Zanzibar's 1835 Plague: The Indian Ocean Quarantine That Reshaped Trade

In 1835, bubonic plague struck Zanzibar, killing thousands and triggering a radical experiment in Indian Ocean quarantine. This episode follows the unlikely partnership between Sultan Said bin Sultan and the Khoja merchant Jairam Sewji, who transformed Stone Town's harbor into a controlled zone—suspending trade, isolating ships, and burning cargo. We explore how the plague exposed the fragility of the clove economy, deepened Indian merchant influence, and set a precedent for later health regulations under British rule. Drawing on Omani court records, British consular reports, and oral histories from the watoro community, we examine a crisis that reshaped Swahili Coast commerce long before the Frere Treaty. #Zanzibar #BubonicPlague #1835 #IndianOcean #Quarantine #SaidBinSultan #JairamSewji #Khoja #StoneTown #Busaidi #TradeHistory #SwahiliCoast #PublicHealth #Slavery #Watoro #History #FexingoHistory #PandemicHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo