Indian Ocean Trade and the Rise of Swahili City-States (1000–1700 CE)

1. Great Mosque of Kilwa constructed (initial phase)

   Jan 1, 1050Labels: Great Mosque, Kilwa Kisiwani

   • UNESCO Kilwa
   • Great Mosque

2. Kilwa begins minting local coinage

   Jan 1, 1100Labels: Kilwa Kisiwani, Local coinage

   • UNESCO Kilwa
   • EBSCO Coins

3. Pate Sultanate documented by early 13th century

   Jan 1, 1200Labels: Pate Sultanate, Pate

   • Pate Island

4. Great Mosque of Kilwa enlarged

   Jan 1, 1250Labels: Great Mosque, Kilwa Kisiwani

   • UNESCO Kilwa
   • Great Mosque

5. Husuni Kubwa palace built at Kilwa

   Jan 1, 1310Labels: Husuni Kubwa, Kilwa Kisiwani

   • UNESCO Kilwa

6. Ibn Battuta describes Kilwa’s prosperity

   Jan 1, 1330Labels: Ibn Battuta, Kilwa Kisiwani

   • UNESCO Kilwa
   • Ibn Battuta

7. Gedi flourishes within Swahili trade networks

   Jan 1, 1400Labels: Gedi, Swahili town

   • UNESCO Gedi

8. Portuguese occupy Sofala to tap gold trade

   Jan 1, 1505Labels: Sofala, Portuguese

   • Britannica Sofala
   • Sofala 1505

9. Portuguese sack Kilwa and impose a fort

   Jul 24, 1505Labels: Kilwa Kisiwani, Francisco de

   • Sack Kilwa
   • Almeida Armada

10. Fort Jesus constructed to dominate Mombasa

    Jan 1, 1593Labels: Fort Jesus, Mombasa

    • UNESCO Fort
    • Fort Jesus

11. Gedi abandoned amid 17th-century coastal upheavals

    Jan 1, 1650Labels: Gedi, Ruins

    • UNESCO Gedi
    • Ruins Gedi

12. Omani siege captures Fort Jesus, ending Portuguese hold

    Dec 13, 1698Labels: Fort Jesus, Omani

    • Siege Mombasa
    • UNESCO Fort