The Great Comoro Detour: Zanzibar's Dhow Empire in Madagascar

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore Zanzibar's little-known reach into the Comoros and Madagascar during the 19th century. Under Said bin Sultan, Omani dhows extended the clove and slave economy beyond the Swahili Coast, establishing plantations on the Comoros islands of Ngazidja, Nzwani, and Mwali, and forging ties with the Sakalava kingdom in Madagascar. They discuss the dhow routes that carried coconut oil, copal, and slaves across the Mozambique Channel, the role of the Antalaotra (Muslim traders from the Comoros), and how the rise of the Merina kingdom reshaped these networks. The episode also covers the 1856 Treaty of Commerce with France, which curtailed Omani influence, and the lasting cultural imprint of Swahili and Arab communities on the islands. Specific figures include Said bin Sultan, the Sakalava queen, and the Merina king Radama I. A fresh look at Zanzibar's Indian Ocean periphery. #Zanzibar #Comoros #Madagascar #SaidBinSultan #DhowTrade #SwahiliCoast #IndianOcean #MozambiqueChannel #Sakalava #Merina #Antalaotra #ClovePlantations #Copal #SlaveTrade #OmaniEmpire #Ngazidja #Nzwani #History #SpiceIslands #AngloZanzibarWar Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo