Sultans of Zanzibar
| No. | Sultan | Full name | Portrait | Began rule | Ended rule | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | bin Said, MajidMajid bin Said | Sayyid Majid bin Said Al-Busaid | 01856-10-1919 October 1856 | 01870-10-077 October 1870 | Bargash bin Said attempted to usurp the throne from his brother in 1859, but failed. He was exiled to Bombay for two years. | |
| 2 | bin Said, BarghashBarghash bin Said | Sayyid Sir Barghash bin Said Al-Busaid | 01870-10-077 October 1870 | 01888-03-2626 March 1888 | Responsible for developing much of the infrastructure in Zanzibar (especially Stone Town), like piped water, telegraph cables, buildings, roads, etc. Helped abolish the slave trade in Zanzibar by signing an agreement with Britain in 1870, prohibiting slave trade in the sultanate, and closing the slave market in Mkunazini. | |
| 3 | bin Said, KhalifaKhalifa bin Said | Sayyid Sir Khalifa I bin Said Al-Busaid | 01888-03-2626 March 1888 | 01890-02-1313 February 1890 | Supported abolitionism, like his predecessor. | |
| 4 | bin Said, AliAli bin Said | Sayyid Sir Ali bin Said Al-Busaid | 01890-02-1313 February 1890 | 01893-03-055 March 1893 | The British and German Empires signed the Heligoland-Zanzibar Treaty in July 1890. This treaty turned Zanzibar into a British protectorate. | |
| 5 | bin Thuwayni, HamidHamid bin Thuwayni | Sayyid Sir Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid | 01893-03-055 March 1893 | 01896-08-2525 August 1896 | ||
| 6 | bin Barghash, KhalidKhalid bin Barghash | Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaid | 01896-08-2525 August 1896 | 01896-08-2727 August 1896 | Was a belligerent in the Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in recorded history. | |
| 7 | bin Mohammed, HamoudHamoud bin Mohammed | Sayyid Sir Hamoud bin Mohammed Al-Said | 01896-08-2727 August 1896 | 01902-07-1818 July 1902 | Issued the final decree abolishing slavery from Zanzibar on 6 April 1897. For this, he was knighted by Queen Victoria. | |
| 8 | bin Hamud, AliAli bin Hamud | Sayyid Ali bin Hamud Al-Busaid | 01902-07-2020 July 1902 | 01911-12-099 December 1911 | The British First Minister, Mr A. Rogers, served as regent until Ali reached the age of 21 on 7 June 1905. | |
| 9 | bin Harub, KhalifaKhalifa bin Harub | Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Said | 01911-12-099 December 1911 | 01960-10-099 October 1960 | Brother-in-law of Ali bin Hamud. Oversaw the construction of harbor in Stone Town and tar roads in Pemba. | |
| 10 | bin Khalifa, AbdullahAbdullah bin Khalifa | Sayyid Sir Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Said | 01960-10-099 October 1960 | 01963-07-011 July 1963 | ||
| 11 | bin Abdullah, JamshidJamshid bin Abdullah | Sayyid Sir Jamshid bin Abdullah Al Said | 01963-07-011 July 1963 | 01964-01-1212 January 1964 | On 10 December 1963, Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom as a constitutional monarchy under Jamshid. |
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