The Shortest War in History (1896)

On August 27, 1896, the United Kingdom and Zanzibar went to war. It became the shortest war in history. Already after thirty-eight minutes this short but fierce Anglo-Zanzibar War came to an end.

The problems arose after the pro-British sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini died. He was succeeded by his cousin, Sultan Khalid bin Barghash (1874-1927), who was more German than British. A few years earlier, in 1890, Germany and the United Kingdom had concluded the so-called Zanzibar Treaty. Agreements were made about certain areas that the countries wanted to lay claim to. These included Zanzibar, Witu and Helgoland. The United Kingdom was given the patronage of Zanzibar. In reality, the British had taken possession of this African island that is now part of Tanzania much earlier.

38 minutes

After the pro-British sultan was succeeded by a pro-German sultan in 1896, the British decided to take action. They issued an ultimatum : Sultan Khalid bin Barghash must abdicate and leave his palace. The ultimatum expired at 9 a.m. on August 27, 1896. Unwilling to comply with the demands of the British, the sultan entrenched himself in his palace. A small British fleet then opened fire on the palace, which subsequently caught fire. After the flag on the palace was also shot down, the firing was stopped. The war had lasted only 38 minutes (other sources say 40 or 45 minutes).
The war may have entered the history books as the shortest in history, but that doesn’t mean it claimed few casualties. On the Zanzibar side there were no fewer than five hundred dead; on the British side only one seaman was seriously injured. He recovered a short time later in hospital. Sultan Khalid bin Barghash managed to flee to the German consulate. As sultan he was replaced by the pro-British Hamud bin Muhammed (1853-1902). He then ruled Zanzibar for six years.

Banishment

The British repeatedly asked Germany for the extradition of the fled sultan, but were always unsuccessful. On October 2, Khalid bin Barghash was smuggled out of the country by the German navy and transferred to German East Africa. It was not until 1916, during the British conquest of East Africa, that Khalid was finally captured. The British exiled him to the Seychelles and then to Saint Helena. Later he was allowed to return to East Africa where he died in 1927.