THE COMING OF PORTUGUESE
The Portuguese became interested in controlling the Indian Ocean trade in the 15th century due to the commercial capitalism in Europe. At the time, there was great demand for gold, silver silk and spices especially among the kings and wealthy, people, gold and silver were used to make coins and expensive ornaments.
At that time Portugal was a poor country with a small population, it was greatly overshadowed by its larger neighbor Spain. At the beginning of 15th century Portugal had begun to exceed in one area; Navigation. Portugal Price Henry the navigator set up a navigation school in the country and encouraged exploration voyages. By sailing to Africa, the Portuguese hoped to control trade and enrich the country.
In the 1470’s The Portuguese landed on the Gold coast of West Africa. They built a port which they called Elmina. From this fort they controlled the gold trade between Africa and Europe.
In 1487, Bartholomew Diaz, a Portuguese explorer reached the Southern cape of Africa and called it the Cape of Good Hope. On 1st March 1498, Vasco da Gama reached Malindi on the East African Coast. The same year he arrived in Calicut, India and became the first European to sail directly from Europe to India.
MOTIVES/AIMS OF THE CONTACT BETWEEN AFRICA AND THE PORTUGUESE
ECONOMIC MOTIVES
Ø Finding sea route to India.In the 15th century, the Ottoman Turks had occupied a large part of the Middle East, blocking the overland trade route between India and Europe. Therefore, Europeans could not get much valued silk, spices and Gold from Asia. The Portuguese came to Africa as they attempted to find a sea route through which they could trade with India.
Ø Trade. The Portuguese wanted to trade with Africans and replace the Arab middlemen who took African goods to Europe. Portuguese traders got valuable items such as ivory, gold and gum from Africa and sold them profitably in Europe. In exchange, they brought European cloth, copper and brass items to the Africans. This trade helped to strengthen the Portuguese economy in the 15th century.
Ø Creating Portuguese Trade Empire. Portugal wanted to dominate the trade between Asia, Africa and Europe and creating a trading empire. To achieve this the Portuguese had to overcome the Arab traders who dominated the trade. In addition, it was necessary to prevent other European nations from colonizing the African coast because the world interferes with Portuguese trading interests.
Ø Exploiting of African resources. Portugal was a poor country, so Portuguese were in search of resources that could bring them wealth and recognition in Europe. Therefore, they established settlements and plantations on the Islands of Sao tome and Principle and they used African labor to grow sugar cane there. The produced products were exported to Europe and America.
Ø Establishment of strategic ports. Along the East African coast there were many natural harbors that could serve as stop over point for Portuguese ships. The sailors could rest and restock their supplies at those harbors. Portuguese built forts at some of those harbor in order to protect their trade from Arabs and other European competitors. For example, of such forts are Elmina Castle in Modern days Ghana and Fort Jesus in Mombasa Kenya.
SOCIAL MOTIVES
Ø Adventure. Some Portuguese explorers visited Africa in search of Adventure, through their advanced ships building and Navigation skills enabled them to travel everywhere in search of new land to explore. These voyages were supported by the leader in Portugal especially Prince Henry The navigator.
Ø Spreading Christianity. The Portuguese felt that it was their duty to spread the Christian faith and reduce the influence of Islam along the coast of Africa.
Ø Search for the King Prester John. there was a rumors that this Christian King named Prester John whose Kingdom was believed to be somewhere around Ethiopia in North East Africa. The Portuguese wanted to find this King and form alliance with him against the Muslim.
The Portuguese established trade with societies found in the coastal areas. They also created central point where ships could stop on the way to India. After establishing trade, the Portuguese obtained items such as ivory, gold, copper and silver; they exchange them with cloth, guns, gunpowder etc.
By 15th C Portuguese succeeded to establish their rule in East Africa. After that the Portuguese built the Fort Jesus in Mombasa which could strengthen their military power thus establishing the effective control over the East Africa coastal areas.
1592 was the built of Fort Jesus.
1698 was the broke down of Fort Jesus.
1499 was the year when Vasco da Gama returned back to Portugal.
THE IMPACTS OF PORTUGUESE INVASION IN AFRICA
THE ECONOMIC IMPACTS OF PORTUGUESE
Ø Introduction of crops especially cash crops in Africa e.g. Sugarcane, yellow maize, cassava, rice, pineapples, potatoes etc.
Ø Decline of trade; the trade between East Africa, Far East and Middle East was interrupted by the Portuguese.
Ø Change of major trade routes.
Ø Exposed Africa to the external world.
Ø They built several forts, example; Fort Jesus in 1592 in Mombasa, Fort at Kilwa.
Ø They acted as the introducers of new arts to the indigenous of Africa continent.
SOCIAL IMPACTS OF PORTUGUESE
Ø Decline of cities and states.
Ø Growth of Swahili language. E.g. new Portuguese words i.e. Mvinyo from word Vincho, Meza Etc.
Ø Insecurity and loss of manpower.
THE REASONS FOR THE COLLAPSE OF PORTUGUESE
Ø They suffered from tropical disease like malaria.
