A Crossroads of Global Trade!
A glimpse into the Past.
In 1328, the Arabian geographer Ibn Battuta visited East Africa and described Mombasa as a large and bustling town. He noted its abundance of bananas, lemons, and citrons, and praised the native community for being religious, chaste, honest, and peaceful. By the mid-14th century, Mombasa's population had reached 10,000. Its strategic location along the Indian Ocean facilitated trade and interaction with the outside world. Before the 1500s, Mombasa saw a diverse array of traders from distant lands. A Ptolemaic gold coin found near Dar es Salaam suggests the presence of Greeks on the East African coast, likely drawn by the ivory trade and the East Asian spice route. The presence of the Chinese along the Swahili Coast is also well-documented, with Chinese authors from the Sung (960-1279) and Ming (1368-1644) Dynasties referring to East Africa as Tsang-pat or Tseng-po. They were particularly interested in gold, ivory, and rare animal skins. Portugal's Naval Prowess: Pioneers of the Age of Discovery
In the 15th and 16th centuries, Portugal revolutionized shipbuilding and naval artillery, establishing itself as a dominant maritime power. With significant government funding, Portugal developed advanced ships, such as the highly maneuverable caravel, giving them a crucial advantage in exploring new sea routes to the East, South America, and North America. This ability to navigate faster and further extended Portugal's global influence, enhancing their role in distant trade and colonization. For over a century, Portugal dominated vast regions of the Atlantic Ocean south of the Canary Islands, the Indian Ocean, and had access to the western Pacific, solidifying their legacy as pioneers of the Age of Discovery.
A Race to Round the Cape
Africa and America were discovered almost simultaneously, with Spain uncovering the Americas and Portugal exploring Africa. In 1492, Christopher Columbus discovered America, having previously discovered the West Indies, which half solved the riddle of India and hinted at the forthcoming discovery of Africa. The race hinged on financial support, which Portugal received first. By 1486, the Portuguese were nearing Africa. The 1497 expeditions of the extraordinary Portuguese sailor Pedro de Covilhã to the northeastern coast of Africa, and the subsequent heroic voyages of Bartolomeu Dias, who famously rounded the formidable Cape of Good Hope, opened the sea route to Asia via the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Bartolomeu’s journey is considered one of the greatest feats by Portuguese explorers of the 15th century.
Portugal Reaches the Swahili Coast
On April 7, 1498, Vasco da Gama arrived in Mombasa aboard his beloved ship, the San Raphael, a 200-ton storeship. Soon after his arrival, da Gama set off for the coastal town of Malindi, which was a significant town at the time. Chronicles describe Malindi’s lofty, well-whitewashed houses with many windows, surrounded by palm groves, maize, and vegetable fields. The welcome in Malindi was pleasant, and before departing for India, da Gama erected a stone pillar, prefabricated in Portugal, as a symbol of the amicable relationship. A year later, in 1499, Vasco da Gama returned to the Kenyan coast on a voyage back from Calicut. His fleet had ten ships, joined by an additional nine ships led by his brother Estevão da Gama, with more ships set to arrive from Portugal. During his second visit to Malindi, or Melinda, as he called it, the Portuguese aimed to secure the Swahili East African Coast as a corridor to India.
Taking Over the Swahili Coast
By 1505, the Portuguese had taken over Malindi and declared it the seat of government for the Viceroy. Securing Mombasa was crucial due to its strategic position, favorable climate, and excellent harbors. Mombasa, a thriving center ruled by the Shirazi families alongside Malindi and Kilwa, was less receptive to da Gama than Malindi. The relationship between the Portuguese and Mombasa remained strained throughout the era of Portuguese occupation of the coast. However, the Portuguese had little interest in the interior of Kenya; their focus was on economic gains, not imperial conquest. They concentrated on trade, trade routes, and trading posts. As the German missionary and traveler Krapf noted, “In East Africa, the Portuguese have left nothing behind but ruined fortresses, palaces, and ecclesiastical buildings. Nowhere is there to be seen a single trace of any real development.” Fort Jesus, completed in 1596, is the most outstanding and well-preserved edifice from that era. By 1507, the Portuguese had invaded and taken over most of the coastal cities along Kenya’s coast, including Pate Island, which offered little resistance to avoid the reputed brutality and repercussions of Portuguese conquest.
