Capítulo 59: Chapter 59
Chapter 59: Zanzibar Palace Coup
On January 23, 1867, in the Sultanate of Zanzibar, at the Dar es Salaam Port Barracks, Bagash bin Said and his loyal associates were finalizing their plan to overthrow the Sudanese regime.
Bagash inquired about the number of people his subordinate Abdullah could gather for the operation. Abdullah reported that he controlled more than 80 people in the army, and with additional officers they had placed in the army, they had more than 300 people under their command.
Bagash shared that he had over 800 people at his disposal, bringing their total to 1,200 troops. This force constituted roughly one-third of the entire kingdom's army.
Their strategy was to catch Majid and his allies by surprise. Bagash believed that by controlling Majid, they would effectively paralyze the palace guards. This confident assessment spurred enthusiasm among Bagash's officers and aides, as success in this coup would propel them to powerful positions in Zanzibar.
Bagash's subordinates praised him for being the one capable of bringing a brighter future to Zanzibar. They were eager to participate in the operation.
Bagash was pleased with the flattery and devotion of his subordinates. The allure of power was not lost on him, and he relished the feeling of being in control.
He began to assign tasks and outlined their plan. Their primary objective was to seize control of the palace, and Bagash would lead his troops to hold Majid hostage while the rest of their forces would take charge of controlling palace guards and servants.
As for Majid, he was entirely unaware of the conspiracy unfolding against him. In his youth, he had been accomplished, which had secured Zanzibar's independence. However, in his later years, Majid had succumbed to indulgence, leading a life of pleasure and substance abuse. His death in the following two years would be attributed to excessive use of stimulants.
The next day, at the Sultanate of Zanzibar's palace, as dawn broke, the guards at the palace gates recognized Bagash bin Said and assumed he was there for a customary meeting with the Sultan. However, their complacency was shattered when two of Bagash's men suddenly pulled out revolvers and pressed them against the chests of the guards.
The guards were warned not to move, or they would be killed. Bagash and his group swiftly entered the palace, where they encountered little resistance from the guards and servants.
Inside the palace, Majid was asleep with the queen when a maid entered the room in a panic to inform him of Bagash's intrusion. Majid was caught off guard as Bagash and his men entered.
Bagash informed Majid of the coup and mocked him for his lack of awareness. Majid, defeated, had no time to react.
While Bagash was executing the coup, Bazel, the head of the East African colony stationed in the port of Dar es Salaam, noticed unusual activity in the Sultanate of Zanzibar. He observed hundreds of soldiers on the streets, an anomaly given that Zanzibar's soldiers did not typically appear in such numbers and in such a hurry in Dar es Salaam.
These soldiers were not the royal guards; they were hastily marching and carrying loaded weapons. Bazel suspected that something was amiss and ordered his assistant, Dürer, to report to the East African colonial government. He advised them to be vigilant about the situation in Zanzibar, as it appeared to be a coup d'état in progress.
Dürer was instructed to disguise himself as an Arab businessman before leaving the East African colonial office to convey this message. Bazel understood the need for discretion and wanted to avoid drawing attention.
The chapter ends with these events unfolding, setting the stage for further developments in this tumultuous period.
(End of Chapter 59)
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder