The Sultanate of Utetera (1860–1887), also referred as Tippu Tip's state, was one of the Arab sultanates established in eastern Africa. It was a 19th-century short-lived state ruled by the infamous Swahili slave trader

Tippu Tip Tippu Tip, or Tippu Tib (– June 14, 1905), real name Ḥamad ibn Muḥammad ibn Jumʿah ibn Rajab ibn Muḥammad ibn Saʿīd al Murjabī (), was an Afro-Omani ivory and slave owner and trader, explorer, governor and plantation owner. He ...

(Hamad al Murjebi) and his son Sefu. The capital of the state was the town of

Kasongo Kasongo, also known as Piani Kasongo, is a town and territory in the Maniema Province in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Geography Kasongo lies east of the Lualaba River, northwest of where it meets the Luama River, at an a ...

, located in modern

Maniema Maniema Province (''Jimbo la Maniema'', in Swahili) is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its capital is Kindu. The 2020 population was estimated to be 2,856,300. Toponymy Henry Morton Stanley explored the area ...

Province,

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

. Tippu Tip's controlled territory reached as far to eastern Kasai and to Aruwimi Basin in the west.

History

By the mid 19th century, the Arab traders arrived from the parts of the East African coast that were under the control of the

Sultanate of Zanzibar The Sultanate of Zanzibar (, ), also known as the Zanzibar Sultanate, was an East African Muslim state controlled by the Sultan of Zanzibar, in place between 1856 and 1964. The Sultanate's territories varied over time, and after a period of de ...

. While the Arab traders were already engaged in important and different trade activities, they continued searching for ivory, gold and slaves. Arab settlements in the African interior and trade stations were to be found in many locations, including the most important trade stations at Lualaba,

Nyangwe Nyangwe is a town on the right bank of the Lualaba River, in the Maniema Province in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (territory of Kasongo). In the second half of the 19th century, it was an important Swahili–Arab hub for tra ...

and

. The Arab traders and explorers were not interested in converting locals to their

faith Faith is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or concept. In the context of religion, faith is " belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". According to the Merriam-Webster's Dictionary, faith has multiple definitions, inc ...

, nor did they seek to bond with local chiefs, but rather to establish trading stations and regular flow of trading goods to

Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...

. Tippu Tip's controlled territory ultimately became part of the

Congo Free State The Congo Free State, also known as the Independent State of the Congo (), was a large Sovereign state, state and absolute monarchy in Central Africa from 1885 to 1908. It was privately owned by Leopold II of Belgium, King Leopold II, the const ...

References

{{reflist Former sultanates Former countries in Africa States and territories disestablished in 1887 Indian Ocean slave trade Arab dynasties 19th century in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 1887 disestablishments in Africa States and territories established in 1860 1860 establishments in Africa Democratic Republic of the Congo–Oman relations