After the Portuguese had gone away from the East African coast, struggles came up as to who was to rule the East African coast. These struggles were between the Mazrui family, an Arab family that had come to the East African Coast and settled in Mombasa and the second one was the Busaidi family which was the ruling dynasty of Oman empire from Oman, a country located south East of Saudi Arabia.

Friendship between the East African coast and Arab World had been there before the coming of the Portuguese and Arabs who were from Oman had settled at the coast. The Oman Arabs played an important role in the Indian Ocean trade and so the trading contacts between Oman and the Coast had firmly been established by the time the Portuguese came into the scene.

We have also seen that it was the Omani troops who assisted in the overthrow of the Portuguese when Fort Jesus was captured in 1698.

Naturally, the Sultan of Oman must have had reasons for wanting to overthrow the Portuguese. He knew that the majority of the Coastal people were Muslims and by declaring a Jihad on these Christians, he would free the people from them. Secondly, he was aware that the Arabs could never control the Indian Ocean trade again without first defeating the Portuguese and their stronghold at the Coast. Thirdly, the Imam knew just too well that so long as the Portuguese had control over the Coastal towns, he would never have a chance to control these areas. Kilwa and Sofala with the gold trade among other important coastal towns were potentially very important.

When the Portuguese had been defeated, it was quite clear that no other power challenged the position of the Imam of Oman. He, therefore, declared his sovereignty over the Coastal areas and chose his own representatives as rulers of different towns at the Coast.

These people had to collect taxes and administer the Coast on behalf of the Sultan to whom they were answerable. Unfortunately, the new rulers proved equally ruthless and oppressive and many towns rebelled against the Omani governors.

In 1724, Kilwa managed to declare itself independent of Oman, but as trade increased later on especially during the period of the slave trade, Kilwa proved too profitable to be left alone. As a result, there arose a century of conflicts between the rulers of Oman and the Mazrui governors of Mombasa.

The Yorubi Rulers of Oman

Up until 1741, the rulers of Oman were members of the Yorubi Dynasty. During their reign, Oman had many problems. The pirates at the sea plundering here and there and civil war threatened the very peaceful existence of Oman. As a result, they could not control the East African Coast effectively.

To maintain his post, the Sultan of Oman was forced to appeal to Persia for military help, an act which later proved detrimental to the Yorubi Dynasty.

In 1741, Sultan Saif bin Sultan al Yorubi fell prey to a Persian soldier who shot him dead. However, the Persian did not take control of Oman. Instead, the throne passed to Ahmed bin Busaidi and with this a new Busaidi Dynasty was established.

The Mazrui Governors and the Busaidi Family

Just before he was killed, Sultan Saif ibn, Sultan of the Yorubi Dynasty, had chosen Mohammed bin Uthman al-Mazrui who belonged to the Mazrui family, the oldest Oman family in Mombasa as the ruler of Mombasa. In the same year the Yorubi ruling family in Muscat was overthrown and replaced by Busaidi family. Therefore, in 1741 the Mazrui family took over the governorship of Mombasa and at the same time, the Busaidi family took over the throne in Oman.

The Busaidi vowed to have a tight control over the Coastal towns, Mombasa included. However, Mombasa did not wish to be dominated by another power. It was determined to remain independent. It was this desire for freedom which sparked off the long struggle between the two ruling dynasties, especially when Mohammed ibn Uthman Mazrui refused to accept Ahmed ibn Said as his superior to whom he had to owe allegiance.

The Sultan was, therefore, left with only one choice and that was to eliminate the troublesome Mazrui governors. He sent his men to Mombasa with instructions to kill the Governor of Mombasa, and this they carried out with much success. However, the rule of Oman Arabs was as bad as that of the Portuguese and as a result the Mazrui family did not want to be ruled again by the outsiders and therefore a long conflict began in the years between 1741 and 1837.

 

Why the Oman Arabs wishedto control

the East African coast between 1696-1867.

After assisting the coastal people to defeat the Portuguese in 1698, the Oman Arabs imposed themselves as new coastal masters. The Oman Arabs seem to have wanted to monopolise the profitable coastal trade. Certainly, with the fall of the Portuguese, the Oman Arabs saw an open opportunity to control the East African coast.

