Malindi
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Early Medieval authors who wrote about Malindi:
-Kitab Ghara'ib al-funun wa-mulah al-'uyun (1050AD) but unsure.
-Al Idrisi (1150) (Kitab Ruyar) (Book of Roger) but unsure.
-Yakut (or Jakut) al Hamawi (1220) Kitab Mu'jam al-buldan (geographical directory)
-Ibn Said al Maghribi (1250) Kitab Djoughrafiya fi l’ aqalim al Sab (Book of maps of the seven climes)
Taken from: The Swahili world chapter 17 Mambrui and Malindi by Dashu Qin and Yu Ding. (2018)
Stage I (Of Malindi) lasted from 850 to 1000 CE. Activity was concentrated north of the pillar-tomb mosque. Most of the artifacts are Early Tana Tradition (ETT)/TIW. Numerous human remains have also been found: 16 skeletons were discovered. The burial style suggests they were unnatural deaths and abnormally interred, seemingly during an episode of violence.
No imported Islamic pottery or Chinese ceramics have been found in this period. Thereafter, Malindi Old Town seems to have been deserted, with the entire population moving elsewhere for hundreds of years. The settlement’s circumstances between 1000 CE and 1250 CE remain unclear.
Stage Il is from 1250 to 1370 CE, when Malindi Old Town was resettled and revitalized. Relics of human activity have been found in the area near the shore. The number of earthenware sherds rises to some extent during this period. Some Chinese Longquan celadon and blue-and-white porcelain sherds dating to the Yuan dynasty, and Islamic sgraffiato or black-on-yellow, have been excavated. The discovery of imported ceramics indicates that this settlement became part of the Indian Ocean trading network not later than this period.
Malindi Old Town reached its peak during Stage III, between 1370 and 1520 CE, and it is at this time that Zheng He’s fleet may have arrived in the Malindi area (early fifteenth century). (Malindi's ruler sent a personal envoy with a giraffe as a present to China on that fleet.) Led by Vasco da Gama, the Portuguese later landed at Malindi at the end of the fifteenth century, when the settlement extended southwards at least as far as the Portuguese chapel. Areas B and D are rich in relies, including large quantities of Chinese ceramics, especially Longquan celadon. The Islamic pottery includes sherds of sgraffiato and black-on-yellow wares. Monochrome blue-green glazed wares have also been found. A small amount of iron slag came from Area B in this period, but as yet no smelting furnaces have been found.
Note: The oldest mention in written sources of Malindi (but unsure) is in Kitab Ghara'ib al-funun wa-mulah al-'uyun (The Book of Curiosities of the Sciences and Marvels for the Eyes; The Book of Strange Arts and Visual Delights) (1050AD) written in Egypt; It has: M.l.n.d.s (Malindi?), village.
The second mention is in Al Idrisi (1150) (Kitab Ruyar) (Book of Roger) written in Sicily. This was thought to be an older Malindi further north later replaced by the present Malindi. Dashu Qin and Yu Ding. (2018): In light of the discovery of numerous iron artefacts in Mambrui, the ‘Malindi’ mentioned by al-Idrisi is more likely to be Mambrui.
Taken from: New light on plant ash glass found in Africa: Evidence for Indian Ocean Silk Road trade using major, minor, trace element and lead isotope analysis of glass from the 15th—16th century AD from Malindi and Mambrui, Kenya by Leong Siu et al.
A large quantity of Chinese ceramics (e.g. Longquan celadon) and Islamic ceramics were found in Malindi. There was a marked increase of Islamic ceramics in Malindi in this period, possibly due to an increase of trade with the Islamic east. All fragments (a total of seventeen) of glass vessels came from the area where the houses were found. A number of Chinese and Islamic pottery were also found in this context. The dating of the ceramics suggests context 5 is dated to the 15th–early 16th centuries AD.
….. we suggest (after analyzing) the glass was manufactured in Central Asia and possibly worked into vessels and beads there.
