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Swahili Coast Trade (1010s)

Type Event Region East Africa Time 1011–1020

In the early 11th century, city-states of the Swahili coast in East Africa prospered on the Indian Ocean monsoon trade network.

Timeline

  1. 1011–1020Swahili Coast · Swahili CoastArab and Persian merchant ships used the monsoons to travel between the Gulf of Aden, the Persian Gulf, and East African ports, forming a stable seasonal trade cycle; coastal city-states gained wealth through port tariffs and intermediary trade.
  2. 1011–1020Mombasa · Swahili CoastCity-states such as Kilwa, Mombasa, and Malindi connected the Zambezi River basin and the East African interior via caravans, acquiring ivory and gold for transshipment to Indian Ocean markets; local rulers and Muslim merchants jointly governed port societies.

Sources