Did you know? On August 27, 1896, the Zanzibar archipelago was the scene of the shortest war in history. Thirty-seven minutes of fighting between British forces and Persian forces, who were then ruling the archipelago.
The bombardment of Zanzibar, as recorded by History, was the shortest war the world can recount. It was August 27, 1896. Zanzibar was controlled by the sultans of Oman, who had established their seat on the island of Unguja, the main island of the archipelago. Sultan Khalid Ibn Bargash decided to take the throne following the death of Hamad ibn Thuwaini, a sympathizer of the British. Opposed to his reign and already having another favorite for the succession, the British issued him an ultimatum. He had until the following day to vacate the palace. Instead, the sultan barricaded himself inside. Great Britain struck first, and the sultan’s men retaliated. This was followed by 37 minutes of bombardment and the defeat of Khalid Ibn Bargash. He was forced into exile.
This marked the end of Zanzibar as a “sovereign” state (although under a protectorate), the archipelago whose independence had been declared by the sultans of Oman in 1858. The British extended their control and truly took possession of the territory.
Zanzibar, a coveted archipelago
Through Unguja, the Persians seized Zanzibar. In 1698, the sultans of Oman* expelled the Portuguese, who had been present since 1499 and used the archipelago as a port for the exploration of Africa and as slave trading posts. The name Zanzibar is said to come from the old Persian “Zangibar,” meaning “The land of the Blacks.” The first sultan to rule the archipelago, Majid bin Said, declared its independence in 1858.
In 1890, the British, who had always exerted influence over the area and wished to expand their colonial empire, established a protectorate over the archipelago, mainly over the islands of Unguja and Pemba. Facing major economic difficulties, the Persians had no choice but to accept this expansion. The United Kingdom then strengthened its influence over Zanzibar’s politics. All the more so since Tanzania (then “Tanganyika”), which lies opposite the archipelago, already belonged to the Empire. From 1890 onward, Zanzibar became the object of struggles for influence between the United Kingdom and Prussia (present-day Germany).
*The Sultanate of Oman is a Middle Eastern country located along the Arabian Sea and bordered by Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
