1. Visits, settlement and occupation

2. Already several hundred years before the birth of Christ trading people were able to cross the open sea from India to Arabia. Almost simultaneously there were people who sailed south along the coast of Africa. One of the reasons that this sea was navigated, was that the monsoon winds blew very regularly. From November to March, they came from the northeast. The rest of the year they blew in the opposite direction, so the ships could easily get back home.

4. Even as far away as China there was commu-nication
Even as far away as China there was commu-nication. The Chinese early knew how to build ships that were able to cross the Indian Ocean. The ships were very large with several decks and up to seven masts. The first known Chinese description of East Africa dates from the year 863.

5. The Chinese were especially looking for ivory, and the direct trade between the two regions continued for hundreds of years. In 1414 the city of Malindi sent a delegation to the Emperor of China. As a gift they brought a giraffe that survived the journey, and that made a big impression on the Chinese.

6. The Arabs have been on the East African coast for nearly 2000 years and in all that time, they have influenced the development there. The first Arab who wrote about the area, called it Zanj. The Arabs built the small commercial towns on the African coast, and many of them married African women.

7. From the mixture between Zanj-people and Arab merchants emerged a new people – the Swahili-people They were dressed as Arabs lived in the same kind of houses and were mainly artisans and tradesmen, but it was still an African people with their own language. After Muhammad's death Islam spread to large parts of the world, and because of the close links with the Arab countries the East African coast also became an Islamic area..

8. In 1497 the Portuguese Vasco da Gama succeed-ed in sailing around Africa with four ships and 148 men. It was not Africa, the Portuguese were interested in exploring. They had for many years tried to find the sea route to India by sailing south along the coast of West Africa. In India they wanted to get hold of spices like pepper and cinnamon.

9. On the way up along the coast of East Africa the Portuguese discovered the many and major trading towns. This came as a surprise to them, as they thought that the people they would meet, were wild and bloodthirsty tribes. Instead they met a trading world that was bigger and perhaps richer than anywhere in Europe.

10. The first place they went ashore, was in the city of Mozambique
The first place they went ashore, was in the city of Mozambique. The city's leader, the Sultan, invited them to enter the city, and gifts were exchang-ed. There soon arose a disput-e between the Portu-guese and the Swahilis, when Vasco da Gama discovered that the inhabitants were Muslim. In the end, the Portuguese bombarded the city from their ships before they sailed further north.

11. In 1505 a fleet of 22 ships and 1500 men was equipped to conquer Kilwa, Mombasa and other trading cities. The Portuguese dealt harshly with their opponents, and town after town became razed to the ground, and the Sultans either killed or forced to flee. Instead, the Portuguese inserted their own leaders and built forts to control the coast.

12. The Portuguese figured that trade would continue as before, but it did not happen. Their brutal conquest destroyed all trade. They were only interested in getting as many treasures as possible, especially gold and ivory

13. Although the Portuguese ruled the coast of East Africa for 200 years, they have not left many traces except the ruins of their forts. Even during the Portuguese rule the Arab influence was large. The Portuguese did not change people's language or religion, and daily life continued unchanged for most people.

14. When the Oman Arabs expelled the Portuguese from the East African coast around 1700 , the Arab influence grew again. In 1806 Sultan Sayid Said came to power. He understood how important it was to control trade in East Africa, if Oman should preserve its power. When he in 1840 decided to move the capital of the Oman kingdom to the island of Zanzibar, the whole coastline virtually became a part of the Arab world. .

15. Coastal towns lost their independence because the Sultan installed his own men as rulers and intro-duced Arabic rule of law. They had the power to levy heavy taxes and ensure peace and order. Each year, a portion of the money was sent to Muscat along with many slaves, ivory and gold. Gradually the coastal towns also lost their importance as trading towns, because Zanzibar increasingly became the center.

16. The island was very fertile, and under the sultan's leadership forests were cut down and spices were cultivated instead. The land was in particular well suited for growing cloves which were very popular in Europe and Asia for cooking and for perfume. Within a few years the island was covered with clove plantations and ships from around the world came to Zanzibar and paid large sums to be allowed to buy the spices.

17. Initially, it was the inhabitants of Zanzibar, who worked in the plantations, but gradually it became necessary to import slaves from the mainland to do the hard work.

18. It became increasingly common that merchant ships from the U. S
It became increasingly common that merchant ships from the U.S. and Europe came to Zanzibar to retrieve goods. Most came to buy ivory, mother of pearl and spices. Many countries had a permanent representative (consul) on the island, which showed that Zanzibar was important for the trade of the large countries.