ANSWER:
THE PORTUGUESE EMPIRE ON THE EAST AFRICAN COAST (1498 � 1698)
Introduction
Europe got the desire
to explore the unknown parts of the world and East African coast was among the
areas targeted. This was in search for raw materials and new market. The
Portuguese were the first Europeans to establish contacts at the East African
coast in 1497.
In November 1497,
the Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama (1460-1524), commissioned by king Manuel
I the Fortunate to open the route to the Indies, was the first European to sail
round the Cape of Good Hope. The Portuguese arrived in Mombasa on the 7th of
April 1498, where the Arabs repelled them cutting their anchors. The expedition
went on Northward and docked at Malindi one week later. The sailor came to
terms with the local sultan, who supplied a pilot that knew the route to
Calcutta, the most important commercial port in Southwest India at the time. He
left Malindi for India and arrived May 20th 1497. Tension increased and Vasco da
Gama was bound to leave Calicutta, and after a long and tough trip during which
scurvy decimated the crew, the expedition arrived back in Malindi on the 8th of
January 1499, where da Gama ordered to burn his vessel San Rafael, since the
available crew was insufficient. The strategic importance of the East African
harbours prompted the Portuguese Crown to seize this region. Within ten years,
the Portuguese Navy sieged and conquered all the coastal cities save their ally
Malindi. Mombasa gained its reputation of rebel city since it resisted
invasion, being destroyed three times, in 1502, 1528 and finally in 1588, when
it finally fell under Portuguese control.
Why the
Portuguese came to the coast
The Portuguese had a
number of reasons why they had to control the East African coast but the major
ones are trade, religion and exploration. Firstly, they wanted to spread
Christianity at the coast. This was motivated by the desire to revenge against
the Arabs who had invaded their area in 711 A.D. and forced the Portuguese to
accept Islam.
Connected to the
above, the Portuguese hoped to get assistance from the legendary King Prester
John IV who was believed to be living in North East Africa (Ethiopia).
Therefore, their desire to associate with the Ethiopians forced them to occupy
the coast.
Thirdly, they
wanted to stop the spread of Islam along the coast of East Africa. They had
identified Islam as a potential danger to the strategic interests of Portugal.
Therefore destroying the spread of Islam would lead to their success in their
investment without a strong religion and civilization that would oppose.
Fourthly, the
Portuguese wanted to control the Indian Ocean trade and participate directly in
it. Since the Portuguese were traders by plan, they wanted to have monopoly
over the Indian trade in order to earn high profits at the expense of the Arabs
who would be their competitors.
They also hoped to
obtain wealth from East Africa like gold, which was mined by Makalanga people
of Mwenomotapa in the present day Zimbabwe. They also hoped to obtain silk from
East Africa for their industrial development.
The Portuguese
wanted to prevent other European countries from gaining access to the Indian
Ocean trade, which would bring stiff competition. At that time the level of
industrialization was starting in Europe and many countries were searching for
market and trade in profitable zones so the Portuguese had control the coast to
stop any other country to think of coming to occupy it.
They were also
attracted by the good natural harbours where ships could obtain fresh supply of
water, food and drugs and their ships would be repaired from these harbours.
The Portuguese
also hoped that their occupation on the coast could prevent the Turks and
Egyptian forces from obtaining help at the coast. Turks in the near future
became a problem to the Portuguese because they competed for the coast with
them.
More so, they
wanted to make them pay taxes and tributes to the Portuguese king. This was
actually the most important for the Portuguese mission on the East African
coast. Portugal was a poor country that wanted revenue for national development
by taxing the people of the coast. This was done with success in all the
Portuguese colonies in East Africa, West Africa and South America. Strategically,
the Portuguese wanted to control and capture places of strategic importance
like the islands on the East African coast to provide bases for ships and trade
caravans.
The Portuguese
also wanted to explore new areas. The Renaissance was a period of excitement
and adventure. It was a revival in science, art, literature, philosophy,
commerce and all aspects of human development. Many Europeans made voyages of
exploration in order to seek more knowledge about the world and the unknown
areas. The Portuguese therefore took lead in this event through their man Henry
the Navigator. So by reaching the East African coast they found the area
economically viable.
