Kilwa was the border crossing point for trade goods coming from Southern lands. As part of their quest for salt and gaining more land to control, Mutapa rulers obtained luxury goods from coastal ...

From the 13th to the 16th century, the merchants of Kilwa dealt in gold, silver, pearls, perfumes, Arabian crockery, Persian earthenware and Chinese porcelain; much of the trade in the Indian Ocean ...

They tried to force coastal rulers to take an oath of loyalty to the Portuguese crown. Then they built fortresses at Kilwa, Mozambique and Sofala. Later, in 1593, they built Fort Jesus ...

Kilwa is now in ruins ... Just five years later, they began a relentless campaign to subjugate local rulers and take control of the trade in gold, textiles, spices and ivory.