some of the Zanzibar Al busaid live in Oman today) Most historians agree that Okello acted on his own and not with Karume and the native African Muslim opposition parties on Zanzibar.

http://books.google.com/books?id=08OV704armMC&pg=PA1198#v=onepage&q&f=false

The african Muslim opposition parties under Abeid Karume decided to piggyback on Okello's invasion and returned. Okello was not a Zanzibari native, but a Christian from Uganda who mixed his own ideas to form his own cult. Karume and the native Muslim African Zanzibari opposition wanted him out, and Karume manouvered to expel Okello and forced him and his followers to leave Zanzibar, and then unified Zanzibar with Tanganyika to form modern Tanzania. Tanganyikan troops entered Zanzibar to contain the rioting caused by Okello's followers. Karume named Okello as an enemy of Zanzibar and banned him from returning. Okello was imprisoned in Tanzania, then expelled to Kenya, who also expelled him. (Karume asked all East African states to declare him persona non grata) Okello probably came to a sticky end back in his native Uganda at the hands of Idi Amin, and Karume was assasinated in 1972.

http://books.google.com/books?id=4p1KgNgkJQsC&pg=PA92#v=onepage&q&f=false

These are sources for the Ya'ariba Imamate's war on the Portuguese, the Al Busaid and the Mazrui.

http://islamweb.us/mazrui-mazrum.html

http://www.ajabuafrica.com/History- Mazrui Family Revolts.html

http://www.africanmeccasafaris.com/kenya/mombasa/excursions/fortjesus.asp

http://www.kenyalogy.com/eng/info/histo5.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=XR...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA98#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=gNu4_uHo7CQC&pg=PA71#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=OOgzAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA517#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=5uo0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=oYhrCkGaxyUC&pg=PA115#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=c3...d=0CD8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=XR...d=0CDkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=BP...d=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Gr...d=0CEsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=r2...d=0CFAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Cn...d=0CFUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=5u...d=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=hE...d=0CGAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=dJ...d=0CGUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=zv...d=0CGsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=UB...AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=H2...wATgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Jt...wADgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Cn...wCDgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iy...wAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Nx...wBQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=oY...wAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=rB...wCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yx...wBA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=FHFyAAAAMAAJ

http://books.google.com/books?id=iy...AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=D1...AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=99...AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Jt...AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

The Mazrui Arabs are still prominent in Kenya. Ali Mazrui, a Kenyan is of Arab descent, became an important scholar and historian on Africa.

http://books.google.com/books?id=-s...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

[al-Hasani]

Arabs had been in contact with the Swahili coast since pre-Islamic times, and extensive development of commercial ties and urban growth occured in the medieval era. However, extensive Arab migration and political control of East Africa was spurred on by the invasion of the Portuguese.

The Portuguese invaded the Swahili Coast and went on to invade Muslim controlled cities in India and invaded the Khaleej itself and captured Muscat in 1507. Their conquests and conduct were particularly brutal because of their anti-Muslim feelings dating to the Reconquista. They would deliberately attack Arab shipping and sought to conquer all areas of Arab and Muslim political control, torturing and slaughtering women and children. The Portuguese took over Zanzibar, the Swahili coast, and several cities in India like Goa, Daman and Diu.

http://books.google.com/books?id=_vvOAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA324#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=FTTGWSme30YC&pg=PR47#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=mJWrVWZuUJEC&pg=PA11#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=1pbOYuGWKJgC&pg=PT29#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iPA8AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA224#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=GCYrLnzeuZwC&pg=PA35#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=rN69iFj1PJoC&pg=PA131#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Ottomans tried to put together an alliance of Muslim states to fight the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean, but after deacdes of fighting back and forth, with the Ottomans and their allies taking and then losing cities again to the Portuguese. they did not succeed.

It was the Ibadi Arabs in Oman who eventually drove out the Portuguese. Nasir bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi was elected as Imam in 1624 and united the Ibadi tribes to declare war on the Portuguese. The Ya'ariba Imams gathered their followers and defeated the Portuguese in Oman itself, retaking Muscat in 1650. They then started a fleet of warships and prepared to drive the Portuguese entirely out of the Indian Ocean. The inhabitants of the Swahili coast sent a letter to the Ya'ariba Imams asking them to liberate them from the Portuguese.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dJMoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Ya'ariba Imamate captured Portuguese ships in Muscat and began to raid Portuguese colonies in India and the Swahili coast in East Africa. Thry built their fleet by capturing more Portuguese ships in naval battles off the coast of India and sacked Portuguese ruled Diu in India. Eventually Zanzibar and the Swahili coast were liberated by the Ya'ariba from the Portuguese after they besieged Portuguese forts and fought for several decades. The forts fell and and the Swahili coast became part of the Ya'ariba Imamate.

