The war Britain won in 38 minutes

It ended with a complete victory for the British, who cemented their position in Zanzibar for decades to come. The war’s brevity, however, belied the complex geopolitics that led to its outbreak in the first place.

What was the background to the Anglo-Zanzibar War?

Zanzibar, an archipelago off the East African coast of modern-day Tanzania, was a strategic hub in the Indian Ocean, rich in resources and a crossroads for trade routes. By 1890, it had become a British protectorate, meaning that while the sultan remained a figurehead it was the British empire that wielded political and military control.

Britain’s interests in Zanzibar were primarily driven by trade concerns, which had to be placed in the wider context of imperialist competition with other European colonial powers in Africa, notably the German empire. The islands had proven to be crucial for controlling shipping lanes from British India to Europe.

Moreover, the British had launched a campaign to suppress the East African slave trade, motivated by both humanitarian and imperialist purposes, and Zanzibar had long been a major trafficking centre.

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What caused the Anglo-Zanzibar War to break out?

The catalyst for the war was the death of the pro-British sultan, Hamad bin Thuwaini, in August 1896. While not confirmed, he was almost certainly poisoned by his cousin, Khālid ibn Barghash, who then hastily declared himself the new sultan.

This was against the wishes of the British, who favoured another, more amenable, candidate, Hamoud bin Mohammed.

Khālid’s accession caused great alarm. Not only had he seized power without British approval, but he was seen as sympathetic to Germany and so his rule could inspire a challenge to British dominance in the region.

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As tensions escalated, Khālid fortified the palace and gathered upwards of 2,800 supporters, as well as artillery and machine guns. The royal yacht was sent into the harbour with a few arms, but nowhere near enough to stand against the British warships that were amassing off Zanzibar’s coast.

Determined to prevent Khālid from consolidating his power, the British issued an ultimatum: he was to step down by 9am on 27 August, or face military action. Khālid refused and continued preparing for what he believed would be a long conflict.

Why was the Anglo-Zanzibar War so short?

At precisely 9.02am on 27 August 1896, Royal Navy warships under the command of Rear Admiral Harry Lawson opened fire.

The bombardment was devastating and the palace was largely destroyed within minutes. The royal yacht, the sole representative of a Zanzibari navy, was quickly sunk.

A detachment of British marines and sailors landed and advanced on the blazing remains of the palace, encountering little resistance. In as little as 38 minutes – although sources of the war’s duration differ, with some claiming it stretched out to 45 minutes – Khālid’s forces were overwhelmed.

The short-lived sultan fled to the German consulate seeking asylum. Khālid remained in exile, but was eventually captured by the British during the First World War.

While estimates suggest that the bombardment and landing resulted in around 500 Zanzibaris killed or wounded, the British forces sustained only one casualty. They quickly installed their preferred candidate, Hamoud, to ensure that Zanzibar remained under British control.

What happened after the Anglo-Zanzibar War?

In the aftermath of the war, the British empire consolidated their power in Zanzibar, with the new sultan acting effectively as a puppet ruler, as they had hoped.

Although brief, the war was also a clear demonstration of the hegemony of European powers in East Africa, signalling to other local rulers that they had little recourse against the superior military technology of the imperial powers.

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The Anglo-Zanzibar War underscored the British empire’s supremacy at its height, and was a major flashpoint in the so-called Scramble for Africa, the carving up of the continent by European powers that defined the late-19th century.

Zanzibar remained under British control until 10 December 1963, when the protectorate ended. The archipelago became a fully sovereign state and member of the Commonwealth of Nations.