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City of the Kilwa Sultanate

Type Object Region East Africa Time c. 1200–1513

Kilwa Kisiwani was one of the most important sultanate capitals on the Swahili Coast, on an island off the southern coast of present-day Tanzania.

Timeline

  1. c. 1200–1300Kilwa Kisiwani · TanzaniaRulers such as Ali ibn Hassan built Kilwa into a trading center on the Swahili Coast, constructing the Great Mosque and palaces and controlling the export routes of the southern gold-producing regions.
  2. 1331–1332Port of Kilwa · TanzaniaThe Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta arrived at Kilwa, recording its crowded harbor, devout residents, and the sultan's hospitality toward guests, providing a contemporary witness to the prosperity of an East African city in the early 14th century.
  3. 1331–1340Kilwa Kisiwani and Songo Mnara · TanzaniaDuring this decade, Kilwa and nearby Songo Mnara formed a twin-port system, with coral-stone palaces and warehouses lining the shore; a fleet of single-masted dhows carried inland gold via Sofala to Indian and Arab markets.
  4. c. 1310–1333Husuni Kubwa Palace · KilwaSultan Hasan ibn Sulaiman expanded the Husuni Kubwa palace and port facilities; Kilwa's power reached its zenith, ruling over coastal ports and intervening in the inland Sofala gold trade.

Sources