Mozambique almost fell to Ya'ariba forces during a siege of a vital fort in 1670, but they gave up and Mozambique remained as a Portuguese colony.

Some remnants of the Portuguese rule include a fort in Muscat and Fort Jesus in Muscat, both of which were sieged and taken by Ya'ariba forces.

The Ya'ariba Imams appointed Arab governors (liwali) to rule over important cities on the Swahili coast. The major Arab family ruling Mombasa (now in modern day Kenya) were the Mazrui.
Ahmad bin Said overthrew the last Ya'ariba Imam and established the rule of the Al Busaid family over Oman and its colonies. He and his son Said bin Ahmed ruled as Ibadi Imams, but the next Al Busaid ruler Hamad bin Said used the title of Sultan only and established Muscat and Oman as a Sultanate.

The Al Busaid Sultans struggled for control of Mombasa with the Mazrui and eventually the Al Busaid conquered Mombasa from the Mazrui in 1837. The Mazrui were defeated through trickery when the Al Busaid invited their elders to celebrate a holiday, when they were seized and imprisoned.

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false

Had it not been for modern European colonial rule (British took over Kenya and Germany took over Tanzania), the Al Busaid Sultans might have firmly consolidated their power over the Swahili coast and expand their empire further, but the colonial powers prevented it from happening.

Said bin Sultan was the last Al Busaidi Sultan to rule over a united Muscat and Oman, and Zanzibar and the Swahili coast. After his death, two of his sons divided the Sultanate between them. Muscat and Oman went to Sultan Thuwaini bin Said and Zanzibar went to Majid bin Said.
The British and Germans as I mentioned, took over the Swahili coast from the Zanzibar Sultans, leaving only Zanzibar and surrounding islands in control of the Sultanate.

The Sultanate of Zanzibar gained independence on 1963 from the British. There were some native african Muslim opposition parties discontent with the government like Abeid Karume's Afro Shirazi party and the Marxist Umma Party. However, they were not the ones who overthrew the Sultanate.

A fanatically and mentally ill African Christian from Uganda named Joseph Okello saw himself as some kind of religious messiah and led an invasion of Zanzibar against the Sultanate, taking over the island and committing massacres against the non-African population. Okello claimed he heard divine messages telling him to "liberate" the African population. The Sultan Jamshid and his family fled to Britain. (Some of the Zanzibar Al busaid live in Oman today) Most historians agree that Okello acted on his own and not with Karume and the native African Muslim opposition parties on Zanzibar.

http://books.google.com/books?id=08OV704armMC&pg=PA1198#v=onepage&q&f=false

The african Muslim opposition parties under Abeid Karume decided to piggyback on Okello's invasion and returned. Okello was not a Zanzibari native, but a Christian from Uganda who mixed his own ideas to form his own cult. Karume and the native Muslim African Zanzibari opposition wanted him out, and Karume manouvered to expel Okello and forced him and his followers to leave Zanzibar, and then unified Zanzibar with Tanganyika to form modern Tanzania. Tanganyikan troops entered Zanzibar to contain the rioting caused by Okello's followers. Karume named Okello as an enemy of Zanzibar and banned him from returning. Okello was imprisoned in Tanzania, then expelled to Kenya, who also expelled him. (Karume asked all East African states to declare him persona non grata) Okello probably came to a sticky end back in his native Uganda at the hands of Idi Amin, and Karume was assasinated in 1972.

http://books.google.com/books?id=4p1KgNgkJQsC&pg=PA92#v=onepage&q&f=false

These are sources for the Ya'ariba Imamate's war on the Portuguese, the Al Busaid and the Mazrui.

