Mombasa: History, Former Names & Timeline

Swahili coast port where the Portuguese built Fort Jesus.

Map showing Mombasa in 1650 — Border map for 1650. See the world in 1650.

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<p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Interactive map: <a href="https://chronicamaps.com/en/city/mombasa">Mombasa: History, Former Names &amp; Timeline</a> · Chronica Maps</p>

Former names of Mombasa

From	Name	Note
AD 900	Mombasa

Timeline of Mombasa

Year	Event
1498	Vasco da Gama arrives
1593	The Portuguese build Fort Jesus
1698	Omani forces take Fort Jesus
1895	Becomes capital of the British East Africa Protectorate

Who ruled Mombasa

Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.

Period	State
500 BC–799	Khoisan
800–999	Bantu peoples
1000–1649	Islamic city-states
1650–1782	Unclaimed / no data
1783–1879	Zanzibar
1880–1913	Sultanate of Zanzibar
1914–1919	British East Africa
1920–today	Kenya

Nearby cities

Zanzibar · about 242 km
Nairobi · about 440 km
Kilwa · about 547 km

Questions about Mombasa

Which states have ruled Mombasa?

On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Mombasa lies within 7 different states: Khoisan, Bantu peoples, Islamic city-states, Zanzibar, Sultanate of Zanzibar, British East Africa, Kenya.

What are the key dates in the history of Mombasa?

1498: Vasco da Gama arrives. 1593: The Portuguese build Fort Jesus. 1698: Omani forces take Fort Jesus. 1895: Becomes capital of the British East Africa Protectorate.

Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.