Indian Ocean slave trade

The Indian Ocean slave trade, also called the East African slave trade, was an important part of history. Many people from sub-Saharan Africa were taken from their homes. They were moved along the coasts, like the Swahili coast and the Horn of Africa, and across the Indian Ocean. Many places were affected, including East Africa, Southern Arabia, the west coast of India, islands such as Madagascar, and places in southeast Asia like Java.

People were taken from many areas, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, but also from North Africa, the Middle East, islands in the Indian Ocean, and South Asia. This trade began a very long time ago, about 4,000 years ago. It grew bigger during late antiquity around the 1st century CE when big trading groups like the Byzantine and Sassanid empires started trading more. Later, in the 7th century, Muslim slave trading began.

From the 16th century onward, some slaves were also sent to the Americas, including Caribbean colonies, as countries from Northern, Western, and Southern Europe got involved in the slave trade. Finally, this terrible trade slowly stopped in the 19th century when slavery was abolished.

History

Ancient Indian Ocean slave trade

Slave trading in the Indian Ocean began around 2500 BCE. Ancient groups such as the Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, and Persians traded slaves on a small scale across the Indian Ocean and sometimes the Red Sea. Writings from Greek and Roman times talk about slave trading in the region, including ports in the Horn of Africa.

In later years, Gujarati merchants became important traders in the Indian Ocean, dealing in slaves along with other goods like ivory. Indonesians also took part, bringing spices to trade in Africa and returning with goods including slaves.

Muslim Indian Ocean slave trade

As Muslim trading networks grew, so did the trade in slaves. By the 11th century, Kilwa on the coast of Tanzania had become a wealthy center for trading slaves and gold. Traders captured people from areas such as Kenya, Mozambique, and Tanzania and brought them to the coast. From there, many were sold to buyers in the Middle East and East Africa.

Over time, the number of slaves traded grew, with thousands being moved each year. Slaves were used for many purposes, including working on farms and in households.

European Indian Ocean slave trade

Europeans also took part in the slave trade in the Indian Ocean beginning in the 16th century. Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French traders all exported slaves from places such as Mozambique and the Mascarene Islands. Though the British later worked to end the slave trade, it continued secretly for many years.

Overall, the Indian Ocean slave trade moved hundreds of thousands of people over many centuries, affecting many parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

Geography and transportation

People traveled on dhows or jalbas, Arab ships used in the Red Sea, to move others across long distances. Crossing the Indian Ocean needed more planning and resources than land travel. Ships from Zanzibar would stop at places like Socotra or Aden before heading to the Persian Gulf or India. Some were taken as far as India or China, where Arab traders had settlements.

During the 1800s, the trade of people from East Africa grew because many people wanted them. Traders and raiders traveled through eastern and central Africa to find people to take. Many of these people came from different groups in East Africa and were taken to various ports for trade.

Towns and ports involved

• Swahili Coast:
  • Bagamoyo (Tanzania)
  • Zanzibar (Tanzania)
  • Kilwa (Tanzania)
  • Sofala (Beira, Mozambique)
  • Mombasa (Kenya)
  • Nyangwe (Kasongo, Democratic Republic of Congo)- Sultanate of Utetera
• Horn of Africa:
  • Assab (Eritrea)
  • Massawa (Eritrea)
  • Nefasit (Eritrea)
  • Tadjoura (Djibouti)
  • Zeila (Somalia)
  • Mogadishu (Somalia)
  • Kismayo (Somalia)
• Arabian Peninsula:
  • Jeddah (Hejaz)
  • Zabīd (Yemen)
  • Muscat (Oman)
  • Aden (Yemen)
  • Socotra (Indian Ocean)
• Indian subcontinent:
  • Debal (Sindh)
  • Karachi (Sindh)
  • Murud-Janjira (Maharashtra)
  • Surat (Gujarat)
  • Mandvi, Kutch (Gujarat)