http://islamweb.us/mazrui-mazrum.html

http://www.ajabuafrica.com/History- Mazrui Family Revolts.html

http://www.africanmeccasafaris.com/kenya/mombasa/excursions/fortjesus.asp

http://www.kenyalogy.com/eng/info/histo5.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=XR...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA98#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=gNu4_uHo7CQC&pg=PA71#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=OOgzAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA517#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=5uo0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=oYhrCkGaxyUC&pg=PA115#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=c3KwnFB6kiEC&pg=PA144&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CD8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=XRRzAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA117&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=BP1aAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA8&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=GrICAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA216&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CEsQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=r2BIAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA216&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CFAQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=CnFyAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA54&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CFUQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=5uo0AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA23&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=hEvKopZ8a8kC&pg=PA282&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CGAQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=dJMoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA29&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CGUQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=zvERAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA276&dq=Mazrui arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2VxUuTAEo-2sATp2YDQDA&ved=0CGsQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=UB4uSVt3ulUC&pg=PA410&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PlNvUv7SPI-IkQfirID4AQ&ved=0CEgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=H2qmAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA9&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=x1NvUsmBIpDykQeF0YG4Dg&ved=0CDsQ6AEwATgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=JtgUAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA17&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=x1NvUsmBIpDykQeF0YG4Dg&ved=0CDUQ6AEwADgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=CnFyAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA54&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=x1NvUsmBIpDykQeF0YG4Dg&ved=0CGMQ6AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA85&dq=Mazrui mombasa liwali&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k1BvUsSDCYaskAeyx4GAAQ&ved=0CEcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Nxns72ZbCGoC&pg=PA108&dq=Mazrui mombasa liwali&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k1BvUsSDCYaskAeyx4GAAQ&ved=0CFMQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=oYhrCkGaxyUC&pg=PA120&dq=Mazrui mombasa liwali&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k1BvUsSDCYaskAeyx4GAAQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=rB8ED4qApyYC&pg=PA83&dq=Mazrui mombasa liwali&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k1BvUsSDCYaskAeyx4GAAQ&ved=0CGIQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=Yx6qLPZHyK0C&pg=PA84&dq=Mazrui mombasa liwali&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k1BvUsSDCYaskAeyx4GAAQ&ved=0CE0Q6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa liwali&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=FHFyAAAAMAAJ

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA117&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PlNvUv7SPI-IkQfirID4AQ&ved=0CFsQ6AEwBw#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=D1riOLGZnJUC&pg=PT41&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PlNvUv7SPI-IkQfirID4AQ&ved=0CGEQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=99x5ea1Gq-cC&pg=PA451&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PlNvUv7SPI-IkQfirID4AQ&ved=0CGYQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=JtHdYSV1OSMC&pg=PA48&dq=Mazrui mombasa arab&hl=en&sa=X&ei=PlNvUv7SPI-IkQfirID4AQ&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Mazrui mombasa arab&f=false

The Mazrui Arabs are still prominent in Kenya. Ali Mazrui, a Kenyan is of Arab descent, became an important scholar and historian on Africa.

http://books.google.com/books?id=-s...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Amazing work once again. Lost for words. You have given me a lot of interesting material to read once I get the time to do so on a serious level. If I could I would make you a honorary member on this forum or a moderator. One of the few users who makes quality posts each and every time - more or less. At least from what I have seen.

Long live the ancient Sino-Arab friendship!



+

 

[al-Hasani]

The Ottomans tried to put together an alliance of Muslim states to fight the Portuguese in the Indian Ocean, but after deacdes of fighting back and forth, with the Ottomans and their allies taking and then losing cities again to the Portuguese. they did not succeed.

It was the Ibadi Arabs in Oman who eventually drove out the Portuguese. Nasir bin Murshid Al Ya'arubi was elected as Imam in 1624 and united the Ibadi tribes to declare war on the Portuguese. The Ya'ariba Imams gathered their followers and defeated the Portuguese in Oman itself, retaking Muscat in 1650. They then started a fleet of warships and prepared to drive the Portuguese entirely out of the Indian Ocean. The inhabitants of the Swahili coast sent a letter to the Ya'ariba Imams asking them to liberate them from the Portuguese.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dJMoAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18#v=onepage&q&f=false

The Ya'ariba Imamate captured Portuguese ships in Muscat and began to raid Portuguese colonies in India and the Swahili coast in East Africa. Thry built their fleet by capturing more Portuguese ships in naval battles off the coast of India and sacked Portuguese ruled Diu in India. Eventually Zanzibar and the Swahili coast were liberated by the Ya'ariba from the Portuguese after they besieged Portuguese forts and fought for several decades. The forts fell and and the Swahili coast became part of the Ya'ariba Imamate.

Mozambique almost fell to Ya'ariba forces during a siege of a vital fort in 1670, but they gave up and Mozambique remained as a Portuguese colony.

Some remnants of the Portuguese rule include a fort in Muscat and Fort Jesus in Muscat, both of which were sieged and taken by Ya'ariba forces.

The Ya'ariba Imams appointed Arab governors (liwali) to rule over important cities on the Swahili coast. The major Arab family ruling Mombasa (now in modern day Kenya) were the Mazrui.
Ahmad bin Said overthrew the last Ya'ariba Imam and established the rule of the Al Busaid family over Oman and its colonies. He and his son Said bin Ahmed ruled as Ibadi Imams, but the next Al Busaid ruler Hamad bin Said used the title of Sultan only and established Muscat and Oman as a Sultanate.

