Hamoud bin Mohammed vs Said bin Taimur

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.

Said bin Taimur enforced strict conservative policies, including banning radios, sunglasses, and bicycles, and restricting education and travel. He kept Oman isolated and underdeveloped, prioritizing stability over progress.

Said bin Taimur succeeded his father, Taimur bin Feisal, as Sultan. He inherited a financially troubled state and pursued a conservative, isolationist policy, resisting modernization and foreign influence.

Said bin Taimur, with British military support, crushed the rebellion of the Imamate forces in the Jebel Akhdar (Green Mountain) region. The victory ended the Imamate's challenge to his rule but deepened his reliance on British forces.

Said bin Taimur was deposed in a bloodless coup led by his son, Qaboos bin Said, with British backing. He was forced into exile in London, where he lived until his death in 1972.