They also wanted
to establish the shortest sea route to India where they believed to obtain more
wealth.
More still,
Portuguese wanted to gain fame and prestige among the Europeans. Since they
were controlling a very large area from Mozambique to Somalia, they would be
seen with respect and honour as a very powerful people.
The Portuguese had
some selfish motive after realising that East African coastal towns were rich,
they hoped to loot all the wealth and works of art to Portugal. This was partly
done for the enrichment of Portugal. Finally the Portuguese wanted to stop
slave trade and slavery, which was being practised by the Arabs.
In conclusion
therefore, the Portuguese like any other European country were being driven by
more of economic factors than any other reason.
Steps of the
Portuguese conquest of the East African coast
� The Portuguese
captured the East African coast by force. The conquest began in 1487 and it
completed in 1509. � When Vasco da Gama
came, in 1497, he was treated half-heartedly at Mozambique by the residents. At
Mombasa he met open hostility but at Malindi he was welcomed because of the
rivalry between Mombasa and Malindi. He even obtained a pilot to India. �
The conquest of the East African coast began in 1497 when Vasco da Gama made
his successful journey to the coast of India. He reported back about the
profitable business in spices with the Far East and the gold trading in the
interior of East Africa. � The conquest of the
coast took many steps from 1487-1510 A.D. It took the form of force on most
areas that resisted except Malindi that gave the Portuguese the initial
support. � The following steps should be noted as
the most important: Interest began during the first half of the 15th Century
and actual conquest took place between 1498 to 1510. �
In 1487 �
91, Pedro da Covhila was sent using an overland route via Egypt, Aden and Goa
to collect information to King John of Portugal. �
1494 �
Treaty of Tordesilas with European countries gave Portugal the right to
establish a commercial empire in the East. � 1498 �
First Portuguese ships under the command of Vasco da Gama landed at the East
African coast on their way to India. � Pedro Alvares Cabral,
a Portuguese captain made an attempt in 1500 to capture Sofala but he failed. �
In 1502, Vasco da Gama returned to East Africa with 19 ships and he captured
Kilwa and forced sultan Ibrahim to pay tributes every year to the king of
Portugal. The sultan was imprisoned and later released. �
1503 -Laurenco Ravasco captured Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia which he forced to
pay tribute to the king of Portugal. In spite of this, the East African coast was
effectively conquered. � In 1504, Francisco d�
Almeida sent by Emmanuel the Fortunate as the Viceroy of India. Over twenty
ships attacked Mombasa, Sofala and Kilwa. � In 1505, Mombasa was
attacked and burnt down by Francisco D� Almeida and Mozambique
was taken over in 1507 other coastal towns like Malindi, Pate, and Lamu were
also occupied by the Portuguese without much resistance because they
surrendered to the new comers. � The conquest was
completed by 1509 when Socotra on the Red Sea was captured by the Portuguese.
Almeida also occupied Ormaz on the Persian Gulf was also taken up later on the
areas because Portuguese bases in the Middle East. �
In 1510, the entire East African coastline from Socotra to Sofala was under
Portuguese rule. Two Portuguese captains accountable to the Portuguese viceroy
base at Goa in India were appointed to rule East Africa.
Vasco da Gama
Vasco da Gama
played a very important role in the establishment of Portuguese rule at the
East African Coast.
He first came in
1498, looking for a Sea route to India and discovered the economic prosperity
of the East African coast.
He discovered that
gold at Sofala, good harbours for ships that most people are hostile, that they
could be defeated by Portuguese forces.
Vasco da Gama also
discovered that the coastal people were not united to could not easily unite to
fight the Portuguese.
With such an
account of commercial prosperity, Vasco da Gama convinced King Emmanuel of
Portugal to develop interest in the East African coast.
In 1502, Vasco da
Gama came back with 15 warships ready to control the coast. Kilwa, which the
Portuguese believed was the most important town on the coast due to its gold
trade, was the first to be captured by Vasco da Gama.
Vasco da Gama put
the Sultan Ibrahim of Kilwa in prison and forced him to accept Portuguese and
even pay tribute to the King of Portugal.
