The Omani Shamshiir.

[Excalibur2025]

Here's a picture of the last indigenous king of Zanzibar (who reigned in the 15th century), with what appears to be a shamshir.

This could indicate that the shamshir was a badge of office for Zanzibari rulers, or a Victorian era (?) Orientalist illustrator retroactively inventing a tradition.

It is worth noting that indigenous Zanzibaris call themselves Shirazi and believe they are descended from Persians. There is not much left of this influence in the modern era except that a version of "Nowruz" - the Persian New Year - is celebrated on the south east tip of the island.

[Oliver Pinchot]

It seems you have exhausted this thread. Your reasoning vis a vis this illustration is nebulous. As you noted, it's Orientalist work, and not very good at that. It's clear it was done by an illustrator-- someone who has little or no knowledge of the material culture of Zanzibar, specifically not weapons-- what is the point of citing such a thing? Bart Simpson would be as accurate a reference on kings of Zanzibar.

Regarding your query, the sword in the image isn't a shamshir. It's a nimcha.

[Excalibur2025]

The picture of the Mwinyi Mkuu is actually here in Zanzibar. Most of the older people who knew about the history of Zanzibar have passed away and a lot of the archives were destroyed. So it's difficult to know what the picture was based on. Stonetown itself is a very small and compact town so there used to be people who knew the oral history of these things, including people who knew the royal family and life before the revolution. In fact, back in the 90s, in the house where the picture is there was a former servant who still lived in the mansion who was nearly a hundred years old, so had lived most of his life in Zanzibar when it was a Sultanate.

[Excalibur2025]

Sayyid Majid bin Saïd al-Busaidi: first Sultan of Zanzibar (when Oman and Zanzibar became separate realms). Shown with his ceremonial shamshir.

[Excalibur2025]

After a bit of research it appears that Rumaliza is the gentleman on the (viewer's) left in the photo posted above. He is the one wearing the lighter coloured robes.

I've found a larger copy of that photo online which shows the hilt of his shamshir. I've also found a photo of Rumaliza and Sayyid Sir Hamad bin Thuwaini Al-Busaid, both displaying their ceremonial shamshirs. Both photos had watermarks and were copyrighted so I decided not to post them. I have a few more historical photos (of sultans etc.) from here in my ancestral family mansion in Zanzibar which I may post at a later date.

[Excalibur2025]

Two photos of Sayyid Sir Khalifa II bin Harub Al-Busaidi, the ninth Sultan of Zanzibar (r. 9 December 1911– 9 October 1960), one presumably near the beginning of his reign and the second on his silver jubilee. Both of course show him holding his ceremonial shamshir.

[Excalibur2025]

I found a bit more information about the Mwinyi Mkuu. It turns out that the caption of the picture was wrong - the people depicted were not from the 15th century:

"Mwinyi Mkuu, the 'Great Owner', last descendant of the Shirazi sultans who preceded the Omani Sultanate, together with his son. He died in 1865 and his son soon thereafter."

https://zanzibarhistory.org/Palatial_Zanzibar.htm

I'd be interested to know if there are any photographs of the type of nimcha he is seen with.

[Jim McDougall]

Mwinyi Mkuu (Muhammed bin Ahmed al Alawi, 1785-1865) was the last of the line of Shaziri rulers in Zanzibar.
Mkuu was a Tanzanian term for hereditary ruler.

The Shazadas were dynastic rulers of Persian origin so this dynasty appears to be from Persian settlers there c. 10th c. +

From the illustration the sword referred to has the familiar peak at the pommel seen on 'Zanzibar' versions of 'nimcha'......however the crossguard is notably that of a Persian shamshir. The shamshir was a prevalent sword form highly favored as a sword of status here much as many other places in the Dar al Islam, so not surprising.

This illustrated example however Im not sure represents a form of nimcha as much as perhaps IMO a notable combination of both Zanzibar nimcha and Persian guard.