The History of the Comoros is a vibrant tapestry woven from the threads of African, Austronesian, Arab, and European influences. Known as the “Perfume Isles” for its fragrant exports like ylang-ylang and vanilla, the archipelago’s past is as complex as its scents, defined by maritime trade, powerful sultanates, colonial struggle, and a post-colonial era marked by frequent political upheaval.
1. Early Foundations: The Confluence of Peoples
The story of the Comoros begins with the waves—specifically the Indian Ocean trade routes that connected East Africa to Southeast Asia.
The Austronesian and Bantu Arrivals
Between the 8th and 10th centuries, the islands were first settled by Austronesian-speaking mariners, likely the same groups that settled nearby Madagascar. Evidence for this lies in the archaeobotanical record: early sites like Sima (Anjouan) reveal the cultivation of Asian crops such as rice and mung beans, rather than purely African staples.
However, the islands did not remain isolated. By the late first millennium, Bantu-speaking groups from the East African coast began to arrive. This migration embedded the Comoros within the burgeoning Swahili culture. Over centuries, these two groups intermingled, creating a unique Comorian genetic and linguistic heritage. Today, the Comorian language (Shikomori) is a Bantu language closely related to Swahili, though it is heavily flavored with Arabic and French loanwords.
The Legend of the Prophet’s Emissary
One of the most enduring oral traditions in the Comoros claims that in 632 AD, islanders heard of a new prophet in Mecca and dispatched an emissary named Mtswa-Mwindza. Legend has it that by the time he arrived, the Prophet Muhammad had passed away, but Mtswa-Mwindza returned with the teachings of Islam. While archaeological evidence places the first mosques a few centuries later, this legend underscores the deep-seated Islamic identity that has defined the islands for over a millennium.
2. The Era of the “Battling Sultans”
By the 15th century, the Comoros became a critical node in the Indian Ocean’s “Golden Age” of trade. This period saw the rise of the Shirazi elites—merchants claiming descent from the Shiraz region of Persia.
The Rise of the Sultanates
The Shirazis established powerful dynasties across the islands, turning them into prosperous city-states. These sultanates—most notably Anjouan and Grande Comore—traded in gold, ivory, spices, and, tragically, slaves. Grande Comore was often divided into nearly a dozen small sultanates, leading to the moniker “the era of the battling sultans.”
The Hadhrami Influence
In the 16th century, the social fabric was further enriched by the arrival of Hadhrami Arabs from Yemen. These newcomers were often religious scholars or “Sharifs” (descendants of the Prophet). They formed alliances with the existing Shirazi clans through marriage, consolidating a social hierarchy that placed religious and mercantile elites at the top—a structure that still influences Comorian society today.
3. Colonial Intrusion and Resistance
The 19th century brought radical change as European powers vied for control of the Indian Ocean.
The Cession of Mayotte (1841)
In 1841, the Malagasy “usurper” sultan of Mayotte, Andriantsoly, found himself squeezed between rival Comorian sultans and Malagasy pirates. To secure his own safety, he ceded the island of Mayotte to France. This event was the “original sin” of Comorian geography; it established a French foothold that would eventually lead to the separation of Mayotte from the other three islands.
The Humblot Company and the Protectorate
On Grande Comore, the story of colonization is tied to Léon Humblot, a French naturalist-turned-businessman. In the 1880s, Humblot manipulated local rivalries to gain near-total control of the island’s land, effectively ruling as a “white sultan.”
Resistance was fierce. Sultan Saïd Hachim led a rebellion against French land-grabbing, but the superior firepower of the French eventually forced the sultans of Grande Comore, Mohéli, and Anjouan to sign protectorate treaties in 1886. By 1912, the islands were formally annexed and administered as a province of Madagascar.
4. The Path to Independence (1946–1975)
After World War II, the global tide of decolonization reached the Comoros. In 1946, the islands became a French Overseas Territory, gaining their own administration separate from Madagascar in 1947.
The 1974 Referendum
As the 1970s dawned, the call for independence grew louder. In 1974, a national referendum was held. The results were starkly divided:
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- Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli voted over 95% for independence.
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- Mayotte voted 63% to remain with France.
Ignoring the United Nations’ principle of maintaining territorial integrity, France respected the vote on an island-by-island basis. On July 6, 1975, the Comorian parliament unilaterally declared independence, but Mayotte remained under French administration—a dispute that continues to this day in the UN General Assembly.
5. Post-Independence: The “Cloud Coup-Coup Land”
Since 1975, the Comoros has earned the unfortunate nickname of “the land of coups,” having experienced over 20 coups or attempted coups.
The Radical Experiment of Ali Soilih
Shortly after independence, the revolutionary Ali Soilih took power. He launched a Maoist-style “socialist revolution,” attempting to dismantle the traditional “Grand Mariage” (Great Marriage) customs and the power of the elders. His regime was chaotic and brief, ended in 1978 by a mercenary-led coup.
The Mercenary Era: Bob Denard
For much of the 1980s, the real power behind the throne was the French mercenary Bob Denard. He helped restore the first president, Ahmed Abdallah, and established a “Presidential Guard” that essentially ran the country as a private fiefdom for French interests. Abdallah was eventually assassinated in 1989, leading to Denard’s forced departure by French paratroopers.
Secession and the Union (1997–Present)
In 1997, the islands of Anjouan and Mohéli attempted to secede from the central government in Moroni, even asking to be re-colonized by France. This crisis led to the 2001 Fomboni Accords, which established the Union of the Comoros. This unique system provides each island with significant autonomy and a rotational presidency, where the national leadership moves between the three islands every five years.
While the rotational system brought a decade of relative peace, recent years have seen renewed tension. The current president, Azali Assoumani (who first took power in a 1999 coup), amended the constitution in 2018 to allow himself to run for consecutive terms, a move that sparked significant opposition and fears of a return to autocratic rule.
Summary Table: Key Eras
| Era | Key Features |
| 8th–13th c. | Austronesian and Bantu settlement; birth of Swahili-Comorian culture. |
| 15th–18th c. | Rise of the Shirazi Sultanates and Hadhrami religious influence. |
| 1841–1912 | Gradual French colonization; Mayotte becomes French first. |
| 1975 | Unilateral Declaration of Independence; separation of Mayotte. |
| 1975–2001 | Period of chronic instability and mercenary-led coups. |
| 2001–Present | The Union of Comoros and the rotational presidency system. |
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