Taken from: The British museum
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/A_1973-0726-329
Stoneware bowl (from Malindi) with green glaze and unglazed centre. This thickly potted bowl has rounded sides and an everted rim and stands on a low foot ring. It is covered inside and out with a dull grey-green glaze, except for the unglazed centre. The base is also unglazed and is rather coarse. Ming Dynasty (circa 1400-1500) Made in: China Longquan (town)
Chinese celadons were not only used as table wares in this part of Africa but were also incorporated into buildings as decorative architectural elements. For example, tall pillars above the face of tombs along the East African Coast at Malindi and Mambrui are known decorated with Chinese blue-and-white, qingbai and celadon wares. Similar bowls were found in China from the 15th century.
Taken from: Studies in African History by James S. Kirkman · 1963
In the courtyard of the Juma'a Mosque (Malindi) you can see the remaining of the old mosque: some scattered old stones and parts of walls, a few simple graves and a pillar grave (end 15th century?). This one is really beautiful - and ornated with some fine examples of stone carvings. A shorter pillar tomb is thought to have been built in the nineteenth century.
There is an inscription on the small tomb of Sheikh Hassan bin Bakri, inside the Pillar Tomb at Malindi , which has been read : Ya Allah Ya Mohammed Ya Ali . This is usually a Shia formulary.
Taken from: The Medieval History of the Coast of Tanganyika: With Special Reference to Recent Archaeological Discoveries, Numbers 55-57 by Greville Stewart Parker Freeman-Grenville 1962
P119
(Extract from the Swahili version of the Kilwa Chronicle).
Then came Wamalindi from their home, Malindi. They went to Sultan Mohamed and greeted him. Then the Sultan said to the Wamalindi: "Settle here at (Kilwa) Kisiwani". The Wamalindi answered: "If we settle here, what shall we receive: Settle here with me, and you will receive the office of amir and the office of qadi. The Wamalindi agreed, and settled at Kisiwani.
The arrival of the Malindi people (date unknown) is introduced abruptly, and no reason is given for their arrival. Why did Muhammad welcome them as settlers? They were evidently in a position to bargain, for as an inducement they were offered the two chief positions in the realm. The Qaḍi was the chief of the officers of state, yielding precedence to the Sulṭan alone, and is well illustrated by Ibn Baṭṭuṭa's account of the Qaḍi of Mogadishu. The office of Amir is less easily described but, as the history of the rest of this century develops, it becomes clear that it was a key position (=Prince or governor).
P142
The last lines of the Arabic version of the Kilwa Chronicle:
When the people of Kilwa saw there was no means of evading sending him (to the Portuguese in 1502), they sent the Amir Ibrahim to the vessel. He was accompanied by the commander Sulaiman, the Faqih Ayyub and Faqih Omar. These two were the sons of the Faqih Muflah al – Malindi (2) and they were maternal uncles of the writer of this book. Then I found no more.
The Malindi Mosque at Kilwa. Build in the 15th century and repaired in the 18th century.
End of the Middle-Ages View on Malindi by the Portuguese.
Note: Leagues: 5.5km
Taken from: The first Booke of the Historie of the Discoverie and Conquest of the East Indias by the Portingals, in the time of King Don John, the second of that name. By Hernan Lopes de Castaneda. Translated into English by Nicholas Lichefield 1582.
(When describing the first trip of Vasco da Gama to India: 1497–1499).
On the same evening the fleet came to anchor off Melinda, which is eighteen leagues from Mombaza, and is in lat. 3° S. This place has no good harbor, being only an almost open road-stead, having a kind of natural pier or reef of rocks on which the sea beats with much violence, owing to which the ships have to ride at a considerable distance from the shore. The city stands in a broad open plain, along the shore, surrounded with many palms, and other sorts of trees, which are green the whole year. It has also many gardens and orchards, abounding with all kinds of herbs and fruits, and many fountains of good water. Their oranges are particularly excellent, very large and sweet. They have also abundance of millet and rice, plenty both of cattle and sheep, and great store of fine poultry, which are very cheap. Melinda is a large city, with fair streets, and many good houses of stone and lime, containing several stories, with windows, and having terraced roofs made of lime and earth. The native inhabitants are black, of well-proportioned bodies, having curled hair; but many strangers resort thither and dwell in the city, who are Moors from Arabia, who conduct themselves in a commendable manner, especially the gentlemen or better sort. These, from the girdle upwards, go naked; but below the girdle they are dressed in silk, or fine stuffs of cotton, though some wear short cotton cloaks, after the old fashion. On their heads they wear certain cloths embroidered with silk and gold. They wear also rich daggers ornamented with silken tassels of many colors, and very handsome swords. They are all left-handed, and go constantly armed with bows and arrows, taking great delight in archery, at which they are very expert. They account themselves good horsemen; yet there is a common saying on this coast, the horsemen of Mombaza, and the women of Melinda, as in Mombaza they are excellent horsemen, and the women of Melinda are very handsome, and dress richly.