However, when
Vasco da Gama left for India, Kilwa refused to pay taxes and that is why
Francisco Almeida was sent and played a very important role in the conquest of
East African coast.
Francisco da
Almeida
Among the Portuguese
conquerors, Francisco da Almeida played the most effective role in the conquest
and control of the East African coast. With an army of 1540 soldiers, he
declared an attack on the coast settlements.
Sofala with her
gold trade was the target to attack. However no resistance was received because
Sofala preferred Portuguese rule as compared to that of Kilwa.
Next on his list
of Conquest was Kilwa which had misbehaved after the departure of Vasco da Gama
to India. A lesson was given to Kilwa.
It was destroyed
and looted of anything of value. Moving Northwards, Mombasa followed Kilwa.
Mombasa put the
toughest resistance but they could not manage the military force of Portuguese.
Similarly, in the
next two years, Francisco da Almeida�s instructions most of the islands and towns North of
Mombasa were brought under Portuguese rule.
Why it was easy
to capture the Coast.
Firstly disunity
among the coastal people made the Portuguese succeed in capturing the East
African coast. The coastal inhabitants were disunited for example Malindi was
in bad terms with Mombasa. These weakened them further to resist the
Portuguese. Kilwa and Mombasa were traditional enemies.
Secondly use of
surprise attacks made the Portuguese to succeed in capturing the East African
coast. The Portuguese attacked the coastal cities by surprise and found the
people there unprepared to fight.
Superior weapons
used by the Portuguese made them succeed in capturing the East African coast.
On the other hand, the coastal people were very disorganised militarily. The
Portuguese were better equipped than their enemies.
Naval strength of
the Portuguese made it easy for them to capture the East African coast.
Portuguese had bigger and strong ships called carracks that carried canoes. In
addition, the Portuguese soldiers had enough musks which they used to cover
their faces and heads.
The Portuguese had
brave chiefs who efficiently commanded the forces that captured the coastal
town. These were in the names of Vasco da Gama, D� Almeida, Ruy Laurenco and Pedro da Covhila among
others who had experience in fighting.
They also
succeeded because they had strong will and determination to take over the
coastal towns at all cost.
The Portuguese
were well trained, strong and experienced soldiers compared to the natives of
the East African coast.
The Arabs at the
coast got little or no assistance from Africans in the fight against Portuguese
invaders.
Due to persistent
warfare, food production declined and therefore famine and disease weakened
coastal states.
Portuguese applied
a kind of divide and rule method to capture the East African coast. For
instance the Portuguese made friendship with Malindi against Mombasa.
Compared to the
East African coastal towns the Portuguese had strong and better ships for naval
warfare. They were also many in numbers.
The Wazimba�s influence led to
the success of the Portuguese. Some towns like Kilwa and Mombasa had been
weakened by fear and attacks from brutal and cannibal Zimba. The Wazimba ate
human beings, looted property and burnt down towns.
Life under the
Portuguese on the coast
1.
For
200 years, they stayed at the coast there was total decline and general decay
in the quality of life. They did not establish good relationship with the
people at the East African coast.
2.
The
Portuguese did not mix freely with the Arabs and the Africans. They were highly
discriminative; they concentrated on activities to enrich themselves and their
country Portugal.
3.
They
divided the Coastal strip into parts for easy administration which were under
the captains based in Mozambique.
4.
The
Portuguese administrators were harsh and brutal. They mistreated many Africans
through corporal punishments that created sustainable tension between the two
peoples.
5.
The
Portuguese were involved in religious struggles with an intention to reduce the
influence of Islam although they did less to promote Christianity as well.
6.
Economically,
trade was the major activity and focal point of interest, the trading towns
included Mombasa, Malindi, Zanzibar, Sofala and Mozambique dealing in major
items like gold, copper, ivory and tortoise shells. It has been said that gold
trade was not effective due to war among the people in mining areas.
7.
These
wars interrupted the mining of gold which was the major trade item. Much of the
gold and other trade items were smuggled by Africans because of the high taxes
imposed.
8.
