New working hypothesis on the control of Oman on East Africa: from the Ya'ariba to the Al Bu Sa'id Dynasty

From the 11th to the 17th century the Ya’ariba dynasty empowered Oman foreign trades through an active naval policy against the Portuguese, combined with an expansion !"#$%&'(#)&(*+,$'-&#',./&,*&#',#0/120+%+(+,#3+4$#5"('*+6#7/(',8#$% :$%#*&,$/(;#$%&# <+=+('1+# 4$!!># +$# $%&# %&+># !"# +# .!/('4%',8# )&(*+,$'-&# (&'8,# $%+$# ?+4# -',@&># $!# $%&# coastal cities and the principal islands of East Africa. The Ya’ariba Omani domination along East African littorals, which included Mombasa and the island of Pemba, was characteristic of quite normal changes in dominion over the coasts and the seas, without resulting in substantial alterations in traditional commercial organization. The presence of Arab governors was often so as to control trade and impose taxes; this institution had its roots in the traditional Omani system of exercising power, as well as in the political agreements with local chiefs and rulers. In this regard, the Ya’ariba often assisted by merchants from the coasts of Western India, and defended by Asian troops, carried to the coasts of Sub-Saharan East Africa the Omani power system. The A)+,'4#4/""&(&>#)+,;#>&"&+$4#1/$#?&(&#B,+--;#%&-C&>#1;#5%)+>#1',#0+='>#D(6#9EFG2 1804), one of the small Al Bu Sa’id group who was, at that time, Governor of Sohar. He succeeded in driving out the Persians and, after having overcome the Ya’ariba family and their Ghafari supporters, was elected Imam and founded the present Al Bu Sa’id dynasty.