409:
which altered the established trading networks and socioeconomic relations between
Shirazi patricians, Indian merchants, and Arab traders of various origins (Hadramaut, Comoro, Zanzibar). As Glassman pointed out, the German colonizers were tolerated as long as they were seen as challenging Omani domination. However, with the treaty of 1888, Germans were perceived as clients of the sultan, and now their former allies turned against them, simultaneously contesting German and Omani authority over the coast. The uprising, in other words, indicated the precariousness of Omani Arab hegemony, rather than 'Arab' leadership, and was rooted in a social contest that pitted diverse religious and ethnic identities … against each other.
157:
120:
168:
133:
324:, and also from the Swahili and African population. The company's administrator, Ernst Vohsen, made no attempt to conciliate his new subjects. He decreed that owners of land were obliged to register and prove ownership of their holdings, and that all other land would pass into the ownership of the company. Various other levies and rules were imposed, and the Sultan's former officials and military forces were taken under the control of the company, on much reduced salaries. The haughty attempts by
703:
183:
192:
380:
to the south of the colony, where with the assistance of the German navy he had no difficulty in recapturing the coastal towns in May 1890. However the Yao chief, Machemba, from his fastness on the
Makonde Plateau, was able to repel the forces sent against him by the Germans. He finally negotiated a peace agreement with his opponents in May 1891.
37:
388:
The revolt had revealed the complete inability of the German East Africa
Company to administer its territory. On 1 January 1891 the German Imperial government assumed control of German East Africa, and the company received extremely generous financial compensation. The very effective military force
379:
The other major rebel leader in the north was Bwana Heri, a former trader who had established himself as ruler of the
Saadani district. He repulsed a German force in December 1889, but further expeditions early in 1890 caused him to surrender and submit to German rule. Wissmann then took his forces
408:
by dubbing al-Bushiri's military resistance the 'Arab
Uprising,' the Germans completely misread the political dynamics beneath the opposition they faced. In the decades prior to the arrival of the Germans, Tanganyika had seen a progressive encroachment of Omani military and administrative power,
375:
soldiers whom he hired in Egypt and
Mozambique. The German and British navies collaborated in establishing a blockade of the East African coast, to prevent assistance reaching the rebels. Wissmann's force landed at Bagamoyo early in May 1889, and from there they advanced against Abushiri's fort,
400:
The German victors dismissed the
Coastal Rebellion of 1888-90 as an "Arab Rebellion," as reflected in the title of Rochus Schmidt's standard history of the military campaign. It was not until the publication of Jonathan Glassman's doctoral thesis in 1995 that a fuller picture of the rebellion
573:
348:. The south of the colony was soon also in revolt, with Yao warriors from the interior taking a leading role. The Germans were expelled from Lindi and Mikindani, and those in Kilwa were killed. It was only Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo which remained in German hands.
308:
Negotiations between
Germany and Britain late in 1886 established the final boundaries of the colony of German East Africa, but reserved a strip of land, ten miles wide, along the coast as the property of the Sultan of Zanzibar. On 28 April 1888,
376:
which they seized with great loss of life to the defenders. Abushiri retired to the interior, but he was pursued by
Wissmann and returned to the coast, where he was captured and executed on 15 December 1889.
265:
and induced certain chiefs in the hinterland of the
African mainland to sign "protection contracts" promising vast areas to the society. Once it had gained a foothold, Peters' new
594:
Jonathon Glassman, "Social Rebellion and Swahili Culture: The Response to German Conquest of the Northern Mrima, 1888-1890", PhD thesis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1988.
401:
emerged, with a better understanding of the motivations of the different elements of the coastal population, and of how these combined to spark the rebellion.
