Rumaliza Muhammad bin Khalfan bin Khamis al - Barwani ( born c . 1855 ) , commonly known as Rumaliza , was a Swahili slave and ivory trader in East Africa in the last part of the nineteenth century . With the help of Tippu Tip he became Sultan of Ujiji . At one time he dominated the trade of Tanganyika , before being defeated by Belgian forces under Baron Francis Dhanis in January 1894 . Background . The trade in slaves from East Africa dates back thousands of years . Arabs are documented as trading in slaves from the East African coast in the second century A . D . The Arabs established a series of trading posts along the coast . Through prolonged contact with the Arabs , a distinctive " Swahili " ( " coastal " ) culture developed among the Bantu people of the region . Although the Swahili language has Bantu roots , it includes many words of Arabic origin . For many years , Zanzibar was considered part of the kingdom of Oman . The Swahili and Arab traders obtained slaves in the interior of East Africa and sold them in the great markets like Zanzibar on the coast . The trade peaked in the nineteenth century in response to growing local and international demand . Trader . Rumaliza was born at Lindi around 1855 , on the Indian Ocean coast in the south of modern Tanzania . He was educated at Zanzibar during the reign of Majid bin Sa ' id ( 1856 – 70 ) . He became a leader in the " Qadiriyya " Muslim brotherhood . The Arab trader Tippu Tip from Zanzibar reached the Luba region in the late 1850s , trading in slaves , ivory and copper . Relying on force as needed to defeat uncooperative local chieftains , he steadily expanded his trading empire . In 1875 he established his capital as Kasongo . Rumaliza spent some time with Tippu Tip at Tabora in western Tanganyika , and is said to have acquired his name from the nearby village or suburb called Rumaliza or Lumaliza . Rumaliza formed a trading alliance with Tippu Tip . A market where salt could be exchanged for other goods was established at Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika in Burundi in 1840 . Tippu Tip and Ruwaliza established themselves there in 1881 . From 1883 Rumaliza was the leader of the Swahili community at Ujiji . Rumaliza and his Magwangwara auxiliaries occupied five posts on the northeast coast of Lake Tanganyika between 1884 and 1894 . He launched a series of raids into the mountains and up the Rusizi River valley as far as Lake Kivu . The HM Company , a trading organization led by Tippu Tip , appeared in 1883 . It was backed by Sultan Bargash and Taria Topan . The International African Association offered their support if Tippu Tip would help them achieve control of the territories in which he had established strong points . Tippu used trade goods advanced to the company to form an alliance with Rumaliza , who had many men but was short of money and could not obtain loans . The new company operated between Ujiji and Stanley Falls and in areas to the south of this line , controlled by Abdullah ibn Suleiman as lieutenant of Tippu Tip and Rumaliza . Between 1885 and 1892 , after the death of Mwenge Heri , Rumaliza consolidated his power over the Masanze , Ubvari , Umona and Ubembi people . He wanted to open new trade routes towards Maniema to the west and Ituri to the north . In 1886 Tippu Tip recognized the Congo Free State and was made Governor of the eastern areas that were covered by his trading network . In 1890 Rumaliza provided large amounts of ivory to the African Lakes Company for transport . Taria Topan died in late 1891 . Tippu Tip obtained part of the estate as payment for outstanding debts . Rumaliza sued for a share in the Dar es Salaam court as a newly - loyal German subject . He was awarded some of Tippu ' s property in German East Africa . White Fathers . The White Fathers missionaries had established posts in the northwest of Tanganyika that formed an obstacle to Arab incursions into the Maniema region , protected by Captain Léopold Louis Joubert , a former Papal Zouave . Rumaliza tolerated the foundation of the missions at Mulwewa in 1880 and Kibanga in 1883 , but would not allow establishment of a station at Ujiji . In May 1890 a group of Arabs came close to attacking the White Fathers mission at Mpala on the west shore of Lake Tanganyika , and only withdrew after a storm destroyed a number of their supply boats . Before leaving they confirmed that Rumaliza had given