There was need to control the coastal people. There was also need to collect taxes. Another factor was favourable climate at the Coast compared to their home areas. There was need to control the East African coastal towns through their governors

To maintain social, economic and cultural links with their Moslems in East Africa. There was a plan to defeat the Mazrui of Mombasa.

The political instability in Oman due to the Yorubi-Busaidi rivalry for power in their areas made the East African coast become an area of refugee.

Wanted to crash Mombasa so as to prevent other coastal towns using her as an example of a rebellion.

Oman Arabs also wanted to make sure that the Portuguese could not return to the East African coast as rulers.

In conclusion therefore, it appears that since the Oman Arabs had played a very important role in defeating the Portuguese, they wanted to control the coast as a compensation for their effort in defeating the Portuguese.

Conflicts between Mazrui- Busaidi and Yorubi Arabs .

During the struggle between the Arabs and the Portuguese, at the coast, the coastal Arabs (Mazrui) asked the Oman Arabs (Busaidi) for assistance in 1606. The Imam of Oman Ibn-Sultan accepted and sent his army to surround Fort Jesus, and in December 1606 the Portuguese were defeated. Fort Jesus fell into the Arab hands. However, Immediately after the defeat of the Portuguese there was a bitter conflict between the coastal Arabs (Mazrui) and the Oman Arabs (Busaidi) over the control of the coast.

Events were precipitated by the Portuguese expulsion from the East African coast in 1698. After the fall of Fort Jesus in 1698, the Imam of Oman claimed the entire coast North of the Rufigi River. Pemba and Kilwa were taken shortly after the capture of Fort Jesus in 1689.

Oman governors called Liwalis were appointed to rule the coastal towns. The governors became ineffective and unpopular. This was because they were harsh and ruthless in collecting taxes. This actually led to unrest in most towns.

In Oman itself, the Yorubi dynasty was only able to rule up to 1741 because it was weakened by the rivalry from the Busaidi family. The pirates were also a menace at the sea.

The coastal towns started rebelling against the Imam of Oman. The towns of Zanzibar, Pemba, Malindi, Pate, Mafia, and Kilwa attempted to call the Portuguese back from India and other areas to help them solve their problems and remove the leadership of Imam of Oman.

The Sultans of Oman were too weak to rule the coast of East Africa effectively. In 1741 a new governor in the names of Muhammad Ibn Al – Mazrui, from one of the powerful families of Mombasa was appointed governor of Mombasa by the Imam of Oman. This conflict/ struggle was due to a number of reasons,

The Mazrui family became a source of trouble for the Imams for over 100 years. They made themselves almost independent rulers of Mombasa and led revolts against the Imams.

The death of Ahmed Ibn Al – Busaidi (1744 – 1784 ) direct control of Oman’s east African possessions was attempted.

The Busaidi rulers were occupied trying to control Oman for 4 years while the Mazrui of Mombasa were able to extend their influence along the coast without disturbance.

The three families were all prosperous families in the Arab world and there are many reasons to justify their struggles. The sultan in Oman wanted to control the Coastal towns like Kilwa, Mombasa, Zanzibar among others. They were also struggling to obtain the sole control of the lucrative trade at the coast of East Africa.

In addition, the Sultan wanted to levy taxes on the Coastal towns and this encouraged them to struggle for the control.

Some families wanted to be independent at the coast most especially in Mombasa.

The Mazrui in Mombasa had fought so much to remove the Portuguese from the East African coast so they did not want any foreign power to rule them.

The Sultans from Oman wanted slaves from East Africa some thing that Mazrui family did not want.

The struggles occurred due to retaliation of the coastal towns which were encouraged to rebel because of the weaknesses of the Oman rulers who were pre-occupied with the enemies in Arabia and sea pirates.

The coastal towns including Mombasa wished to be independent as they had been before the coming of the Portuguese. So they did not want to lose their independence to the foreign rule among others

The rise of the Busaid dynasty to power in Muscat threatened the Mazrui interests at the coast. As a result the Mazrui opened war on the Busaid.

The Assassination of Lowali Mohamed bin Uthman al Mazrui and the imprisonment of his brother in Fort Jesus increased Mazrui conflict with the Busaidi.

The growing influence of Mombasa at the coast threatened Muscat.