Agriculture
was also carried out mainly on the islands of Mafia, Zanzibar and Pemba. Crops
grown included cocoa, pumpkin, maize among others
9.
On
the trading items the Portuguese levied heavy taxes on the people accompanied
with brutality in the collection and this led to trade decline.
10.
There
was a high rate of Economic deprivation: All works of Art, splendours, the
people of East Africa were looted an taken to Portugal.
11.
Famine
was greatly experienced as farmlands were burnt down during Portuguese
expedition. There were economic hardships highly experienced. Due to decline in
trade, bad economic conditions came up that resulted into the following
economic hardships: unemployment, limited incomes, poverty due to high
taxation, smuggling, poor standards of living.
12.
For
the first 9 years of their rule, they were characterised of constant wars of
conquest. There was always a political fear at the coast caused by the
suspension of Turkish pirates who were always disturbing the coast. Ali Bey is
the best example. The above resulted into political instability at the coast.
His activities encouraged revolts against the Portuguese from Mogadishu to
Mombasa in 1685. Here Moslem leaders attacked Portuguese settlements.
13.
Following
these rebellions, towns were destroyed into ashes. Fort Jesus was built as a
garrison to ensure obedience along the coastal area. The Portuguese
administration was not effective because of lack of enough administrators hence
they could not over see the entire coastline.
14.
There
was Insecurity at the east African coast. Portuguese expeditions and brutality
led to the death of many coastal peoples and made life generally difficult at
the coast. There was gradual depopulation as many Arabs left for fear of their
life and property. Generally the political way of life at the East African
coast was characterised by persistent revolts against Portuguese rule backed by
Turkey and Oman.
Loss of Control
of the Coast by 1700 AD
1.
The
Portuguese were disrupted by both internal and external factors among which
there was Low manpower. Portugal was too small a country to provide enough men
of quality to administer its overseas possession. They did not even involve the
local people in the administration of the coast.
2.
Corruption
was another factor that led to Portuguese loss of control of the East African
coast by 1700 AD. Both the Portuguese soldiers and officials were corrupt. This
meant that Portugal was running the coastal empire at a loss. The political
authority was left in the hands of corrupt officials whose main aim was to make
as much money as possible instead of putting up profit making projects.
3.
Internal
rebellion or revolution by coastal settlement weakened and destabilised
Portuguese rule. For example Persia regained Ormuz, Mombasa remained rebellious
throughout their rule. Oman raids between 1660 -1729 and Pate gave a lot of
trouble to the Portuguese.
4.
Long
coastline also led to loss of control of the coast by the Portuguese. The
coastline was too long to be effectively controlled. This required strong
military machinery that Portugal could not manage to raise.
5.
Military
weakness further undermined Portuguese rule towards the end of the 17th century
and the beginning of the 18th century. The Portuguese failed to suppress the
several coastal uprisings and to defend themselves against Oman and Turks.
6.
Frequent
smuggling of the goods by the coastal people disrupted Portuguese monopoly of
trade. The coastal traders sometimes evaded the payment of tribute and tributes
that were collected were also embezzled.
7.
Stiff
rivalry and competition from the English, the French and Dutch merchants
further destroyed the Portuguese monopoly in the Indian Ocean trade. The
English and Dutch merchants even had a more efficient navy than the Portuguese.
8.
The
union of Spain and Portugal between 1580 and 1640 gradually forced Portugal to
lose control of her Eastern Empire. Spain was less interested in financing the
local administration of the empire. Hence Portugal found rebellions
increasingly difficult to put down and problems harder to solve.
9.
The
external constant attacks from the Turkish pirates disrupted shipping in the
Indian Ocean.
10.
There
was destruction of many Portuguese settlements and also death of Portuguese
from time to time. For example the Zimba raids from Mozambique were very destructive,
the Galla tribe also drove the Segoju and Nyika from their cradle. Therefore
the effects of this migration on coastal towns were very disturbing.
11.
There
was a problem of long distance between Portugal and East Africa. Portugal was
far away from East Africa therefore they could not send their enforcement in
time. Portugal nursed strategic interests in other colonies. Portugal had other
colonies such as Brazil, Angola, Cape Verde and therefore some other
administrators went to administer such colonies instead of East Africa. The
Portuguese suffered from many tropical diseases especially malaria that left
many of the administrators weak and psychologically insecure.
