IOTL, prior to Heligoland-Zanzibar treaty, Zanzibar Sultanate was the most prominent state in the region that, while directly holding only Zanzibar and a couple of islands off shore, many tribes and merchant-warlods-slavers in the mainland up to interior even as far as eastern part Congo was under Zanzibar Sultan's official suzerainty.
Indeed, despite that, Zanzibar Sultanate, for a good part of 19th century, was not the true master of the region. Few people are aware that prior to the dissolution of Zanzibar's sphere and its division by British and Germany, it was under the patronage of British indirect semi-colonialism, and the area indeed hosted a good deal of British and Indian investments. It was also geographically situated between South Africa and India, and such will rather be problematic to leave it to other powers if the British would still be depended on South Africa for transportation link to India. This only ended because the British needed German support to maintain their position in Egypt, which obviously became a higher priority compared to the survivality of Zanzibar Realm.
The problem I have here, is I don't know about when did the said situation exactly begin. And also, was it really inevitable for Zanzibar and East Africa to fall under solely British orbit due to geography, and was it to remain so without British Egypt ?
Indeed, despite that, Zanzibar Sultanate, for a good part of 19th century, was not the true master of the region. Few people are aware that prior to the dissolution of Zanzibar's sphere and its division by British and Germany, it was under the patronage of British indirect semi-colonialism, and the area indeed hosted a good deal of British and Indian investments. It was also geographically situated between South Africa and India, and such will rather be problematic to leave it to other powers if the British would still be depended on South Africa for transportation link to India. This only ended because the British needed German support to maintain their position in Egypt, which obviously became a higher priority compared to the survivality of Zanzibar Realm.
The problem I have here, is I don't know about when did the said situation exactly begin. And also, was it really inevitable for Zanzibar and East Africa to fall under solely British orbit due to geography, and was it to remain so without British Egypt ?