The weaknesses of the Yorubi dynasty which had given Mazrui powers to control the coast on their behalf later intensified hatred between the Busaidi and the Mazrui.

The Busaidi were not happy with the Mazrui monopoly over trade at the coast.

Meanwhile the Mazrui also wanted to maintain their monopoly on trade at the coast of the East Africa, bns aiiil) iy

The attempt by the Mazrui to destroy the Oman influence at the coast after the murder of Uthman al Mazrui led to war with the Busaidi.

Both the Mazrui and the Busaidi competed to politically control the coast of East Africa.

The Mazrui hated the Busaidi for overthrowing the Yorubi dynasty in Muscat. The Mazrui wanted to be independent of Oman, which the Busaidi objected.

The Mazrui accused the Oman Arabs of corruption and therefore they wanted to break away from them.

Both Mazrui and Busaidi competed to control the coast because of its strategic location.

Both parties wanted to use the coast as a centre to collect taxes (revenue) to boost their trade.

The desire to control the Indian Ocean trade.

The Busaidi wanted to control the coast in order to maintain cultural links with their brothers who had fled to the coast of East Africa after the fall of the Yorubi dynasty.

The East African coast had good Harbours that could allow refuelling and anchoring of ships.

Oman Arabs wanted full control of the coast in order to spread Islam.

Both Mazrui and Busaidi Arabs competed to control the coastal plains for agricultural production.

The coastal states were wealthy hence the need by the Oman rulers to dominate them.

Main events in the struggle

Effects of the struggle

1. In 1698, Fort Jesus fell to the Oman control followed by other areas.
2. 1728 /29 the Portuguese reoccupied Mombasa but were later pushed out with Oman help.
3. 1741, the Yorubi dynasty was overthrown by the Busaidi family.
4. At the same time of murder of Sultan Al ­ Yorubi, there was seizure of the throne by Ahmed Saidi Al Busaidi.
5. Governor Muhammad Ibn Uthman Al- Mazrui appointed in 1741 and refused to recognise the new dynasty and declared Mombasa independent. Sultan Saif tried to appeal for Persian help but was treacherously murdered.
6. In retaliation for Mombasa’s rebellion, Governor Uthman Al – Mazrui was murdered.
7. Fort Jesus was seized in 1741.
8. In 1742, Al - Ibn Uthman Mazrui recaptured Mombasa marking the beginning of 200 – years old Mazrui Busaidi feud influence.
9. Between 1770 and 1784 Mazrui influence extended over most of the coast but Zanzibar still remained loyal to the Oman.
10. There was resistance to Oman rule on towns.
11. There was power struggle between two Busaidi brothers Sultan Seyyid Said Ibn Ahmed and Saif Ibn Ahamed Al- Busaidi.
12. Defeated Saif Ibn Ahmed fled to East Africa where he attempted to take control of Kilwa and Zanzibar. Forces were sent against him and was exiled to Lamu Island.
13. Coast placed under Oman control and there was temporary peace.
14. By 1800 the Mazrui were revolting and by 1814 the towns under Mazrui control were already appealing to the Oman Sultan for help. This involved Seyyid Said.
15. In 1847 there was bombardment of Mombasa and capture of the Mazrui traitors leading to death and destruction of property.
16. Finally 1840 Seyyid Said transferred his capital from Muscat to Zanzibar for effective control.

Factors for the collapse or decline of the mazrui at the coast of East Africa

Firstly, the Mazrui were military weak. Secondly, the Mazrui depended on the Portuguese that had already been defeated at the coast. Thirdly, the Mazrui lacked capable rulers.

The Mazrui were economically poor and weak farmers

The Oman Arabs were very determined to defeat the Mazrui.

The rise of Seyyid Said, a good military Busaidi ruler led to (he defeat of the Mazrui.

The Busaidi allied with the British to defeat the Mazrui.

The strength of the Oman Empire led to the defeat of the Mazrui.

The Mazrui were internally disunited and this led to their defeat.

The Mazrui were proud and arrogant and this cost them the support of the coastal people.

The Mazrui's failure to secure the support of Britain led to their defeat.

The Pate rebellion finally weakened Mazrui influence.

The Busaidi rulers were harsh and this scared off the would be prominent Mazrui rulers.

The role played by Khalid the son of Seyyid Said in silencing and defeating Mombasa.