Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa (Omani community) (2020) by Shujaa StoriesNational Museums of Kenya

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
A man may be uprooted from his homeland and taken to a faraway land, but the roots of his people will always find him. The spirit of his ancestors will forever guide him. That is what happened to Sultan Yusuf.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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Yusuf was born in 1608 in Mombasa. He was the son of Sultan Hassan, a former Mombasa leader.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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In 1615, the governor of Mombasa sent Yusuf to study in a Catholic school in Goa, India. While in Goa he was christened and became a Catholic. In early 1630, after 15 years of studying in several catholic schools and acquiring a Portuguese education in Goa, Yusuf returned to Mombasa.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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The Portuguese were satisfied that had become ‘one of them’, an ally, and he was installed as the Sultan of Mombasa by the Portuguese amid pomp and fanfare in August of the same year.

The Portuguese were confident that with Yusuf whom they considered their son at the helm, the warring city state of Mombasa would be pacified and would not rise up again to challenge Portuguese rule.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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However, Yusuf had learned about the oppression the Portuguese meted on his people and he abhorred and disliked them. He scorned and hated them despite his christening.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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In 1631, Yusuf was discovered praying at his father’s tomb, an act considered an abomination by the Portuguese. He also married many wives, who were daughters of the most influential families in Mombasa at that time.

This put him in conflict with the Portuguese. In the same year, 1631, the Portuguese appointed the sadistic Pedro Leytan de Gamboa as the commander of their forces. He was based at Fort Jesus in Mombasa.

Sultan Yusuf: The Lion of Mombasa from the Omani
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With the support of the Imam of Oman, Yusuf secretly planned to expel and remove the Portuguese from all city states on the East Africa coast. A year later, Yusuf spearheaded the rebellion that killed many Portuguese officials, soldiers and commanders.

In the end, he even killed the governor and then defeated and expelled the Portuguese from Mombasa. This feat earned him the title, “Sultan Yusuf Lion of Mombasa”.

Sultan Yusuf's legacy lives on
History gives us the tools to analyse and understand problems of the past. It also allows us to see patterns that may not be clear in the present and thus providing a crucial perspective for understanding and maybe even finding solutions for current and future problems. The history of the Omani Empire is taught in Kenyan schools.

At its peak in the 19th century, Omani influence or control extended across the Strait of Hormuz to modern-day Iran and Pakistan and as far south as Cape Delgad. The Omani Empire was a maritime empire, competing with Portugal and Britain for influence in the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. After the death of Said bin Sultan in 1856 the empire was divided into two sultanates, an African section (Sultanate of Zanzibar) ruled by Majid bin Said and an Asian section Sultanate of Muscat and Oman ruled by Thuwaini bin Said.

Credits: Story

Credits: Story
Research field work was undertaken in Samburu and Marsabit (for Gabbra, Samburu, Rendille, Saakuye, Dasanach, Elmolo, Waayu a.k.a Waata, and Burji superheroes/heroines), Embu and Tharaka (for Aembu, Tharaka, Ameru and Mbeere superheroes/heroines), Mombasa ( for Boni, Swahili, Pokomo, Segeju and Bajuni superheroes/heroines)and Taita-Taveta/Voi (for Taveta superheroes/heroines) capturing all information about the heroes from the 40 selected ethnic groups/communities by Museum’s research team. The illustrations were done using digital media by Shujaa Stories Limited.


National Museums of Kenya - Contributors
Mzalendo Kibunjia (PhD) - Director General
Purity Kiura (PhD) - Director Antiquities, Sites & Monuments
Julias Juma Ogega - Senior Curator/Research Scientist
Njuguna Gichere - Research Scientist
Lydia Gatundu - Art of Curator
Emmanuel Kariuki - Exhibit Designer
Philemon Nyamanga - Curator/Research Scientist
Mercy Gakii - Curator/Research Scientist
Imelda Muoti - Curator/Archivist
Innocent Nyaga - Marketing Officer
Suzanne Wanjaria - Exhibits Designer
Ray Balongo Khaemba - Senior Collection Manager
Raphael Igombo - Education Officer
Eddy Ochieng – Photographer/Videographer


Concept Developer:
Shujaa Stories Ltd


Creative Direction:
Tatu Creatives Ltd
Shujaa Stories Ltd


Shujaa Stories Ltd – Contributors
Masidza Sande Galavu - Illustrator
Jeff Muchina- Editing
Martha Shavuya Galavu - Illustrator
Brian Kiraga – Research and Writing
Daisy Okoti - Editing
Shani Mutarura - Editing
Juelz Laval – Photography/Videographer
Linda Tambo - Photography


Other Contributors
Nature Kenya- The East Africa Natural History Society (EANHS)
Spellcast Media


Date Created:
2019/2020


Location Created:
Kenya

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.