The Al Busaid Sultans struggled for control of Mombasa with the Mazrui and eventually the Al Busaid conquered Mombasa from the Mazrui in 1837. The Mazrui were defeated through trickery when the Al Busaid invited their elders to celebrate a holiday, when they were seized and imprisoned.

http://books.google.com/books?id=iyw-_NMk0bgC&pg=PA100#v=onepage&q&f=false

Had it not been for modern European colonial rule (British took over Kenya and Germany took over Tanzania), the Al Busaid Sultans might have firmly consolidated their power over the Swahili coast and expand their empire further, but the colonial powers prevented it from happening.

Said bin Sultan was the last Al Busaidi Sultan to rule over a united Muscat and Oman, and Zanzibar and the Swahili coast. After his death, two of his sons divided the Sultanate between them. Muscat and Oman went to Sultan Thuwaini bin Said and Zanzibar went to Majid bin Said.
The British and Germans as I mentioned, took over the Swahili coast from the Zanzibar Sultans, leaving only Zanzibar and surrounding islands in control of the Sultanate.

The Sultanate of Zanzibar gained independence on 1963 from the British. There were some native african Muslim opposition parties discontent with the government like Abeid Karume's Afro Shirazi party and the Marxist Umma Party. However, they were not the ones who overthrew the Sultanate.

A fanatically and mentally ill African Christian from Uganda named Joseph Okello saw himself as some kind of religious messiah and led an invasion of Zanzibar against the Sultanate, taking over the island and committing massacres against the non-African population. Okello claimed he heard divine messages telling him to "liberate" the African population. The Sultan Jamshid and his family fled to Britain. (Some of the Zanzibar Al busaid live in Oman today) Most historians agree that Okello acted on his own and not with Karume and the native African Muslim opposition parties on Zanzibar.

http://books.google.com/books?id=08OV704armMC&pg=PA1198#v=onepage&q&f=false

The african Muslim opposition parties under Abeid Karume decided to piggyback on Okello's invasion and returned. Okello was not a Zanzibari native, but a Christian from Uganda who mixed his own ideas to form his own cult. Karume and the native Muslim African Zanzibari opposition wanted him out, and Karume manouvered to expel Okello and forced him and his followers to leave Zanzibar, and then unified Zanzibar with Tanganyika to form modern Tanzania. Tanganyikan troops entered Zanzibar to contain the rioting caused by Okello's followers. Karume named Okello as an enemy of Zanzibar and banned him from returning. Okello was imprisoned in Tanzania, then expelled to Kenya, who also expelled him. (Karume asked all East African states to declare him persona non grata) Okello probably came to a sticky end back in his native Uganda at the hands of Idi Amin, and Karume was assasinated in 1972.

Just quoted some of your excellent, long and very detailed post.

Yes, the Omanis were great seafarers and great warriors who did what the Ottomans could not and defeated the Portuguese and ended their dominance of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean and the Swahili Coastline as you have written and all the sources show.

I never knew about that Okello fanatic. Only briefly. I also thought that it was more a local African (Pan-African) Muslim revolt but it turns out that it was mostly the work of this fanatic "Christian Messiah" and his cult. This also explain my conversations with native Tanzanians who all were remarkably sympathetic towards Arabs and remembered the old days of the Sultanate fondly. Also explains the warm welcome the Arab tourists receive in Tanzania and Zanzibar in particular. I also heard that there has been a Arab revival recently.

A few pictures of the Arab architecture found in Zanzibar: (There is quite a lot)


Sunset over Stone Town - Zanzibar by Richard Davies Photography, on Flickr

The Sultans old palace next to the coastline:


the sultans palace by _pollux, on Flickr


Sultan of Zanzibar's Palace by Kevin H., on Flickr

It is a beautiful mixture of Arab and Portuguese architecture. Much like what you see almost everywhere in Portugal, Spain and Sicily (Arab-Moorish blend) with the local architectures.

 

[al-Hasani]

Part 2:

 

[al-Hasani]

Part 3:

Very beautiful and charming. Reminds me greatly of some parts of KSA, Yemen and Oman.

 

[al-Hasani]

Part 4:


Sultan's Parlor by Kevin H., on Flickr


Sultan's Balcony by Kevin H., on Flickr


Sultan Seyyid Said, the first sultan of Zanzibar by jamisonshuck, on Flickr


Stone Town from Beit el-Ajaib by khowaga1, on Flickr


Stone Town from Beit el-Ajaib by khowaga1, on Flickr

 

[Wholegrain]

I made a typo in one of my earlier posts, Fort Jesus is in Mombasa and not Muscat.

This is the graveyard of the former Arab family which ruled Mombasa in Kenya, the Mazrui. It is located near Fort Jesus.

After the Al Busaid Sultans defeated the Mazrui in Mombasa, they dispersed to other areas of Kenya. They secured a large piece of land around Takaungu during British rule. 

There are Arab tribes in the Azawad region of northern Mali.