Ø The climate conditions of East African coast were unhealthy for the Portuguese.
Ø Social, culture and religion differences i.e. Muslim against Christians.
Ø Loss of trade due to Portuguese taxes and restrictions
Ø Harsh treatments and punishment practiced by Portuguese in their leadership.
Ø Role played by Oman to the coastal city people. Hence that capture of fort Jesus marked the end of Portuguese in East Africa around 1700.
THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE THE COMING OF EUROPEANS
The Earliest Inhabitants of South Africa were The San (Bushmen) and the Khoikhoi then followed by Bantu people who inhabited South Africa.
THE SAN: The San people were short and had light brown skin. They had click sound in their language. They lived in highland areas of South Africa. Their main economic Activities were hunting and gathering. They had permanent settlement and they lived in caves.
KHOIKHOI: The Khoikhoi resemble the San but they are taller, Khoikhoi means “men of men” in their language. The San group helped the Khoikhoi to graze their animals. The frequent contact between San and Khoikhoi as they referred to one group of Khoisan.
THE BANTU: These made up the largest group, this was the early inhabitants of South Africa. They include the Iswana, Venda, Gueza, Zulu, Ndebele, Swazi, Shona, Xhosa and Ngoni. They lived a settled life and grew crops such as maize, beans and pumpkins. They used iron tolls and produced enough food which encouraged population growth. The surplus encouraged trade between the communities.
THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
The Dutch or Boers came from Holland (Netherland) and firstly settled at the cape in Table Bay in April 1652 under the leadership of Jan Van Riebeek.
Dutch farmers called themselves - “BOERS”. When they settled at the cape they called themselves by the name of Afrikaners that meant the “whites of Africa” who developed language known as Afrikaans.
Dutch had a company known as United Dutch East India company (UDEIC). The company had trade with India and other Arabs in Asia. At the cape, they grew vegetables, fruits and kept animals such as cattle. They had barter trade with Khoikhoi exchanging tobacco and alcohol for the cattle.
REASONS FOR DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
Ø The cape was a good place where ships could stop to be refueled.
Ø The cape had a good climate to support settlement of the whites. (Temperate and cool climate). The Dutch wanted to produce vegetable and fruits for the ships which sailed to India.
Ø The cape could provide fresh water for the sailors.
Ø The cape could be a base of projecting their ships on Atlantic and Indian Ocean.
Ø The cape was a center for caring sick people.
THE EFFECTS/IMPACTS OF THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT AT THE CAPE
Ø Enslavement of African. Boers established large plantations, so they needed labors to work to their fields so Africans were forced to provide their labor.
Ø Displacement of the African communities. The Dutch displaced the native Africans from the fertile areas and took their livestock by force.
Ø Occurrence of social segregation. The Dutch thought that they are superior so they mistreated and exploited the African and buying foundation for the Apartheid.
Ø Expansion of European settlements. Dutch established settlement at the cape in 1685 and their families increased to 150 families.
Ø Introduction of new culture. The Boers introduced the Dutch culture to South Africa that involved their way of life which was totally different from that of African.
Ø Political structure of the Khoikhoi was destroyed.
Ø Dutch raided cattle from the Khoikhoi.
AFRICAN REACTIONS TO THE DUTCH SETTLEMENT
THE SAN: They resisted Dutch settlement by raiding the Boers cattle’s and Boers took revenge by the hunting down the San in order to wipe them out so many san people were killed.
THE KHOIKHOI: The Boers occupied the traditional Khoikhoi grazing land so many Khoikhoi were enslaved and forced to work on Boers farms in 1659, The Khoikhoi declared war on the Dutch famers and took the war then hundreds of cattle and sheep died.
THE BANTU: Bantu groups included the Zulu, Ndebele, Swazi, Ngoni, Tambu and Xhosa communities. They cultivated variety of crops such as sugarcane, melons, maize and beans. The level of production they had reached enabled them to accumulate surplus and trade began to be conducted among them. The Boers got the Great Fish River, they encountered the Xhosa who lived around that region. The Boers fought the major wars against the Xhosa. The Xhosa called these war “Wars of possession” but the Boers called them
“Kaffir wars”.
THE KAFFIR WARS OR WARS OF DISPOSSESSION.
These were series of wars carried out by the Xhosa from 1779 against Boers – at the great fish river.
The first three wars were in 1779, 1789 and 1803.
The fourth (known as Ndhalambi) happened in 1812
The fifth (known as Makanda) in 1819.
The sixth in 1834. The seventh in 1846>
The seventh in 1846>
The 8th (Malenjin – 1850 –1853)
The last resistance by the Xhosa (Mlakaza was an advisor to one of the Xhosa).
The Battle of Vegkop of 19th October 1836.
Ndebele under Mzilikazi fought against the Boers in the Orange Free states.
The Battle of the Blood River on 11th February, 1837.
Zulu under Dingane fought against Boer settlement in natal.
Anglo Zulu war.
