Hamoud bin Mohammed vs Mutaga IV

After the Anglo-Zanzibar War, the British installed Hamoud bin Mohammed as sultan. He was chosen for his pro-British stance and willingness to cooperate with British anti-slavery policies, marking Zanzibar's transition to a British protectorate.

Hamoud bin Mohammed issued a decree abolishing the legal status of slavery in Zanzibar. This ended the island's role as a major slave trade hub, freeing approximately 60,000 enslaved people and compensating slave owners.

Hamoud bin Mohammed signed the Slavery Abolition Decree on April 5, 1897, which freed all slaves in Zanzibar and Pemba. The decree included provisions for former slaves to become tenants or wage laborers on plantations.

Mutaga IV became mwami of Burundi after the death of his father Mwezi IV Gisabo, but his rule was heavily circumscribed by German colonial authorities. He was installed with German approval and governed under the supervision of German residents, limiting his autonomy.

Mutaga IV cooperated with German officials to implement administrative reforms, including the establishment of a centralized tax system and the appointment of chiefs loyal to the colonial administration. These reforms weakened traditional clan structures and integrated Burundi into the German colonial economy.

Mutaga IV died suddenly at the age of 35, with some accounts suggesting he was poisoned by rivals within the royal court or by colonial agents. His death created a succession crisis, as his son was a minor, leading to a regency that further weakened the monarchy.

During World War I, Belgian forces from the Congo invaded and occupied German East Africa, including Burundi. Mutaga IV remained on the throne under Belgian military occupation, as the territory was placed under Belgian administration by the League of Nations mandate in 1922.