Explain five factors which led to the decline of the coastal settlements between 1500 and 1700 AD
Explain five factors which led to the decline of the coastal settlements between 1500 and 1700 AD (10 marks)
Rivalry for the control of the Indian ocean trade weakened the coastal settlement. Each one of them wanted to dominate the trade.
Wars of conquest by the Portuguese against the coastal settlements destroyed and weakened manyof them.
Establishment of Portuguese rule at the coast led to disruption of the Indian Ocean trade – the main economic base of the towns. The Portuguese also diverted trade to Portuguese leaving them with little revenue.
Invasion of the settlement by the Zimba a warrior community from the Zambezi valley – they caused widespread destruction.
Occasional unfavorable climatic conditions which characterized the period led to inadequate rainfall and shortage of water in some coastal settlement e.g. Gedi which subsequently declined.
Conflicts/wars between Oman Arabs and the Portuguese over the control of the settlements affected economic activities in the area.
Some African middlemen diverted trade goods to Northern routes by passing the towns that were under Portuguese control.
