History of Africa · The History of Africa Podcast

Season 6 Episode 9: The height of the Shirazi Dynasty

·30 min

Host Andy continues the History of Africa podcast's examination of Kilwa's Shirazi Dynasty, focusing on the 12th-century rise of two consecutive rulers (Dawud ibn Suleiman and his son Hasan Suleiman ibn Dawud) who transformed the small island city-state into a regional power through control of the Sofala gold trade. The episode traces the accidental discovery of Sofala's wealth by a storm-blown Kilwan fisherman, which prompted the Sultan to establish a permanent mercantile colony similar to existing Somali arrangements. Notably, Dawud ibn Suleiman is credited as the first Kilwan explicitly mentioned in chronicles as living at Sofala as a merchant-diplomat. His son Hasan Suleiman dramatically expanded Kilwa's influence over the port, making the gold trade the foundation of the island's future prosperity. Andy spends considerable time examining a complex Portuguese translation issue—the word 'Hizgace' (possibly 'resgate')—and its anachronistic association with slavery terminology, concluding it likely represents translator bias from the 16th century applying contemporary meanings to earlier non-slave-trade contexts. The episode concludes with the first contemporary written mention of Kilwa by name in 12th-century Arab chronicles.

As heard by us

A careful, unsentimental look at Kilwa's climb from instability to power.

The episode treats Kilwa's rise as a drawn-out recovery after revolt, succession, and lingering instability, not as a clean heroic break. It gets most interesting when it moves from Dawud ibn Suleiman's limited role to Hasan Suleyman, then broadens to Pemba, Zanzibar, Sofala,…

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Why you'd press play

Watch Kilwa take careful steps from revolt toward East African power.

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