How long did Portugal rule Mozambique in the19th century?

After entering the19th century, Portugal nominally ruled Mozambique for more than 300 years, but in fact its dominant position was very fragile. When European powers rose up to carve up Africa, Portugal's actual rule was still limited to a few coastal colonies. In Kisangani, Sofala fortress and other places, Portugal only stationed a few symbolic troops, which historically represented Portugal's feudal rights in the region.

In some important administrative centers, such as quelimane, Inhambane and Lorenzo? Marcus and Portugal have a large number of troops and residents, but their training is poor and their discipline is loose, and they only focus on their own power expansion. Therefore, apart from directly managing these towns, it is difficult for Portugal to exercise sovereignty over other vast areas of Mozambique. A colonial official at that time even admitted that Portugal's administrative power could not even extend to Lorenzo, the capital? 3.2 kilometers from Marquez.

On the surface, Zambezi River basin is the only inland area in Portugal where administrative power can be exercised, giving people the illusion that there is colonial rule here. As a matter of fact, the Portuguese garrison in the Senna, Tete, Zombo and other fortresses is very rare, and it can't compete with those well-equipped and large numbers of Baroe, Monomotapa and Gaza? Nguni people (Gaza-Ng'Uni? ) compared. With the further reduction of troops caused by tropical diseases, it is even difficult for these Portuguese soldiers to defend the shrinking camp.

Traditional African society resolutely defends its independence and has been fighting against any infringement that damages its independent status. This not only prevents Portugal from claiming sovereignty over Mozambique, but also makes it difficult to consolidate its dominant position in Mozambique. For example, in northern Mozambique, the Portuguese colonial army was defeated by Africans in 1853, and was defeated in Angoche after 10. In the south, Portuguese troops attacked Gaza? The Nguni people were not only defeated, but also local colonial officials were forced to move the administrative capital of the region from Sofala to Xiluoan Island and hand over the mainland to Gaza? Nguni people.

The Portuguese suffered a crushing defeat in the Zambezi River basin. 1867 ~ 1875, in order to control this strategic location, the Portuguese army launched five attacks on Bangka, the big landlord who ruled Masangano and disobeyed Portuguese laws, and failed one after another. In the worst defeat, only 1000 soldiers of the Portuguese army survived.

During this period, the growing forces of other countries, especially the British forces, continued to infiltrate Mozambique, posing a serious threat to the already fragile Portuguese colonial rule. By the 1970s of 19, Britain had established commercial settlements, from which you could go deep into the Nyasa Lake area. British activities in the Shire Gorge in central Mozambique are becoming more and more frequent. At the same time, Afrikaners and Germans in South Africa also tried to settle in the fertile areas of Manica Highlands.

In southern Mozambique, British investors are expanding in the capital Lorenzo? Maguire's economic influence seized control of the port. After entering the second half of the19th century, European powers stepped up their plunder of Africa. Britain, Germany, Belgium and Portugal fought fiercely for East Africa. In order to solve the problem of fighting for African colonies, European powers held the Berlin Conference in 1884 ~ 1885. At this time, Portugal's control in Mozambique was limited to a few coastal settlements.

Outside these settlements, Portugal cannot exercise any administrative power at all. During the Berlin Conference, European powers refused to recognize Portugal's historical ownership claim to Mozambique, but stipulated that the contract with indigenous people and effective control were prerequisites for recognizing the colonial scope of various countries.

Although the Berlin conference recognized Portugal's control over Mozambique, due to? Sick man of Europe? Portugal itself is weak, and Britain and Germany even reached a secret agreement to carve up Portugal's Mozambican territory. Under this historical background, in order to achieve effective control over Mozambique, Portugal launched a new round of military attacks on Mozambique from1885 to1896. Portuguese realization? Stick and carrot policy? On the one hand, they carried out military threats and attacks, on the other hand, they used all means to cajole and connive, and tricked the local nobles into recognizing their sovereignty over Mozambique.

However, Portugal's policy has basically failed. Africans in inland areas have always resisted the colonial rule of Portugal and persisted in the struggle for safeguarding sovereignty and independence. 189 1 year, after Britain occupied most fertile areas in the Charles Canyon and Manica Highlands, it signed a treaty with Portugal to divide the Zambezi River basin and demarcate the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe, thus nominally Portugal's absolute sovereignty over Mozambique was recognized by the international community.

In the same year, Germany occupied the area north of the Ruuma River, which Portugal coveted for a long time, and forced Portugal to sign an agreement in 1894 to occupy the area south of the Ruuma River. ? Stick and carrot policy? Portugal's failure and the constant erosion policy of Britain and Germany prompted the Portuguese government to adopt a tougher military offensive policy. It can be said that from the Berlin conference until 1902, the resistance of the big landlord in Masangano was finally eliminated, and the Portuguese army did not participate in the war for almost a year. In the Zambezi River valley in central Mozambique, the attack of Portuguese troops also met with fierce resistance.

At first, Portugal hoped to buy the loyalty of local big landlords by means of financial subsidies, sealing off the country, providing advanced weapons and acquiescing in the existing slave trade privileges. But the actual result of this policy is to strengthen the power of these big landlords against Portuguese colonial rule and increase their capital against Portugal. In order to eliminate the basis of confrontation between the big landlords and Portugal, 1880, the Portuguese government announced the cancellation of the land concession of the big landlords, and its territory was owned by the Portuguese king.

This policy has aroused strong resistance from Mozambique's big business owners. Bournga, the big owner of Masangano, is a notable example. Until/kloc-0 died in 886, he did not give up his sovereign position. Since then, the Portuguese army has been waging war with its successors, with a maximum of 7,000 Portuguese troops. 1888, with the support of heavy artillery, 5000 Portuguese troops defeated Massangano's army. However, its remaining troops fought until 1902, and joined the independence struggle of the neighboring Baroes.

In the north of Zambezi River valley, from 1896, Portugal launched a large-scale attack on the Marquarians. However, the Makwa joined forces with neighboring countries Angoche, Kitanghona and the Sultanate of Malawi, which opposed Portuguese rule, and jointly defeated the Portuguese army. During the following 10 years, the Portuguese army was always on the defensive.

19 10, Portugal sent more than 4,600 troops, equipped with heavy artillery, to attack the Marquarians and their ally Angong Society. The Marquarians lost to the superior firepower of the Portuguese army and surrendered at the end of the year. The following year, Portuguese troops captured Kitanhona. At this point, Portugal basically resumed its rule over the north, except Yao area. 19 12, Portugal sent 3,000 troops with excellent equipment, which finally eliminated the resistance of the Yao people. In the early history of colonial expansion, the Portuguese regime focused on profitable trade with India and the Far East, as well as the colonization of Brazil.

Therefore, during the hundreds of years of nominal colonial rule in Mozambique, although Portugal's influence in Mozambique gradually expanded, its influence was limited, mainly through colonial settlers and missionaries who were given extensive autonomy by the Portuguese government. In the early decades of the decline of the slave trade, the Portuguese established a series of sugarcane plantations and cotton plantations in Mozambique, and developed the local textile industry and sugar industry.

However, these economic activities did not achieve remarkable success. The Mozambican economy soon relied on foreign exchange returned by migrant workers from China and provided transit transportation from Indian Ocean trade to inland countries. The long-term policy pursued by the Portuguese government is to focus on the interests of European settlers and their motherland, while ignoring the well-being of Mozambicans. Due to this policy, Mozambique's long-term development is slow.