Mozambique

Mozambique Island lies in a sheltered bay off the northern East African coast. Its harbour was part of the Indian Ocean trading world long before Portuguese ships arrived, linking Swahili communities with Arabia, India and the African interior. Stone and lime buildings, mosques and fortifications stand on the narrow coral island, reflecting the many peoples who made it their home.

In 1507 the Portuguese established a fortified settlement here to support their route to India. The island became the seat of their authority on the East African coast, though trade depended heavily on African and Asian merchants. During the eighteenth century Yao caravans brought ivory from inland, while the export of enslaved people grew in importance. The town's wealth rested on these connections across the ocean and the mainland, as well as on the labour and suffering of those forced into bondage.