In this city also there are many Gentiles from the kingdom of Cambaya in India, who are great merchants and trade to this place for gold, which is found in this country, as likewise ambergris, ivory, pitch, and wax; all of which commodities the inhabitants of Melinda exchange with the merchants of Cambaya for copper, quicksilver, and cotton cloth, to the profit and advantage of both parties. The king of this city is a Moor, who is served with far more state than any of the kings on this coast to the southwards. Being arrived over against this city, the general and all the people of the fleet were much rejoiced at seeing a city resembling those of Portugal, and gave thanks to God for their safe arrival. ……………
On the last day of the week after Easter, and in the afternoon, the king of Melinda came off in a great boat to our fleet. He was dressed in a cassock of crimson damask lined with green satin, and wore a rich cloth or turban on his head. He sat in a chair of the ancient fashion, very well made and wrought with wire, having a silk cushion; and on another chair beside him, there lay a hat of crimson satin. An old man stood by him as his page, who carried a very rich sword with a silver scabbard. In the boat there were many sacbuts (trombone), and two ivory flutes eight spans long, on which they played by a little hole in the middle, agreeing and according well with the music of the sacbuts. The king was likewise attended by about twenty Moorish gentlemen, all richly dressed. When the king had nearly attained our ships, the general went to meet him in his boat ……
(Voyage of Pedro Alvarez Cabral to India in 1500)
…… and arrived at Melinda on the 2d of August. At this port he found three ships at anchor belonging to Moorish merchants of Cambaya; but, though laden with great riches, he would not meddle with them, out of respect for the king of Melinda. On coming to anchor the general saluted the king with all his ordnance; on which the king sent a complimentary message of welcome, with a present of many sheep, hens, and ducks, and great quantities of fruits. ……
…… The present (delivered by Correa) consisted of the rich caparison of a riding-horse, of the most splendid and showy fashion. The king sent the nobles of his court to receive it in great state, and several women who had censers or perfuming pans which filled the air with a delightful odor. The king received them in his palace, which was very near the water side, sitting in his chair of state, and accompanied by many noblemen and gentlemen. ……
…… (to meet Cabral) though the palace was very near the sea, he went on horseback to the shore, having his horse decorated with the rich caparisons sent him by the king of Portugal, which were obliged to be put on by one of our men as none of the natives knew their use. On coming to the shore, certain principal natives waited at the foot of the stair, having a live sheep, which they opened alive, taking out the bowels, and the king rode over the carcass of the sheep. This is a kind of ceremony that the witches there do use. ……
Taken from: A description of the coasts of East Africa and Malabar, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. Duarte Barbosa 1514. Transl Stanley.
MELINDE.
After passing the city of Mombaza, at no great distance further on along the coast, there is a very handsome town on the mainland on the beach, called Melinde, and it is a town of the Moors, which has a king. And this town has fine houses of stone and whitewash, of several stories, with their windows and terraces, and good streets. The inhabitants are dusky and black, and go naked from the waist upwards, and from that downwards they cover themselves with cloths of cotton and silk, and others wear wraps like cloaks, and handsome caps on their heads. The trade is great which they carry on in cloth, gold, ivory, copper, quicksilver, and much other merchandise, with both Moors and Gentiles of the kingdom of Cambay, who come to their port with ships laden with cloth, which they buy in exchange for gold, ivory, and wax. Both parties find great profit in this. There are plenty of provisions in this town, of rice, millet, and some wheat, which is brought to them from Cambay, and plenty of fruit, for there are many gardens and orchards. There are here many of the large- tailed sheep, and of all other meats as above; there are also oranges, sweet and sour. This King and people have always been very friendly and obedient to the King of Portugal, and the Portuguese have always met with much friendship and good reception amongst them.