550:
Jörg Haustein, "Provincializing Representation: East African Islam in the German Colonial Press," in Felicitas Becker, Joel Cabrita and Marie Rodet (eds),
626:
858:
580:
Robert D. Jackson, "Resistance to the German Invasion of the Tanganyikan Coast, 1888-1891," in Robert I. Rotberg and Ali A. Mazrui (eds),
480:
Robert D. Jackson, "Resistance to the German Invasion of the Tanganyikan Coast, 1888-1891," in Robert I. Rotberg and Ali A. Mazrui (eds),
344:, who gained the support of both the Arabs of the area and local Swahili tribes. Abushiri's father was an ethnic Arab and his mother an
843:
316:
From August 1888, the company tried to take over the coastal towns against fierce resistance from the Arab elite, who feared for their
898:
817:
619:
803:
888:
883:
810:
612:
878:
893:
873:
720:
254:
903:
853:
393:. Under Wissmann's command, it proceeded to establish German rule over the caravan routes to Kilimanjaro and
310:
281:
848:
341:
233:
and African population of the coast of what is now Tanzania. This coast had been leased, under protest, to
197:
177:
702:
404:
The German historian, Jörg Haustein, has expressed very effectively the latest thinking on this question:
238:
868:
863:
796:
266:
137:
569:
Geschichte des Araberaufstandes in Ost-Afrika: seine Entstehung, seine Niederwerfung und seine Folgen
526:
Geschichte des Araberaufstandes in Ost-Afrika: seine Entstehung, seine Niederwerfung und seine Folgen
678:
774:
635:
285:
599:
Feasts and Riot: Revelry, Rebellion, and Popular Consciousness on the Swahili Coast, 1856-1888
441:
Feasts and Riot: Revelry, Rebellion, and Popular Consciousness on the Swahili Coast, 1856-1888
241:
in 1888. The rebellion was eventually suppressed by a German expeditionary force commanded by
97:
465:
294:
8:
668:
28:
663:
650:
274:
70:
313:
finally signed a treaty, leasing the coastal strip to the German East Africa Company.
743:
352:
325:
270:
172:
284:, who nevertheless had to yield after Peters had obtained official support from the
751:
356:
317:
302:
242:
161:
46:
733:
394:
361:
214:
230:
837:
769:
728:
234:
182:
156:
124:
119:
604:
761:
367:
345:
686:
321:
258:
587:
John A. Kieran "Abushiri and the Germans," in Bethwell A. Ogot (ed.),
36:
191:
262:
76:
332:, to raise the company's flag over the town sparked the uprising.
397:, as the next stage in the complete subjection of the territory.
329:
591:(Nairobi: East African Publishing House, 1970), p. 157-201.
571:(Frankfurt an der Oder: Trowitzsch, 1892). English translation:
372:
289:
278:
42:
226:
100:
takes control of Tanganyika from German East Africa Company
340:
The revolt around Pangani was led by the plantation-owner
584:(New York: Oxford University Press, 1970), p. 36-79.
221:), but generally referred to by modern historians as the
389:
established by Hermann Wissmann was converted into the
502:
Jackson, "Resistance to the German Invasion," p.72-74.
493:
Jackson, "Resistance to the German Invasion," p.67-72.
466:"East Africa: diplomacy and defiance", Henry Mwanzi,
430:(Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1979, p.91.
484:(New York: Oxford University Press, 1970), p.55-6.
269:acquired further lands on the mainland up to the
835:
552:Religion, Media and Marginality in Modern Africa
574:A History of the Arab Rebellion in East Africa
391:Kaiserliche Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Ostafrika
634:
620:
443:(Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann, 1995), p.200-1.
554:(Athens: Ohio University Press, 2018), p.75.
45:on the march during the Abushiri Revolt (by
365:for German East Africa. Wissmann created a
627:
613:
528:(Frankfurt an der Oder: Trowitzsch, 1892).
225:was an insurrection in 1888–1889 by the
190:
859:Military history of German East Africa
836:
608:
797:South-West Africa Campaign (1914–15)
601:(Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann, 1995).