12.
Portuguese
were rude, arrogant and brutal thus coastal people hated them.
13.
Most
coastal towns were made up of Moslems, thus would not interact freely with
Christians whom they referred to as infidels.
14.
The
Portuguese government lacked sufficient funds to finance the administration of
the coast. The climate of East Africa proved too harsh. Many Portuguese died
and therefore reduced in number. The decline of Gedi and other towns was also
attributed to acute shortage during the 16th century. This could not support
the increasing population.
Results of
Portuguese rule on the coast.
1.
The
two hundred years of Portuguese rule on the East African coast left behind both
negative and positive impacts. But when properly analysed, it remains quite
clear that the impact was almost entirely negative. There was little positive
contribution to make much impression on the coastal people. Among the negative
effects were that the Portuguese rule led to depopulation of the coastal towns.
Their primitive and constant raids on coastal settlements caused death of many
people.
2.
There
was mass destruction of most coastal towns which tried to put up resistance
like Kilwa, Mombasa, Oja, and Brava. These were consistently looted and
thereafter dilapidated.
3.
Portuguese
rule left the coastal people economically poor. This was due to imposition of
heavy taxes on the people. To worsen matters the coastal people were eliminated
from the Indian Ocean trade, which had been a basis of their livelihood.
4.
The
East African coast was left undeveloped. This was mainly due to lack of
efficient and centralised administration of the coastal settlements, corrupt
officials who never thought of developing the commercial and agricultural
resources of the coast. Much of the revenue collected was embezzled and little
was sent to the Portuguese king�s
treasury.
5.
Both
the Arabs and the Africans remained uncooperative to the Portuguese rule
because of their ruthlessness and brutality to the coastal people. Hence their
subjects hated everything about them and copied nothing from them. Even in
their architecture, dress, customs and language-totally nothing.
6.
Their
attempt to convert the coastal Moslem people to Christianity failed. Whereas
they were the first people to introduce Christianity in East Africa, their
religion made almost no mark on the coastal civilisation.
7.
The
Portuguese policy of divide and rule intensified the disunity of the coastal
settlement for example Malindi, became too hostile to Mombasa, Mogadishu,
Brava, Oja, Kismayu, Pate and Lamu.
8.
Portugal�s rule
discouraged the incentive of local traders to revive their traditional export
and import trade example led to decline of the craft trade. The strong links
between the middle-east were broken. The heavy customs duties imposed by the
Portuguese further discouraged smuggling of goods for example the profitable
gold trade through Sofala steadily declined.
9.
There
were also a few positive impacts which need to be mentioned, they include the
following: Fort Jesus which was built in 1592 by the Portuguese has continued
to play an important role in the history of the East African coasts and Kenyan
government. It stands out as a tourist attraction and has earned a lot of
revenue to the government.
10.
The
Portuguese are remembered for the introduction of some food crops from Europe
and America which have enriched the diet of the people, These include maize,
groundnuts, cassava, sweet potatoes, pineapples, papaws and guavas. The
Portuguese brought maize to East Africa. Most Europeans at the time called
maize �Indian corn�.
11.
The
Portuguese added a number of words to the Swahili language that is words like
meza, pesa among others. Words borrowed from Portuguese include the big one � pesa, meaning
money. It is borrowed from pesos, the Iberian currency. Other Portuguese words:
sapatu (slippers), shimizi (female undergarment), kandirinya (water kettle).
They also attempted to translate the Bible into Kiswahili language. Up to today
Kiswahili remains a national language for both the governments of Kenya and
Tanzania.
12.
They
established strong links between the East African coasts and India. Many
traders and crafts men came to East Africa especially between 1500 and 1700
example the men who built Fort Jesus.
In conclusion, the
Portuguese rule was more destructive than constructive to the people of East
Africa. Their work according to the historians was �first to plunder the
Indian Ocean trade, secondly to put the sea board towns in tribute, thirdly to
accumulate personal loot.
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