Sultanate of Utetera | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1860–1887 | |||||||
 Tippu Tip's State in relation to Zanzibar. | |||||||
| Capital | Kasongo | ||||||
| Common languages | Arabic,Swahili | ||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||
| Sultan | |||||||
• 1860–1887 | Tippu Tip | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 1860 | ||||||
• Disestablish of the state and Appointed as Governor | 1887 | ||||||
| |||||||
TheSultanate of Utetera[1] (1860–1887),[2] also referred asTippu Tip's state,[3] was one of the Arab sultanates established in eastern Africa. It was a 19th century short-lived state ruled by the infamousSwahili slave traderTippu Tip (Hamad al Murjebi) and his sonSefu. The capital of the state was the town ofKasongo, located in modernManiema Province,Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tippu Tip's controlled territory reached as far to easternKasai and toAruwimi Basin in the west.[4]
By the mid 19th century, the Arab traders arrived from the parts of the East African coast that were under the control of theSultanate of Zanzibar. While the Arab traders were already engaged in important and different trade activities, they continued searching for ivory, gold and slaves.[5]
Arab settlements in the African interior and trade stations were to be found in many locations, including the most important trade stations atLualaba,Nyangwe andKasongo.[1] The Arab traders and explorers were not interested in converting locals to theirfaith, nor did they seek to bond with local chiefs, but rather to establish trading stations and regular flow of trading goods toZanzibar.[5]
Tippu Tip's controlled territory ultimately became part of theCongo Free State.[6]
