EPISODE · May 6, 2026 · 4 MIN
The Swahili City-States and the Indian Ocean Silver Trade
from Trade Routes That Changed Human History Forever — Fexingo History · host Fexingo
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the crucial role of silver in the Indian Ocean trade networks of the Swahili city-states, focusing on the 10th–14th centuries. They discuss how silver from the Abbasid Caliphate and the mines of Central Asia flowed through the Swahili Coast to India and China, financing the rise of city-states like Kilwa, Mombasa, and Zanzibar. The conversation highlights the Kilwa Chronicle, the Shirazi dynasty, and the impact of the silver crisis on East African economies. Lucas explains the connections between the Swahili elite and the Indian Ocean trade, the use of Chinese porcelain as a status symbol, and the role of monsoon winds. The episode also touches on the decline of Swahili power with the arrival of the Portuguese and the disruption of silver routes. #SwahiliCoast #IndianOceanTrade #SilverTrade #Kilwa #ShiraziDynasty #KilwaChronicle #AbbasidCaliphate #ChinesePorcelain #MonsoonWinds #EastAfrica #Mombasa #Zanzibar #PortugueseEmpire #MedievalTrade #EconomicHistory #GoldTrade #History #FexingoHistory #SilkRoad #HanDynasty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
What this episode covers
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the crucial role of silver in the Indian Ocean trade networks of the Swahili city-states, focusing on the 10th–14th centuries. They discuss how silver from the Abbasid Caliphate and the mines of Central Asia flowed through the Swahili Coast to India and China, financing the rise of city-states like Kilwa, Mombasa, and Zanzibar. The conversation highlights the Kilwa Chronicle, the Shirazi dynasty, and the impact of the silver crisis on East African economies. Lucas explains the connections between the Swahili elite and the Indian Ocean trade, the use of Chinese porcelain as a status symbol, and the role of monsoon winds. The episode also touches on the decline of Swahili power with the arrival of the Portuguese and the disruption of silver routes. #SwahiliCoast #IndianOceanTrade #SilverTrade #Kilwa #ShiraziDynasty #KilwaChronicle #AbbasidCaliphate #ChinesePorcelain #MonsoonWinds #EastAfrica #Mombasa #Zanzibar #PortugueseEmpire #MedievalTrade #EconomicHistory #GoldTrade #History #FexingoHistory #SilkRoad #HanDynasty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
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The Swahili City-States and the Indian Ocean Silver Trade
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