The Berabiche (Barabish, Barabiche) Arabs live mostly in the area around Timbuktu and all over Azawad. The Kunta (Kounta) and Telemsi Arabs in particular live around Gao. The Kunta Arabs claim Uqba ibn Nafi as their ancestor and trace their genealogies back to him.

Historians say they were Berber tribes who were Arabized a long time ago and adopted the Arabic language and constructed genealogies with Arab ancestors.

Berabiche

http://books.google.com/books?id=q3mx8aAo6x0C&pg=PA171#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=6h8QAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA687#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://collections.si.edu/search/results.htm?q=record_ID:siris_sil_749957

http://books.google.com/books?id=YPK5oEz4X28C&pg=PA634#v=onepage&q&f=false

Kunta

http://books.google.com/books?id=BKulU4bzi7gC&pg=PA164#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=jjBYQCpfCNkC&pg=PA637#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=46UdlxcCN6MC&pg=PA345#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=52mbA5bGB_cC&pg=PA114#v=onepage&q&f=false

This paper explains the process of the Arabization of the Berbers, and how the Berbers attached genealogies tracing their ancestry to Yemeni Arabs.

https://fds.duke.edu/db/attachment/1220

Hassaniya Arabic is spoken in Mali

http://books.google.com/books?id=dF...ce=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://hal.inria.fr/docs/00/56/38/53/PDF/CTC_EALL_Hassaniyya.pdf

There have also been recent events in Mali affecting the Arab population there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Movement_of_Azawad

http://www.google.com/hostednews/af...Id=bdf1f0a7-0d74-4ff0-aa8c-5b3d6a6fe063&hl=en

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/New...nd-Arab-rebel-movements-announce-merger-.html

http://www.brecorder.com/top-news/1...malian-tuareg-arab-rebel-announce-merger.html

 

[Wholegrain]

Continuing from my previous post

الحركة العربية الأزوادي

http://h-azawad.com/ar/?p=13042

http://albawabhnews.com/News/129346

 

[Wholegrain]

I forgot to mention Arab role in the resistance to European colonial rule in East Africa. They did not just let them take over without a fight. An Arab named Bushiri bin Salim al-Harthi led an Arab revolt against the German East Africa Company from 1888-1890, due to the harsh policies of the German colonizers. Bushiri's fighters included both Omani Arabs and African (Yao) tribesmen. Bushiri was succesfuly against the German Company forces, but when the German government sent its army over the revolt was defeated (with British assistance in implementing a blockade), it effectively ended when German forces under Hermann von Wissmann assaulted Bagamoyo and Bushiri was executed. Germany and Britain were just too powerful and unfortunately the Arabs and Swahili people were not unified. (Bushiri was a rival of the Zanzibar Sultanate, but after the Germans defeated Bushiri, they forced Zanzibar to sell them the coastal strip the Sultanate owned on the African mainland.) Bushiri had stated his opposition to the Zanzibar Sultan in part because of its cooperation with the colonial powers since it gave up alot of the Swahili coast.

http://www.ntz.info/gen/n00954.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=yF...Q6wEwAA#v=onepage&q=bushiri ibn salim&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=kM...Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=bushiri ibn salim&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=H2...Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=bushiri ibn salim&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=R4...AEwBzgK#v=onepage&q=bushiri ibn salim&f=false

http://books.google.com/books?id=k1...X&ei=VYl4Uq_-I9TKsQSetIGwAg&ved=0CEYQ6AEwBTgK

http://books.google.com/books?id=_e...AEwCDgK#v=onepage&q=bushiri ibn salim&f=false

http://www.savageandsoldier.com/articles/africa/GermanWars.html

http://www.bagamoyo.com/history_bagamoyo+M5bb747ce2ec.html

http://homepage.univie.ac.at/walter...l_Exploration_and_East_African_Resistance.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abushiri_ibn_Salim_al-Harthi

These are pictures of Bushiri and his fighters.

http://www.omanisilver.com/contents/en-us/d240.html

Bushiri and his followers are regarded as freedom fighters today.

http://www.bagamoyo.com/famous_sights.html

Hanging-Place

Bushiri rebellion
On the compound of Badeco Beach Hotel we find a monument, reminding freedom fighters who were hanged to death by the Germans during German colonialism.
According to all available sources here supporters of Bushiri were hanged in December 1889, after Bushiri himself was hanged to death on the 12/15/1889 in Pangani.
Bushiri-supporters in Bagamoyo were Simba Mbili, Marera, Mbomboma, Kriolhe, Salim bin Abdalla, Pori and Kisoko.
An old German photograph shows gallows near to the Old Fort with one hanged person. In the background behind trees the Old Fort can be seen.
We did not know if the present monument stands exactly on the place where we had the gallows. And it also seems not be really true what the present inscription tells which was written during the Anti-Colonial time.
The Hanging Place is a national memorial today.

http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780195382075.001.0001/acref-9780195382075-e-0400

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

The Arab world and the future of Africa​

Sunday, 21 June 2015


Afshin Molavi

When the 22 countries of the Arab League met in their Cairo headquarters last month to discuss common security concerns, there were 10 African representatives in attendance. In discussions of the Arab world, one unmistakable factor is often missed: the Arab world is heavily African. Algeria, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan and Tunisia are all Arab and African states.

