The Sultan of Zanzibar
Following on from my last post, what has become increasingly evident is that it is impossible to discuss the events in Wituland without reference to the Germn role in the region in the years prior to the killings of the Germans there. In particular, I'll really have to discuss in a fair bit of detail the position of the Sultan of Zanzibar prior to 1890 during the erroneously named 'Arab Revolt' led by Abushiri (pictured).
I tussled with how to do this for a couple of days. Anyone whose written anything will know the feeling. False starts, trying to merge material, staring at the screen, heavy doses of social media while I tried to make up my mind how to present the material in a way that makes sense and doesn't just smack of 'the chronicle of East Africa since 1885'.
For better or worst, I've decided to dedicate a full chapter to the events of 1888-1890, simply because there's a lot to say and there' a strong contrast between the way in which Zanzibar and Witu are treated. It'll be an importnt one, as chronologically, it'll be the first case study and will open the book (after the introduction). It flares up only a month after Wilhelm II takes the throne in Germany. I'm not going to discuss the 1885 blockade, as that follows a different logic and in some ways belongs with the story of Wituland and the German navy.
Looking at the way in which the German East Africa Company (DOAG) leases the coastline towns of East Africa and the strong (and understandable) reaction it provokes will be useful for highlighting the way in which the Sultan's hold over his walis (local governors) is tenuous and made more tenuous by the lease agreement. His capitulation to the Germans is seen as a breach of faith with locals and he is repudiated accordingly by his local authorities. An Anglo-German blockade achieves precisely nothing and it's not until the Germans commit to a mercenary expedition into the interior to pursue Abushiri that they have any real capacity to enforce their claims.
There's some overlap here with what the inland notables have to say about the Sultan of Morocco with regard to French incursions after the entente cordiale in 1904-5 too. I think I can draw out the 'rock and hard place' situation of the monarchs, caught between relentless erosion of their position by Europeans and the forthright demands of local rulers that the paramount ruler stand up for local sovereignty.
This story is related to, but not exactly the same as the story of Witu, which offers a window into both German naval impotence and naval aspirations. Reading heavily on the navy under the Caprivi, it's clear that there's a frustration building up with those who see his lack of interest in colonialism and his narrow focus on fighting a war against Russia or maybe France. An army type, he was reluctant to embrace the creation of a fleet that would serve Weltpolitik. Tirpitz too would focus on a Europe focused fleet, and decisively so. But he knew well enough to link this to Germany's fate in imperial globalisation.
So I've decided to separate out the German attempts to 'support the Sultan' (that is, to consolidate the gains won by the DOAG through their coastal leases), and the expedition to 'punish the Sultan' in Wituland.
Anyone paying close attention will see how difficult narrative decisions are playing a role in the writing of this history. You don't have to be Hayden White to see that. To be sure, the events and people I discuss are suggested by the chronicle itself. My timeline is truncated by the ascendancy of Wilhelm II (hence I don't discuss 1885). Separating out Zanzibar and Wituland has much to do with what I think is at stake in the two incidents. I nearly compressed them, but I decided that I wanted to tell two stories about the German past, not just one.
Let's see how it works.
I tussled with how to do this for a couple of days. Anyone whose written anything will know the feeling. False starts, trying to merge material, staring at the screen, heavy doses of social media while I tried to make up my mind how to present the material in a way that makes sense and doesn't just smack of 'the chronicle of East Africa since 1885'.
For better or worst, I've decided to dedicate a full chapter to the events of 1888-1890, simply because there's a lot to say and there' a strong contrast between the way in which Zanzibar and Witu are treated. It'll be an importnt one, as chronologically, it'll be the first case study and will open the book (after the introduction). It flares up only a month after Wilhelm II takes the throne in Germany. I'm not going to discuss the 1885 blockade, as that follows a different logic and in some ways belongs with the story of Wituland and the German navy.
Looking at the way in which the German East Africa Company (DOAG) leases the coastline towns of East Africa and the strong (and understandable) reaction it provokes will be useful for highlighting the way in which the Sultan's hold over his walis (local governors) is tenuous and made more tenuous by the lease agreement. His capitulation to the Germans is seen as a breach of faith with locals and he is repudiated accordingly by his local authorities. An Anglo-German blockade achieves precisely nothing and it's not until the Germans commit to a mercenary expedition into the interior to pursue Abushiri that they have any real capacity to enforce their claims.
There's some overlap here with what the inland notables have to say about the Sultan of Morocco with regard to French incursions after the entente cordiale in 1904-5 too. I think I can draw out the 'rock and hard place' situation of the monarchs, caught between relentless erosion of their position by Europeans and the forthright demands of local rulers that the paramount ruler stand up for local sovereignty.
This story is related to, but not exactly the same as the story of Witu, which offers a window into both German naval impotence and naval aspirations. Reading heavily on the navy under the Caprivi, it's clear that there's a frustration building up with those who see his lack of interest in colonialism and his narrow focus on fighting a war against Russia or maybe France. An army type, he was reluctant to embrace the creation of a fleet that would serve Weltpolitik. Tirpitz too would focus on a Europe focused fleet, and decisively so. But he knew well enough to link this to Germany's fate in imperial globalisation.
So I've decided to separate out the German attempts to 'support the Sultan' (that is, to consolidate the gains won by the DOAG through their coastal leases), and the expedition to 'punish the Sultan' in Wituland.
Anyone paying close attention will see how difficult narrative decisions are playing a role in the writing of this history. You don't have to be Hayden White to see that. To be sure, the events and people I discuss are suggested by the chronicle itself. My timeline is truncated by the ascendancy of Wilhelm II (hence I don't discuss 1885). Separating out Zanzibar and Wituland has much to do with what I think is at stake in the two incidents. I nearly compressed them, but I decided that I wanted to tell two stories about the German past, not just one.
Let's see how it works.
Comments
Post a Comment