Taken from: Álvaro Velho: Roteiro da primeira viagem de Vasco da Gama. (1497-1499).
Álvaro Velho was on board but left on the return at Sierra Leone.
[Mombasa to Malindi]
We left in the morning [April 13], the wind being light, and anchored about eight leagues from Mombaça, close to the shore. At break of day [April 14] we saw two boats (barcas) about three leagues to the leeward, in the open sea, and at once gave chase, with the intention of capturing them, for we wanted to secure a pilot who would guide us to where we wanted to go. At vesper-time we came up with one of them, and captured it, the other escaping towards the land.
In the one we took we found seventeen men, besides gold, silver, and an abundance of maize and other provisions; as also a young woman, who was the wife of an old Moor of distinction, who was a passenger. When we came up with the boat they all threw themselves into the water, but we picked them up from our boats. That same day (April 14th) at sunset, we cast anchor of a place called Milinde (Malindi) which is thirty leagues from Mombasa. The following places are between Mombaga and Milinde: Benapa (=Mtwapa), Toça (=Takaungu) and Nuguo- Quioniete (=Kilifi locally called Kioni).
[Malindi]
…… On Monday morning [April 16] the captain-major had the old Moor taken to a sandbank in front of the town, where he was picked up by an almadia (dug-out) The Moor explained to the king the wishes of the captain-major, and how much he desired to make peace with him. After dinner the Moor came back in a zavra, accompanied by- one of the king's cavaliers and a Sharif: he also brought three sheep. These messengers told the captain-general that the king would rejoice to make peace with him, ………………
……… Consequently, on Tuesday [April 17] we approached nearer to the town. The king sent the captain-major six sheep, besides quantities of cloves, cumin, ginger, nutmeg and pepper, as also a message, telling him that if he desired to have an interview with him he (the king) would come
out in his zavra when the captain-major could meet him in a boat. ………….
……….. And the king, much pleased, made the circuit of our ships, the bombards of which fired a salute. About three hours were spent in this way. When the king went away he left in the ship one of his sons and a Sharif, and took two of us away with him, to whom he desired to show his palace. He, moreover, told the captain that as he would not go ashore he would himself return on the following day to the beach, and would order his horsemen to go through some exercises.
The king wore a robe (royal cloak) of damask trimmed with green satin, and a rich touca (head-dress fastened under the chin). He was seated on two cushioned chairs of bronze, beneath a round sunshade of crimson satin attached to a pole. An old man, who attended him as page, carried a short sword in a silver sheath. There were many players on anafils (Moorish trumpet or tuba) and two trumpets of ivory, richly carved, and of the size of a man, which were blown from a hole in the side, and made sweet harmony with the anafils.
……… The king was carried in a palanquin from the stone steps of his palace to the side of the captain-major's boats………
(the king referred to by the author was in reality the king's son, who acted as regent. He may be supposed to be the Sheikh Wagerage (Wajeraj), who in 15 15 wrote a letter to D. Manuel of Portugal.)
The town of Malindi lies in a bay and extends along the shore. It may be likened to Alcochete (Town in Portugal). Its houses are lofty and well white-washed, and have many windows; on the landside are palm-groves, and all around it maize, (maize did not exist in East Africa yet; so probably Sorghum) and vegetables are being cultivated.
We remained in front of this town during nine days, and all this time we had fetes, sham-fights, and musical performances (fanfares).