Last week there was another gathering in Egypt, of 26 African leaders who signed the historic Tripartite Free Trade Agreement. The accord links nearly half of African countries with a collective GDP of $1.3 trillion and a population of some 565 million in a customs union that will ease trade barriers and potentially set the stage for a larger continent-wide free trade agreement over the next few years.

After decades as a global laggard, Africa has joined the most important geo-economic movement since the industrial revolution: the rise of emerging markets, the growth of a new global middle class, and rapid urbanization. These three powerful economic drivers will continue to dramatically transform our world over the next several decades, lifting millions from poverty, reshaping global trade patterns and altering geopolitical alliances.

Consider that in the year 2000, the entire continent had a collective GDP of $600 billion, roughly equivalent to the economic output of Spain that same year. Today, Africa’s collective GDP stands at some $2.2 trillion.

Africa has seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world. Its population now exceeds 1 billion and rising. By 2030, one in five people in the world will live in Africa, which will be the youngest continent on earth. By 2040, 25 percent of the global workforce will be there. Africa’s importance to the global economy will only rise.

Of course, tremendous challenges remain. Thirty of Africa’s 54 countries are among the least developed, according to the United Nations, and far too many rely on food imports and therefore price volatility.

Weak infrastructure - from chronic electricity shortages to dilapidated roads and ports - remains a major impediment to sustained growth. Some argue that this will handicap trade agreements from the get-go. Furthermore, the continent is diverse, and the catch-all “Africa” fails to distinguish between countries with radically different histories and levels of development.

Egypt’s prominent role in the negotiations that led to the free trade agreement demonstrates its role as an African bridge state - one that can leverage its commercial and diplomatic networks, particularly across the Arab world, toward greater integration between the Middle East and Africa.

Opportunity
The African growth story has largely been missed by most non-African Middle East states, and by a Middle East media focused more on the multiple crises in the region, U.S. foreign policy and the Iran nuclear talks.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the exception. It has emerged as a key trade and investment partner for Africa. Investments by UAE state-owned entities in sea port infrastructure (DP World) and telecommunications (Etisalat) have supported the continent’s connectivity both internally and with the world. UAE-based power companies have invested in electricity supply in a small but growing number of African markets.

UAE-based airlines - Emirates, Etihad and FlyDubai - are growing their African networks. Emirates in particular has emerged as the most important foreign carrier in several of the continent’s largest markets. Dubai International Airport has become a virtual “Africa hub,” and the city has emerged as a key logistics and financial gateway linking Asia to Africa.

Other Middle East states should follow suit, joining China, India, Turkey and the UAE in viewing Africa as a tremendous opportunity for trade growth and investment, rather than a continent to be “saved.”

Crossroads
Many African states stand at a crossroads, driven by a rising and increasingly urbanized middle class, steady growth and greater global integration. “Across Africa, we’re seeing more and more countries ‘open for business,’ with a more amenable policy and regulatory environment,” said Peter Lewis, director of the Africa Studies program at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.

The African growth story has largely been missed by most non-African Middle East states

Afshin Molavi
“We’re also seeing much lower debt loads, better budget balances, realistic exchange rates, low inflation rates, and in most countries in Africa the macroeconomic picture has been much more favorable and pragmatic.... Urban economies are not only bringing up a lot of growth in the informal sector, but they’re generating formal sector gains as well.”

However, several African states face the tremendous challenge of terrorism. The rise of Boko Haram represents a setback to Nigeria and parts of central and West Africa, but also a setback to humanity: the group’s depravity rivals that of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to which it has pledged allegiance.

Middle East and African governments and civil societies thus have a common enemy, so security and intelligence cooperation should become an integral part of their engagement. The Arab world and the broader Middle East should take a more active role in the momentous developments reshaping Africa, as well as the dangerous movements trying to turn back the clock.

________
Afshin Molavi is a senior fellow and director of the Global Emerging and Growth Markets Initiative at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a senior research fellow at the New America Foundation, a Washington DC-based think tank.

Last Update: Sunday, 21 June 2015 KSA 09:34 - GMT 06:34
Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in the opinion section are their own and do not reflect Al Arabiya News's point-of-view.

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/vie.../The-Arab-world-and-the-future-of-Africa.html

Africa (North Africa) is part of the Arab world and Africa as a whole is our backyard. A backyard with whom we have ancient historical ties to aside from the religious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic etc. connections.

