Wealth of the Sultans

Zanzibar continued to prosper with the expansion of the trade in cloves and other spices. The fine buildings which make Zanzibar Stone Town such an amazing place were constructed to a high standard by rich Arabs, British administrators and prosperous Indian businessmen.

The wealth and excess of successive Sultans was considerable. Islamic law allowed them to have up to four wives, and their wealth meant they were able to exercise this privilege, raising many children. Sultan Barghash was particularly extravagant, and adopted a more elaborate style of living than previous Sultans, with the construction of several new palaces. In 1883, he built Beit el-Ajaib, the House of Wonders, (pictured opposite, with Zanzibar harbour in the foreground) which still stands today, and was the largest building in Zanzibar, the first to have electric lights and an electric lift. Until 1911, the Sultan of the day maintained a harem of around 100 concubines, all with attendant eunuchs. He slept with 5 concubines a night, in strict rotation and many concubines had children, who were supported by the Sultan's riches.

Such practices changed with the succession of Khalifa Bin Harab (pictured opposite with tennis racquet), as Sultan in 1911. The harem and concubines were discontinued and political reforms were introduced with increasingly democratic representation until the Sultan was a constitutional monarch without major legislative or executive powers. By the 1920's, Zanzibar had been established as a British protectorate for some time - the cities bustled with economic activity, and the bazaars were lined with craftsmen who produced carved doors and brass-studded chests, gold and silver jewellery, pottery and embroidery.