Fumo Madi ibn Abi Bakr was Sultan of Pate,

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

(1779 - 1809). Around 1800 the Pate Sultan took over

Lamu Lamu or Lamu Town is a small town on Lamu Island, which in turn is a part of the Lamu Archipelago in Kenya. Situated by road northeast of Mombasa that ends at Mokowe Jetty, from where the sea channel has to be crossed to reach Lamu Isla ...

, however, they were deeply resented by the people of Lamu. Fumomadi was persuaded ("by a faithful old advisor") to build a

fort A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from La ...

on the seafront in Lamu Town, to protect members of his government. He died (a natural death) before the first storey of the fort was completed.Martin, 1973, p 7 There was much disagreement over choosing his successor, as he had fifty children and all sons and male ín-laws were eligible for the throne. After "encouragement" from the powerful

Mazrui The Mazrui or Mazar'i (Arabic: المزاريع) were an Omani Arab clan that reigned over some areas of East Africa, especially Kenya, from the 18th to the 20th century. In the 18th century they governed Mombasa and other coastal places and op ...

family from

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital status in 1907. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

Oman Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman, is a country located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia and the Middle East. It shares land borders with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Oman’s coastline ...

, an in-law named Ahmad ibn Shaykh was chosen as the next Sultan.

References

Bibliography

*Martin, Chryssee MacCasler Perry and Esmond Bradley Martin: ''Quest for the Past. An historical guide to the Lamu Archipelago.'' 1973. 18th-century Kenyan people Year of birth missing 1809 deaths {{Africa-royal-stub