IXᵉ siècle – XVIᵉ siècle
Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden coast
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Zeila was a major port serving the Muslim states of southern Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It controlled access to important inland trade routes, handled the movement of slaves from the Ethiopian hinterland, and was the southernmost port regularly frequented by Egyptian merchants in the region. It also hosted students from Ifat at al-Azhar and circulated Mamluk currency.
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Le récit
Zeila stood at the maritime edge of the Muslim states south and east of the Ethiopian highlands. The port was described as the most important outlet for those states and as the starting point for caravans entering the interior. Its position made it a commercial hinge between the Red Sea world and the inland markets of Ethiopia and the Horn.
Egyptian merchants reached Zeila, which appears in the extract as the southernmost port they regularly frequented in these regions. Through Zeila, and to a lesser degree Berbera, the main stream of slaves from the Ethiopian hinterland passed toward overseas markets. Zeila’s importance therefore rested on both caravan commerce and maritime exchange.
The port also connected religious and monetary networks. Students from Ifat had their own hostel at al-Azhar, while Mamluk dirhams and dinars were reportedly the only currency in circulation in the Muslim states of southern Ethiopia. Zeila thus linked local Muslim polities with Egypt even when formal diplomatic relations between Cairo and those states were absent.
IXᵉ siècle – XVIᵉ siècle
Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden coast
Traduction non disponible · Original (anglais) · français indisponible
Zeila was a major port serving the Muslim states of southern Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It controlled access to important inland trade routes, handled the movement of slaves from the Ethiopian hinterland, and was the southernmost port regularly frequented by Egyptian merchants in the region. It also hosted students from Ifat at al-Azhar and circulated Mamluk currency.
Poursuivre l’exploration
Le récit
Zeila stood at the maritime edge of the Muslim states south and east of the Ethiopian highlands. The port was described as the most important outlet for those states and as the starting point for caravans entering the interior. Its position made it a commercial hinge between the Red Sea world and the inland markets of Ethiopia and the Horn.
Egyptian merchants reached Zeila, which appears in the extract as the southernmost port they regularly frequented in these regions. Through Zeila, and to a lesser degree Berbera, the main stream of slaves from the Ethiopian hinterland passed toward overseas markets. Zeila’s importance therefore rested on both caravan commerce and maritime exchange.
The port also connected religious and monetary networks. Students from Ifat had their own hostel at al-Azhar, while Mamluk dirhams and dinars were reportedly the only currency in circulation in the Muslim states of southern Ethiopia. Zeila thus linked local Muslim polities with Egypt even when formal diplomatic relations between Cairo and those states were absent.
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