The GCC has a 2 trillion dollar economy (GDP nominal) which is almost the entire African economy put together. This should bound well for future investments and cooperation.

If my memory serves me right, the Arab world's economy combined with the Sub-Saharan African economy almost reaches the heights of a 6 trillion dollar economy (GDP nominal) and as our regions are in constant development (despite unrest and occasional wars and civil wars), our populations growing rapidly etc. we will witness further economic growth down the line.

The Arab world should be the center of that African growth or at least a crucial partner as the potential is enormous. Thus accords such as those described in the article above are very welcoming news.

Arab League - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

African Union - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whenever Arab-Sub-Saharan African cooperation is mentioned I always think about the Al Noor City Project and the proposed bridge connecting Yemen with Djibouti. An old plan and not realistic nowadays but definitely something that should happen one day.

Bridge of the Horns - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

@Mamadouso this thread might interest you. Made some searches. There are other ones too that talk about Arab-African cooperation and history.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

@Mamadouso

You can see on this map that some of the Shuwa/Baggara Arab territory covers Northeastern Nigeria.

The beautiful thing is the diversity. You have Bedouin-looking people like this one:



to this:



to this: (Not all of them in the video are Arab but the women is for instance and a few other guys)

Obviously mixed with locals for centuries (maternal) but just speaks volume about integration which is common among all Arabs from Indonesia to Latin America.

Such communities must be mobilized to enhance greater Arab-African cooperation in the future.

 

[Mamadouso]

The Kanem Bornu Empire - Covered parts of modern day Libya, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Nigeria & Cameroon - a good introduction to African empires & Arab influence in North & West Africa

EMPIRE OF KANEM-BORNU (C. 9TH CENTURY-1900)


The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a large African state which existed from the 9th century through the end of the 19th century and which spanned a region which today includes the modern-day countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The empire was founded by the Zaghawa nomadic people, who may have been the first in the central Sudan to acquire and make use of iron technology and horses.

The empire was first mentioned by Arab chroniclers in the 9th century, and by the 10th century the ruler of Kanem had control of the Kawar Oases, a vital economic asset. The political structure of the Kanem empire had most likely grown out of rival states coming under the control of the Zaghawa. In the 11th century the Zaghawa clans were driven out by Humai ibn Salamna, who founded the kingdom of Kanem with a capital at Njimi. The Saifwa dynasty was established, a dynasty which ruled for 771 years—the longest known reign in history. Saifwa rulers (known as mais) claimed they were descended from a heroic Arabic figure, and the dynasty greatly expanded the influence of Islam, making it the religion of the court. Wealth came largely through trade, especially in slaves, which was facilitated by the empire’s position near important North-South trade routes.

The empire had a policy of imperial expansion and traded for firearms and horses, wielding huge numbers of cavalry. When a mai desecrated a sacred animist religious artifact, conflict occurred between the dynasty and groups like the Bulala. Conflicts from outside forces were also enhanced by the empire’s policy of collateral succession of brother succeeding brother which produced short reigns and unstable situations. In the late 14th century the Saifawa were forced to retreat west across Lake Chad and establish a new kingdom called Bornu. This is the origin of the name Kanem-Bornu.

Bornu expanded territorially and commercially, but increasing threats from other rival states, drought, trade problems, and rebellious Fulani groups eroded state control. Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi, a Muslim cleric, eventually defeated the rebellious Fulani and built a new capitol at Kukawa in 1814. His successors ended the Saifwa dynasty and the Kanem-Bornu Empire when they killed the last mai in 1846. Al-Kanemi’s Shehu dynasty was short-lived, and succeeded by slaver and warlord Rabih Zubayr, who was defeated by the Frenchin 1900.

https://www.blackpast.org/african-a...istory/empire-kanem-bornu-c-9th-century-1900/

Other maps show that the Kanem Bornu empire covered a more compact territory

However it dispels the modern myth being spread by Western & other nefarious sources that Islam was spread by force into Africa.

The Bornu empire was headed by indigenous tribes who became Muslim and then went on to spread Islam with the expansion of their territory.


The Bornu Empire’s influence spread as far north as Libya and other modern day Arab countries. This meant that rather than being subjugated the African empires themselves had a great influence on the Arab World themselves

The Bornu Empire went into decline as colonial Europe expanded its influence into Africa, ending a rich & noble history of Islamic empire in Africa.

Even though a revival of such empires is not feasible in the modern era, it will serve as a fascinating template the ancient and successful trading route across the Sahara from the Arab World to Sub-Saharan Africa.

