The 1896 War against Zanzibar. New reflections about imperial military power

Abstract On August 27th, 1896, the Anglo-Zanzibar War erupted, attaining the distinction of the briefest conflict in history, with a duration lasting a mere 38 minutes. During this succinct interval, the British swiftly established authoritative dominion over the island of Zanzibar. This study seeks to challenge prevailing assumptions concerning this conflict. Contrary to the prevalent perception of a rapid and bloodless engagement, this episode culminated in the tragic slaughter of 500 Zanzibaris. It also marked a substantial erosion of the Omani Sultan’s autonomy in Zanzibar, accompanied by the confiscation of Omani land properties. A necessity arises for renewed contemplation on the role of Oman in Zanzibar and the broader implications for the East African littorals, thereby warranting a comprehensive re-evaluation of the unfolding events in 1896. In the context of British imperial military strategy in Africa, re-evaluating this incident contributes to understanding the disruption of political control in Zanzibar and in the Indian Ocean.