Zulu under Cetshowayo fought strongly and defeated the British at the Battle of Island lwana.
But later the British suppressed the Zulu during the battle of Ulundi 4th July, 1879.
MFECANE MOVEMENTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA
The word ‘Mfecane’ originated from zulu word which means ‘crushing’. Mfecane was the period of wide spreading warfare, plundering, disturbances, destruction and migrations among the southern African tribes dominated the first half of nineteenth century. This was the period of serious upheaval among the Bantu-speaking groups in southern Africa, the period when emerging small chiefdoms were waging expansionism wars among themselves. This was in the high area which lies between the Drakensberg Mountains, Kalahari Desert and the Limpopo River. By the late eighteenth century, and early nineteenth century, the Ndwandwe, Mthethwa, and Ngwane were emerging as powerful kingdoms south of the Highveld. The powerful chiefdoms with chiefs ambitious to expand their possessions began the conquest and assimilation of neighboring groups. The all turmoil commenced around 1810’s when Zwide of Ndwande andSobhuza of Ngwane fought over land along the Pongola River and Sobhuza was defeated after which he led his people further inland to the area that is known as Swaziland today. After defeating Sobhuza, Zwide came into conflict with Dingiswayo of Mthethwa over other resources like land and water. Both kingdoms became more centralized and militarized. The Zulu were still a small group among the Mthethwa by this time. The Ndwandwe appeared victorious again in 1818, Dingiswayo was killed, and his forces scattered. Shaka who was previously a warrior in the Dingiswayo’s army, had already ascended the chief of the Zulu under full support of Dingiswayo upon the death of Senzangakona his father in 1816. As the Mthethwa nation fell apart after Dingiswayo's death Shaka who became ambitious to create new strong kingdom, used the opportunity to defeat all the chiefdoms in the area. Zwiderealised that Shaka could become a threat and decided to stop him, thus became the Shaka’s great enemy, but was defeated in 1818 by the Zulu’s superior strategy and disciplined army. In 1926, under Zwide’s successor Sikhunyani , they challenged the Zulu forces again and were completely destroyed. Nguni speaking people, the Ndebele and many other tribes not ready to be ruled by Shaka emigrated. Thus Zulu became very vast strong kingdom in southern Africa. This period between 1810’s-1850’s is what is known as the period of Mfecane.
CAUSES OR REASONS OF MFECANE
Ø Population pressure. Zulu land is part of the Eastern corridor of South Africa between the Drakensburg Mountains and the Indian Ocean. Due to the favorable climate and absence of diseases such as malaria, its population tended to increase rapidly. As the population increased conflicts between those societies became common and intensified leading to the Mfecane.
Ø Shortage of land. The people who occupied Zulu land were farmers, but the existing land was not enough due to population pressure, therefore the search for more land caused conflicts that later contributed to the outbreak of the Mfecane.
Ø The role of Shaka. Shaka pursued an aggressive and expansionist policy to expand his Kingdom, Zulu state. He attacked many states in the attempt of expanding his state, this action created conflicts that contributed to the outbreak of the Mfecane.
Ø Expansion of cape whites. There was the great desire by whites at the capes to expand in the interior in order to acquire more land. Therefore, the expansion of whites in cape worsened the shortage of land and thus crushes among the tribes in the interior.
Ø The control of trade at delagoa bay. trade in ivory with the Portuguese in Delagoa Bay was another factor provoked conflicts among them. Because of the desire to control trade some Nguni tribes began to attack others in order to control and acquire more tribute.
Ø The coming of the Boers. During the Boer Trek, the Boers left Cape Town away from British control and moved into the interior of South Africa, the penetration of the Boers into the interior of South Africa intensified the pressure on land which led to conflicts that caused the Mfecane.
EFFECTS OF MFECANE
Ø It led to the loss of thousands of lives. As it was the warfare and crushes among the people, many chiefs and common people lost their lives in the course of fighting.
Ø It caused depopulation in many communities. Thousands more were uprooted from their homes and were forced to travel great distances. Example of these were Ngoni and Ndebele.
Ø Destruction of properties. Refugees moving in larger groups fleeing Shaka’s army caused destruction in many areas they passed through.
Ø Emergence of any new kingdoms. Many migrating tribes went to establish strong states where they settled. For example, Zulu empire emerged as a very strong political entity with very wide range expansion base.
Ø It led to the decline of many central and east African kingdoms. Those kingdoms which could not stand against the military strength of the tribes from the south declined. Example of those kingdoms that were destroyed partly due to Nguni invasions were the Lozi, RozwiandTumbu.
Ø Famine and hunger. Although the mfecane in many ways promoted the political development of southern Africa, it also caused great suffering. Thousands died because of famine.
Ø It led to the more European penetration into the interior. As many areas became depopulated, made it very easy for the Dutch famers (Boers) to easily take over the place when they were looking for new lands to establish homes. Great numbers of people were displaced and frightened communities left their own areas in places like the Orange Free State, Natal and the Transvaal occupied by whites.
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