The Untold History of Mozambique: From Ancient Kingdoms to Modern Struggles
Home / Mozambique history
Mozambique’s history stretches back millennia, with its coastal regions playing a pivotal role in the Indian Ocean trade network. By the 9th century, the Swahili Coast—a cultural and economic hub—connected Mozambique to Persia, India, and even China. The port city of Sofala became legendary for its gold trade, sourced from the inland kingdoms of Great Zimbabwe and Mutapa.
Before European colonization, the Mutapa Empire dominated much of present-day Mozambique and Zimbabwe. Its wealth in gold and ivory attracted Portuguese explorers in the late 15th century. Vasco da Gama’s arrival in 1498 marked the beginning of a brutal era. The Portuguese established feitorias (trading posts) and, by the 16th century, began carving out control over coastal cities like Mozambique Island.
The Portuguese transformed Mozambique into a slave-trading epicenter. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Mozambicans were shipped to Brazil, the Caribbean, and other Portuguese colonies. The infamous "Prazos" system—where land was granted to Portuguese settlers—ensured forced labor and systemic oppression.
Not all Mozambicans submitted quietly. The Gaza Empire, led by warriors like Soshangane, fiercely resisted Portuguese expansion in the 19th century. However, by the late 1800s, Portugal had solidified control, declaring Mozambique an official colony in 1891.
By the mid-20th century, anti-colonial movements surged across Africa. In Mozambique, the Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (FRELIMO) emerged in 1962, launching a guerrilla war against Portuguese rule in 1964.
The conflict became a proxy war. FRELIMO, backed by the Soviet Union and Cuba, faced a Portuguese military supported by NATO. The war dragged on until 1974, when Portugal’s Carnation Revolution toppled its dictatorship, leading to Mozambique’s independence in 1975.
Independence didn’t bring peace. The Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992) pitted FRELIMO against RENAMO, a rebel group backed by Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and apartheid South Africa. The conflict devastated the country, displacing millions and leaving a legacy of landmines and trauma.
The war was fueled by Cold War rivalries and regional tensions. South Africa’s apartheid regime saw FRELIMO as a communist threat, while RENAMO became a tool for destabilization. The conflict only ended with the 1992 Rome General Peace Accords.
Modern Mozambique faces existential threats. Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in 2019 highlighted its vulnerability to climate change. Meanwhile, the discovery of vast natural gas reserves has sparked both hope and concern—will these resources lift the nation or deepen corruption and inequality?
Since 2017, an Islamist insurgency in the gas-rich Cabo Delgado province has killed thousands and displaced nearly a million. The conflict, linked to global jihadist networks, has drawn in regional forces like Rwanda and SADC troops.
Despite its challenges, Mozambique’s rich cultural heritage—from Makonde wood carvings to Marrabenta music—endures. The nation’s history is a testament to resilience, but its future hinges on addressing inequality, climate adaptation, and sustainable development.
Mozambique’s struggles mirror global issues: colonialism’s legacy, climate injustice, and the pitfalls of resource wealth. Its story is a reminder that history never truly ends—it evolves, demanding reckoning and renewal.