Understanding 'Afrika-yi Osmani' in the late Ottoman period the case of Zanzibar

Abstract

The thesis introduces the term Afrika-yi 'Osmani, the Ottoman Africa into the study in order to understand the Ottoman presence in the African continent better. The issue is questioned under two main points. Firstly, the common view, on that the Ottoman presence in Africa throughout the history is restricted to the North Africa, is challenged. The Ottoman port cities along the Red Sea shores, the provinces of Habesh and Hatt-ı istiva and the activities in the Swahili lands in East Africa prove that the Ottoman presence in the continent covered a larger geographical area than what we know today. Beside the geographical boundaries of Afrika-yi 'Osmani, we can also present the mental boundaries of Afrika-yi 'Osmani into the study. In other words, the Ottoman Empire had also certain relations with the local emirates in Africa even if they were not geographically included into the Ottoman boundaries. Due to the social, cultural, and religious reasons, the Zanzibar Sultanate was included into the mental boundaries of Afrika-yi 'Osmani. Here I question the nature of the relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Zanzibar sultanate during the colonial period in late nineteenth century. The Ottoman primary and archival sources have been utilized in the thesis. The term Afrika-yi 'Osman! is questioned under the light of the Ottoman sources. In this sense, it intends to contribute both to the World history writing and the Ottoman historiography.