People started living in the Muscat area about 2300 years ago but the first writings of the city are about 1900 years old in the 1st century CE. Muscat developed into an important city in the 9th century CE because of business and trade at the port. Portugal, Persian (Iran) and Turkey had many wars for control over Muscat from the 1500s to the 1700s. The Al Bu Sa 'id tribe has ruled Muscat since then.