19. The Anglo-Zanzibar War
The Sultanate of Zanzibar in what is now Tanzania consisted of the islands of Zanzibar off the East African coast, and the mainland across the water from them. In 1890, Britain and Germany divided up Zanzibar: the Germans got the mainland, while the British got the islands. Zanzibar’s sultan accepted a British protectorate, whose terms included the requirement that his successors had to be preapproved by the British. When the sultan died in 1893, the British used that provision to install a puppet replacement, Hamad bin Thawani. He ruled for three years, then shortly before noon on August 25th, 1896, he died suddenly. It was suspected that his 29-year-old nephew Khalid bin Bargash had poisoned him.
Khalid immediately moved into the palace in Zanzibar Town, and without British approval as required by the terms of the protectorate treaty, declared himself sultan. The British preferred a more pliant successor, Hamoud bin Muhammad. So they rushed three cruisers, two gunboats, 150 marines and 900 African soldiers to Zanzibar Town, and gave Khalid an ultimatum to vacate the palace by 9 AM, August 27th. He refused, gathered a force of about 2800 men, and barricaded himself in the palace. When the ultimatum expired, the British warships opened fire at 9:02 AM.