[Malindi]
(on the return voyage)
……….. The captain-major sent a man on shore with these messengers with instructions to bring off a supply of oranges, which were much desired by our sick. These he brought on the following day, as also other kinds of fruit; but our sick did not much profit by this, for the climate affected them in such a way that many of them died here. Moors also came on board, by order of the king, offering fowls and eggs. ………
………. We were here fifteen days, and from a town in front of us, called Tamugate (= around Tanga) many fowls were brought to us for sale or barter in exchange for shirts and bracelets. …………
Taken from: Three Voyages of Vasco da Gama, and his Viceroyalty. From the Lendas da India of Gaspar Correa (1492-1563); accompanied by original documents. Transl Stanley.
(First Voyage of Vasco da Gama 1498)
(Arrival at Melinde)
(the sambuk) (type of dhow, a traditional wooden sailing vessel) which was taken, was laden with ivory, and eighty men were captured in it. Its captain was a man of Dias, who was taking thither his wife, a very pretty woman, with rich jewels and money in a chest, and four women in her service. … So they went on until they arrived at Melinde, which is on the open coast. As the city was a great one, of noble buildings, and surrounded by walls, and placed immediately on the shore, it made an imposing appearance, and at the sight of it our men experienced great delight and gave great praise to the Lord, who had brought them to such a country. They anchored in front of the city close to many ships which wore in the port, all dressed out with flags, for the King also ordered flags to be hung out on the walls of the city, to show our people the pleasure which he felt at their arrival.
(Return to Melinde)
…… and he (the King of Melinde) sent him as a present a broad gold neck-chain with precious stones and pearls, which in Portugal was worth ten thousand cruzados, also a chest much wrought with ornaments of silver and ivory, full of white stuffs and silks, and gold thread, such as our people had never seen the like of. The King said these things were for the Queen, and with these were twenty jeweled rings of the same value as the necklace. He also gave to the captains jewels of gold, and various kinds of stuffs, all of much value; he likewise sent presents to Nicolas Coelho, who was on board the ship……
… The King sent his minister immediately after them with two boats laden with packages of fine white stuffs and colored stuffs of many sorts and patterns, and many fine muslins; and he sent word to the captains that he sent that for their masters and pilots and crews, and that they were to distribute it among them to each man, as they thought fit, so that they might not be discontented with his country. He also sent for the Queen a piece of ambergris, set in silver, of the length of half an ell, and of the thickness of a man's waist; …… (the fleet send also big gifts back to the king)
(Second voyage of Vasco da Gama 1502)
(Presents of the king of Melinde)
But there came so much victuals from the shore that it was a marvel the great abundance which remained over. When the dinner was over, the captains took leave and went to their ships. The King gave to each of them rich stuffs, and remained conversing with the captain-major in his cabin about his pleasure and satisfaction, and he gave him a valuable jeweled necklace for the King of Portugal, worth ten thousand cruzados, and others of not much less value for himself, with other rich gifts, amongst which he gave him a bedstead of Cambay, wrought with gold and mother-of-pearl, a very beautiful thing; and he gave him his letters for the King, and a chest full of rich stuffs of various kinds for the Queen, and a white embroidered canopy for a bed, the most delicate piece of needlework, like none other that had ever been seen; this had been made in Bengal, ……
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The decline of Malindi was noted in 1542 by St. Francis Xavier who noted that only 3 mosques were still in use out of the original 17. In 1569, Father Monclaro declared Malindi to be a Moorish city in very ruinous condition.
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Malindi a dead city in 1634 AD
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Taken from: Rezende's Description of East Africa in 1634. Tanganyika Notes and Records 23 (June 1947): 2-28 By Sir John Gray.
p14
The Kingdom of Mellinde (1), which is eighteen leagues (2) to the north of Mombasa is a town on the mainland. Formerly it was no more than a small settlement of Moors. It has now decreased to a third part of the size that it was. The Moors, therefore, are very loyal to the Portuguese.
(1) The friendship between the Portuguese and the rulers of Malindi dates back to Vasco da Gama's first visit to East Africa in 1498. The rulers of Malindi assisted in the final capture of Mombasa in 1592 and were thereafter recognised as the native rulers of Mombasa.
(2) The Portuguese league was about 1 English miles. The distances given by Rezende are far from being accurate.