Kilwa Kisiwani, the Indian Ocean Trade, and the Rise of East African City-States
Kilwa Kisiwani, located on the southern coast of modern-day Tanzania, is a prime example of how African city-states developed and became wealthy while maintaining autonomous rule. These city-states built connections to the rest of the world while maintaining cultural, political, and economic connections with each other. Kilwa was not a lone city-state on the East African coast; there were a number of other city-states on the Indian Ocean, including Lamu, Mafia, and Zanzibar. These city-states formed the Swahili civilization and controlled the East African coast from the 9th century through the 17th and 18th centuries.
Those East African city-states started as fishing and agricultural communities. However, once agriculture created a surplus for trading, the villages became wealthier and expanded into towns and cities. The city-states enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy, each with their ruler (sultan) and complete control over the commercial activities within their territories. The city-states controlled the trade between the interior of Africa and the Indian Ocean while trading with Persia, India, China, and the Arabian Peninsula. The East African city-states constantly competed with each other over trade, and literature suggests that each city-state had its own set of dedicated traders.
The unique culture that emerged on the east coast of Africa was a result of the vibrant trade and interaction with numerous other countries. The influx of merchants from the Arabian Peninsula and Persia and the subsequent cultural harmonization with the indigenous communities gave birth to the rich Swahili culture and language. By 1930, most of these city-states had embraced Islam. Despite their cultural proximity, a homogenous Swahili kingdom never materialized, and the city-states maintained their relative autonomy, although at times, a single sultan would control more than one city-state.
Kilwa was one of the biggest and most prosperous city-states on the east coast of Africa in the 12th century. Kilwa was established as an independent city-state with political and economic rules. It had its own sultan and royal family, as well as a number of religious, political, and military officials. The set of rules that governed the island was inspired by Islam, the main religion on the island at that time. The culture in Kilwa, like most East African city-states, was cosmopolitan. The people spoke Swahili, practiced Islam, and interacted with Arabs and Persians to create a unique regional culture.
Kilwa, with its heavy reliance on the Indian Ocean trade, emerged as one of the largest and most prosperous city-states on the east coast of Africa in the 12th century. Kilwa traders dealt with valuable commodities such as ivory, gold, and even slaves while importing luxury goods like glass, silk, and porcelain. The ambitious Sultans of Kilwa sought to expand their influence over regional trade routes, gaining political control over other Swahili towns like Mvita (Mombasa), Zanzibar, and even across the Mozambique Channel in Mas control over gold mining in Zimbabwe further solidified its dominance over the trade routes of and up to the Red Sea, enhancing the Indian Ocean its power and ’ its power and wealth.
Kilwa’s wealth attracted the Portuguese to the city, who took control of the city-state after besieging it in the 16th century. Consequently, the Omani rulers of Zanzibar, as well as the French, took control of the Kilwa island. From that point on, Kilwa’s trade started shrinking, and the city went into decline. In the 19th century, the city was abandoned until it became part of the German East Africa Colony from 1886 until 1918.
Kilwa and other East African city-states demonstrate the universality of the city-state as centers of trade and commerce. The power of pre-colonial Kilwa and its place as a commercial entrepot are still evident in the ruins left throughout the island today. Monuments of Kilwa’s cultural and political influence, like the Great Mosque of Kilwa and the Palace of Husuni Kubwa, still stand. The influence of Kilwa on the unique Swahili culture throughout the region remains clear.