355:intervened and appointed Lieutenant
351:In January 1889, German Chancellor
253:In late 1884, an expedition of the
13:
14:
915:
844:African resistance to colonialism
582:Protest and Power in Black Africa
482:Protest and Power in Black Africa
305:appeared off the Zanzibar coast.
195:Zanzibar and German East Africa,
899:Wars involving the German Empire
701:
181:
166:
155:
131:
118:
35:
811:East African Campaign (1914–18)
544:
531:
371:of German officers and African
255:Society for German Colonization
804:West Africa Campaign (1914–16)
518:
505:
496:
487:
474:
459:
446:
433:
428:A Modern History of Tanganyika
420:
328:, the German administrator in
277:. That met with opposition by
1:
561:
282:Barghash bin Said of Zanzibar
248:
41:A German company of Sudanese
513:Modern History of Tanganyika
383:
342:Abushiri ibn Salim al-Harthi
198:Meyers Konversations-Lexikon
178:Abushiri ibn Salim al-Harthi
7:
10:
920:
889:1889 in German East Africa
884:1888 in German East Africa
818:Pacific Campaign (1914–19)
267:German East Africa Company
138:German East Africa Company
791:
787:
760:
742:
719:
712:
697:
677:
649:
642:
636:German colonial conflicts
335:
148:
110:
53:
34:
26:
21:
679:German South West Africa
413:
311:Sultan Khalifah bin Said
879:19th-century rebellions
144:Arab and Swahili Rebels
894:Wars involving Germany
874:19th century in Africa
411:
218:
202:
149:Commanders and leaders
904:Sultanate of Zanzibar
406:
219:Sklavenhändlerrevolte
194:
854:Rebellions in Africa
298:(German Navy) under
209:, also known as the
94:Rebellion suppressed
849:History of Zanzibar
669:Maji Maji rebellion
597:Jonathon Glassman,
470:, May 1984, page 30
439:Jonathon Glassman,
292:and a fleet of the
211:Slave Trader Revolt
29:Scramble for Africa
721:Shantung Peninsula
713:Asia & Pacific
651:German East Africa
295:Kaiserliche Marine
275:Usambara Mountains
239:Sultan of Zanzibar
223:Coastal Rebellion,
203:
71:German East Africa
869:Conflicts in 1889
864:Conflicts in 1888
831:
830:
827:
826:
783:
782:
744:German New Guinea
695:
694:
353:Otto von Bismarck
326:Emil von Zelewski
189:
188:
173:Emil von Zelewski
106:
105:
98:German government
80:
911:
789:
788:
775:Samoan Civil War
752:Sokehs rebellion
717:
716:
705:
647:
646:
629:
622:
615:
606:
605:
567:Rochus Schmidt,
555:
548:
542:
535:
529:
524:Rochus Schmidt,
522:
516:
509:
503:
500:
494:
491:
485:
478:
472:
463:
457:
450:
444:
437:
431:
424:
357:Hermann Wissmann
303:Eduard von Knorr
243:Hermann Wissmann
185:
171:
170:
169:
162:Hermann Wissmann
160:
159:
136:
135:
134:
123:
122:
74:
55:
54:
47:Rudolf Hellgrewe
39:
19:
18:
919:
918:
914:
913:
912:
910:
909:
908:
834:
833:
832:
823:
779:
756:
738:
734:Jietou incident
708:
691:
673:
659:Abushiri revolt
638:
633:
564:
559:
558:
549:
545:
539:Feasts and Riot
536:
532:
523:
519:
510:
506:
501:
497:
492:
488:
479:
475:
464:
460:
454:Feasts and Riot
451:
447:
438:
434:
425:
421:
416:
395:Lake Tanganyika
386:
362:Reichskommissar
338:
251:
207:Abushiri Revolt
167:
165:
164:
154:
132:
130:
117:
90:German victory
81:
73:
40:
