XVIᵉ siècle – XVIᵉ siècle
East African coast
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Portuguese intervention on the East African coast disrupted the commercial civilization of the Swahili city-states. In 1502 Portugal placed Kilwa and Zanzibar under tribute; in 1505 Francesco d’Almeida sacked Kilwa and Mombasa and built Fort Santiago at Kilwa. Trade between the towns was prohibited, prompting merchants to leave for Malindi and the Comoro Islands, while Lamu and Pate were occupied. The episode is presented as the beginning of the collapse of a long-established urban trading network linked to Arabia, Persia, India, China, and the Mediterranean.
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Le récit
Before Portuguese intervention, East African ports had participated in commercial exchanges with Arabia, Persia, India, China, and the Mediterranean since at least the eleventh century. Their urban civilization depended on maritime connections and on the movement of merchants through the Swahili coast. Portuguese expansion altered this balance by imposing tribute and using military force against established ports.
In 1502, Kilwa and Zanzibar were placed under Portuguese tribute. Three years later, Francesco d’Almeida sacked Kilwa and Mombasa and built Fort Santiago at Kilwa. Portuguese authorities prohibited trade between the towns, encouraging merchants to abandon them for Malindi and the Comoro Islands.
The intervention extended beyond the two attacked ports. Lamu and Pate were occupied, while the Portuguese station network remained relatively small compared with the older towns of Western Sudan and the Swahili coast. The extract identifies this Portuguese invasion as the beginning of the collapse of East Africa’s urban commercial civilization.
XVIᵉ siècle – XVIᵉ siècle
East African coast
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Portuguese intervention on the East African coast disrupted the commercial civilization of the Swahili city-states. In 1502 Portugal placed Kilwa and Zanzibar under tribute; in 1505 Francesco d’Almeida sacked Kilwa and Mombasa and built Fort Santiago at Kilwa. Trade between the towns was prohibited, prompting merchants to leave for Malindi and the Comoro Islands, while Lamu and Pate were occupied. The episode is presented as the beginning of the collapse of a long-established urban trading network linked to Arabia, Persia, India, China, and the Mediterranean.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
Before Portuguese intervention, East African ports had participated in commercial exchanges with Arabia, Persia, India, China, and the Mediterranean since at least the eleventh century. Their urban civilization depended on maritime connections and on the movement of merchants through the Swahili coast. Portuguese expansion altered this balance by imposing tribute and using military force against established ports.
The intervention extended beyond the two attacked ports. Lamu and Pate were occupied, while the Portuguese station network remained relatively small compared with the older towns of Western Sudan and the Swahili coast. The extract identifies this Portuguese invasion as the beginning of the collapse of East Africa’s urban commercial civilization.