The First Europeans in Mombasa
Recently archaeologists have said that the wreckage of a ship discovered off Malindi may have been from legendary explorer Vasco da Gama’s final voyage across the Indian Ocean. It is a Portuguese vessel and may have been Da Gama’s Sao Jorge, which sank in 1524 – the year Da Gama died in India, probably from malaria. On his first voyage in 1497 Da Gama had sailed southwards from Portugal seeking a route to join the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and therefore provide a sea route from Europe to India. He was spectacularly successful, rounding the Cape of Good Hope in December. Thence his three ships turned northwards, reaching Mombasa on 13 April 1498. He and his men were the first Europeans ever seen in the region. How did the locals react? We have Da Gama’s own words to describe what happened:
“On Saturday April 7th we cast anchor off Mombasa, but did not enter the port. No sooner had we been perceived than a zavra [dhow] manned by Moors [Arabs] came out to us: in front of the city there lay numerous vessels all dressed in flags. And we, anxious not to be outdone, also dressed our ships, and we actually surpassed their show, for we wanted in nothing but men, even the few whom we had being very ill. We anchored here with much pleasure for we confidently hoped that on the following day we might go on land and hear mass jointly with the Christians reported to live there. This was not true. At midnight there approached us a zavra with about 100 men, all armed with cutlasses and bucklers. When they came to the vessel of the captain-major they attempted to board her, armed as they were, but this was not permitted, only 4 or 5 of the most distinguished men among them being allowed on board. They remained about a couple of hours, and it seemed to us that they paid us this visit merely to find out whether they might not capture one or the other of our vessels.
“On Palm Sunday the king of Mombasa sent the captain-major a sheep and large quantities of oranges, lemons and sugarcane, together with a ring, as a pledge of safety, letting him know that in case of his entering the port he would be supplied with all he stood in need of. His present was conveyed to us by two men, almost white, who said they were Christians, which appeared to be the fact. The captain-major sent the king a string of coral beads as a return present, and let him know that he purposed entering the port on the following day. Two men were sent by the captain-major to the king, still further to confirm these peaceful assurances. When these landed they were followed by a crowd as far as the gates of the palace. Before reaching the king they passed through four doors, each guarded by a doorkeeper with a drawn cutlass. The king received them hospitably and ordered that they should be shown over the city.
“At night the captain-major questioned two Moors from Mozambique whom we had on board, by dropping boiling oil upon their skin, so that they might confess any treachery intended against us. They said that orders had been given to capture us as soon as we entered the port. And when this torture was being applied a second time, one of the Moors threw himself into the sea, while the other did so during the morning watch. About midnight two boats with many men on them approached. They began to cut the cable of our ship Berrio, and these and other tricks were practised upon us by these dogs, but our Lord did not allow them to succeed, because they were unbelievers. Mombasa is a large city seated upon an eminence washed by the sea. Its port is entered daily by numerous vessels. At its entrance stands a pillar, and by the sea a low-lying fortress. Those who had gone on shore told us that in the town they had seen many men in irons. Christian merchants in the town are only temporary residents and are held in much subjection. We left in the morning of April 13, the wind being light.”
This brief visit to Mombasa was the precursor of two centuries of Portuguese domination. In 1505 a fleet of twenty ships commanded by Almeida left Portugal to subjugate the East African ports. Almeida attacked Mombasa by force. The Arabs and Swahilis of the town, together with about 1,500 African bowmen from the mainland, fought the invaders fiercely, but it was difficult in the narrow streets and they were overcome. The Portuguese looted Mombasa, collecting gold, silver, ivory, amber, cattle and provisions. Then they set fire to the town – a strong wind prevailing caused it to be completely burnt out. By 1509 the Portuguese conquest of the East African coast was complete.
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