More sources:

http://www.nigeriagists.com/2015/08/nigerian-kingdoms-and-empires-bornu.html?m=1

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

The Kanem Bornu Empire - Covered parts of modern day Libya, Sudan, Chad, Mali, Nigeria & Cameroon - a good introduction to African empires & Arab influence in North & West Africa

EMPIRE OF KANEM-BORNU (C. 9TH CENTURY-1900)


The Kanem-Bornu Empire was a large African state which existed from the 9th century through the end of the 19th century and which spanned a region which today includes the modern-day countries of Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria. The empire was founded by the Zaghawa nomadic people, who may have been the first in the central Sudan to acquire and make use of iron technology and horses.

The empire was first mentioned by Arab chroniclers in the 9th century, and by the 10th century the ruler of Kanem had control of the Kawar Oases, a vital economic asset. The political structure of the Kanem empire had most likely grown out of rival states coming under the control of the Zaghawa. In the 11th century the Zaghawa clans were driven out by Humai ibn Salamna, who founded the kingdom of Kanem with a capital at Njimi. The Saifwa dynasty was established, a dynasty which ruled for 771 years—the longest known reign in history. Saifwa rulers (known as mais) claimed they were descended from a heroic Arabic figure, and the dynasty greatly expanded the influence of Islam, making it the religion of the court. Wealth came largely through trade, especially in slaves, which was facilitated by the empire’s position near important North-South trade routes.

The empire had a policy of imperial expansion and traded for firearms and horses, wielding huge numbers of cavalry. When a mai desecrated a sacred animist religious artifact, conflict occurred between the dynasty and groups like the Bulala. Conflicts from outside forces were also enhanced by the empire’s policy of collateral succession of brother succeeding brother which produced short reigns and unstable situations. In the late 14th century the Saifawa were forced to retreat west across Lake Chad and establish a new kingdom called Bornu. This is the origin of the name Kanem-Bornu.

Bornu expanded territorially and commercially, but increasing threats from other rival states, drought, trade problems, and rebellious Fulani groups eroded state control. Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi, a Muslim cleric, eventually defeated the rebellious Fulani and built a new capitol at Kukawa in 1814. His successors ended the Saifwa dynasty and the Kanem-Bornu Empire when they killed the last mai in 1846. Al-Kanemi’s Shehu dynasty was short-lived, and succeeded by slaver and warlord Rabih Zubayr, who was defeated by the Frenchin 1900.

https://www.blackpast.org/african-a...istory/empire-kanem-bornu-c-9th-century-1900/

Other maps show that the Kanem Bornu empire covered a more compact territory

However it dispels the modern myth being spread by Western & other nefarious sources that Islam was spread by force into Africa.

The Bornu empire was headed by indigenous tribes who became Muslim and then went on to spread Islam with the expansion of their territory.


The Bornu Empire’s influence spread as far north as Libya and other modern day Arab countries. This meant that rather than being subjugated the African empires themselves had a great influence on the Arab World themselves

The Bornu Empire went into decline as colonial Europe expanded its influence into Africa, ending a rich & noble history of Islamic empire in Africa.

Even though a revival of such empires is not feasible in the modern era, it will serve as a fascinating template the ancient and successful trading route across the Sahara from the Arab World to Sub-Saharan Africa.

More sources:

http://www.nigeriagists.com/2015/08/nigerian-kingdoms-and-empires-bornu.html?m=1

Thanks for the share brother.

I am more well-versed in Horn of Africa and the Swahili Coastline but know a fair bit of Western African history as well including the history related to Islam and Arabs. Most of those Western African kingdoms had very close ties to Arab kingdoms and Arabs where part of those kingdoms as well.

There is also the famous Mansa Musa whose extravagant pilgrimage to Makkah some 700 years ago entered the books of legends. He was reputedly one of the richest people in history. Arabs formed part of his government.

The renowned Professor Ali Alamin Mazrui (An Arab family that have lived in Kenya for centuries) has created some of the greatest documentaries about African Muslim history with focus on Arab-African interaction.

See this short 5 minute video from a longer documentary:

 

[Mamadouso]

Thanks for the share brother.

I am more well-versed in Horn of Africa and the Swahili Coastline but know a fair bit of Western African history as well including the history related to Islam and Arabs. Most of those Western African kingdoms had very close ties to Arab kingdoms and Arabs where part of those kingdoms as well.

There is also the famous Mansa Musa whose extravagant pilgrimage to Makkah some 700 years ago entered the books of legends. He was reputedly one of the richest people in history. Arabs formed part of his government.

The renowned Professor Ali Alamin Mazrui (An Arab family that have lived in Kenya for centuries) has created some of the greatest documentaries about African Muslim history with focus on Arab-African interaction.

See this short 5 minute video from a longer documentary:

That is great, I will try and cover more of the major empires in the next few weeks for anyone who is interested