Anglo-Zanzibar War sovereign state and the start of a period of heavy British influence. Zanzibar was an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Tanganyika; today it forms part of Tanzania. The main island, Unguja (or Zanzibar Island), had been under the nominal control of the Sultans of Oman since 1698 when they expelled the Portuguese settlers who had claimed it in 1499. Sultan Majid bin Said declared the island independent of Oman in 1858, which was recognised by Great Britain, and split the sultanate from that of Oman. Barghash bin Said, the second sultan and Khalid's father, had
Battle of Zanzibar transport of spare parts. The British soon discovered "Königsberg" location and blockaded her. They damaged her beyond repair in the Battle of Rufiji Delta when they were able to bring up the monitors and that July. Battle of Zanzibar The Battle of Zanzibar was an encounter between the German "Kaiserliche Marine" and the British Royal Navy early in the First World War. While taking on coal in the delta of the Rufiji River in German East Africa) the German cruiser learned that a British cruiser, , which had been part of the Royal Navy's Cape Squadron sent to counter "Königsberg",