22:Abushiri revolt
17:
12:
11:
5:
917:
907:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
871:
866:
861:
856:
851:
846:
829:
828:
825:
824:
822:
821:
814:
807:
800:
792:
785:
784:
781:
780:
778:
777:
772:
766:
764:
758:
757:
755:
754:
748:
746:
740:
739:
737:
736:
731:
725:
723:
714:
710:
709:
707:
706:
698:
696:
693:
692:
690:
689:
683:
681:
675:
674:
672:
671:
666:
664:HeHe rebellion
661:
655:
653:
644:
640:
639:
632:
631:
624:
617:
609:
603:
602:
595:
592:
585:
578:
563:
560:
557:
556:
543:
530:
517:
504:
495:
486:
473:
468:UNESCO Courier
458:
445:
432:
418:
417:
415:
412:
385:
382:
337:
334:
286:Foreign Office
261:, had reached
250:
247:
187:
186:
175:
151:
150:
146:
145:
142:
141:
140:
113:
112:
108:
107:
104:
103:
102:
101:
95:
87:
83:
82:
69:
67:
63:
62:
59:
51:
50:
32:
31:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
916:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
867:
865:
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
842:
841:
839:
820:
819:
815:
813:
812:
808:
806:
805:
801:
799:
798:
794:
793:
790:
786:
776:
773:
771:
770:Samoan Crisis
768:
767:
765:
763:
759:
753:
750:
749:
747:
745:
741:
735:
732:
730:
729:Juye incident
727:
726:
724:
722:
718:
715:
711:
704:
700:
699:
688:
685:
684:
682:
680:
676:
670:
667:
665:
662:
660:
657:
656:
654:
652:
648:
645:
641:
637:
630:
625:
623:
618:
616:
611:
610:
607:
600:
596:
593:
590:
586:
583:
579:
576:
575:
570:
566:
565:
553:
547:
540:
534:
527:
521:
514:
508:
499:
490:
483:
477:
471:
469:
462:
455:
449:
442:
436:
429:
426:John Iliffe,
423:
419:
410:
405:
402:
398:
396:
392:
381:
377:
374:
370:
369:
364:
363:
358:
354:
349:
347:
343:
333:
331:
327:
323:
319:
314:
312:
306:
304:
301:
300:Konteradmiral
297:
296:
291:
287:
283:
280:
276:
272:
268:
264:
260:
256:
246:
244:
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
212:
208:
200:
199:
193:
184:
179:
176:
174:
163:
158:
153:
152:
147:
143:
139:
129:
128:
127:
126:
121:
115:
114:
109:
99:
96:
93:
92:
91:
88:
85:
84:
78:
72:
68:
65:
64:
60:
57:
56:
52:
48:
44:
38:
33:
30:
25:
20:
816:
809:
802:
795:
762:German Samoa
658:
598:
588:
581:
572:
568:
551:
546:
538:
533:
525:
520:
512:
507:
498:
489:
481:
476:
467:
461:
453:
448:
440:
435:
427:
422:
407:
403:
399:
390:
387:
378:
368:Schutztruppe
366:
360:
350:
339:
315:
307:
299:
293:
252:
222:
210:
206:
204:
196:
116:
111:Belligerents
89:
75:(modern-day
27:Part of the
687:Herero Wars
322:ivory trade
259:Carl Peters
838:Categories
562:References
537:Glassman,
515:, p.97-98.
456:, p.214-8.
452:Glassman,
249:Background
384:Aftermath
257:, led by
201:, 1885-90
16:Rebellion
589:Hadith 2
511:Iliffe,
263:Zanzibar
77:Tanzania
66:Location
577:(2021).
330:Pangani
271:Uluguru
237:by the
235:Germany
231:Swahili
125:Germany
61:1888–89
49:, 1891)
43:askaris
643:Africa
373:askari
336:Revolt
290:Berlin
279:Sultan
215:German
180:
86:Result
414:Notes
346:Oromo
318:slave
320:and
273:and
227:Arab
205:The
58:Date
359:as
288:in
840::
245:.
229:,
217::
628:e
621:t
614:v
541:.
213:(
79:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