orders to them not to harm the missionaries . In September 1890 the White Fathers missionaries Léonce Bridoux and Francois Coulbois visited Ujiji , where they found Rumaliza and Tippu Tip . The two slavers were friendly , and Rumaliza was anxious that the missionaries gave a good report of him to Emin Pasha , who was expected at Ujiji . Rumaliza apologized for the hostility his men had shown to the missionaries , saying he was unable to control them . However , Rumaliza was determined to eliminate Léopold Louis Joubert , commander of the forces defending the White Fathers , who was disrupting the slave trade . By 1891 the slavers had control of the entire western shore of the lake apart from Mpala and the Mrumbi plain . Joubert ' s position was ambiguous . The Belgians had appointed Tippu Tip as their lieutenant in the region , but Joubert refused to recognize the authority of the slaver . During a lull in January 1891 , Father I . Moinet visited Ujiji . There he found Rumaliza flying a German flag and saying he was waiting for the Germans to arrive so he could hand over to them . In a letter to Joubert in April 1891 , Rumaliza asked if he was employed by the missionaries or by the government of the Congo . Joubert was evasive in his reply , pointing out that Rumaliza sometimes flew the German flag , sometimes the flag of Zanzibar and sometimes that of Britain . Defeat . The Congo Free State became stronger and less tolerant of " Arab " strongmen , determined to stamp them out . By 1892 Rumaliza dominated Tanganyika from his base at Ujiji on the old slave route that led from Stanley Falls up the Lualaba River to Nyangwe , east to Lake Tanganyika and then via Tabora to Bagamoyo opposite Zanzibar . The total number of Swahili fighters in this huge region numbered around one hundred thousand , but each chief acted independently . Although experienced in warfare , they were poorly armed with simple rifles . The Belgians had just six hundred troops divided between the camps at Basoko and Lusambo , but were much better armed and had six cannons and a machine gun . A Belgian expedition under Captain Jacques came to the relief of Joubert in 1892 , and then established a position at Albertville , where Rumaliza ' s troops were defeated by a relief column while besieging the post . The Belgian forces under Francis Dhanis launched a campaign against the slave dealers in 1892 , and Rumaliza was one of the main targets . Dhanis advanced up the river . He reached Nyangwe on 4 March 1893 and Kasongo on 22 April 1893 , finding both towns abandoned . He found a huge supply store at Kasongo including ivory , ammunition , food and luxuries such as gold and crystal tableware . For the next six months Dhanis remained inactive , while Rumaliza ' s forces were swelled by Swahili fighters who had escaped after defeat by Dhanis . In 1893 Tippu Tip advised Rumaliza to retire from the trade , but Rumaliza first had to look after his people at Lake Tanganyika . Rumaliza raised a strong force , which clashed with Dhanis ' column on 15 October 1893 causing the death of two European leaders and fifty of their soldiers . On 19 October 1893 Rumaliza attacked a position one day ' s march from Kasongo . Dhanis concentrated his forces and defeated Rumaliza . A column under Lothaire pursued him to the north of Lake Tanganyika , destroying his fortified positions along the route . At the lake they joined with the anti - slavery expedition led by Captain Alphonse Jacques . By 24 December 1893 Dhanis had obtained reinforcements and was ready to advance again . Rumaliza had also received assistance . Dhanis sent one column under Gillain to prevent Rumaliza from retreating , and another under De Wouters to advance on Rumaliza ' s fort near Bena Kalunga . A group of fresh forces coming to Rumaliza ' s aid from Tanganyika was headed off , and Dhanis ' s forces closed in on Rumaliza ' s two " bomas " . On 9 January 1894 Belgian reinforcements arrived under Captain Lothaire , and the same day a shell blew up Rumaliza ' s ammunition store and burned down the fort containing it . Most of the occupants were killed while attempting to escape . Within three days the other forts , cut off from water supplies , surrendered . More than two thousand prisoners were taken , although Rumaliza himself managed to escape . Rumaliza took refuge in the German territory of Tanganyika . References . Notes Citations Sources