The Yarubids, harrying Portuguese possessions on the…

The Yarubids, harrying Portuguese possessions on the Indian coast, embark on expansion overseas-to Mombasa in 1698, then to Pemba, Zanzibar, and Kilwa, all in East Africa.

The Omanis, who engage in the slave trade, become the supreme power on the coastal regions of the Indian Ocean, and European merchants fear marauding Omani fleets.

Because of the Omanis' expulsion of the Portuguese from the East African coast, the region's numerous small states owe allegiance to Oman.

Political alignment in Oman crystallizes between the two major tribes, with the Banu Ghafir (Ghafiri) aligned against the Banu Hina (Hinawi).