Zanzibar's 1842 Persian Connection: The Khoja Schism of the Busaidi Court

In 1842, a religious dispute among Zanzibar's Khoja community fractured the Indian Ocean trade networks that powered the Busaidi sultanate. This episode follows the rise of the Aga Khan's Ismaili Khojas and the rival Ithna'ashari faction, the British arbitration that reshaped communal loyalties, and how Said bin Sultan's court navigated the schism. We explore the role of Jairam Sewji, the Bhatia merchant-prince who brokered peace, and the lasting impact on Zanzibar's clove economy and its ties to Kutch and Bombay. The story reveals how a theological debate over the succession of the Aga Khan became a diplomatic crisis that echoed from Stone Town to the Red Fort. #Zanzibar #Khoja #Ismaili #Ithnaashari #AgaKhan #SaidBinSultan #JairamSewji #Busaidi #IndianOcean #Kutch #Bombay #1842 #SlaveTrade #ClovePlantations #StoneTown #ReligiousSchism #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo