The Cronological; Practical History - How did we understand it all.
Oh
It had started as a debate. Somehow shifted into an argument. Heated into challenges, then ruptured into this massive actions.
One group had said: 'World is flat like a table' and that, if you sailed directly into the setting sun, your ship would hit the perrenial Maelstrom and disappear down the eternal abyss.
The other had said: 'World is round like a ball' and that, should you sail directly into the sunset, your ship would reappear at the Sunrise East.
The dramatic debate built into outright confrontation: on one side were perceived darkness people, while on the other side were lumenaries - people of light. The Illuminati!
Christianity was still young and slowly spreading across Europe. Crusaders were forming in South Western Europe.
In Portugal and Spain the successions of those Kings known as the 'Catholic Monarchs' inspired and fired-up the debates and arguments.
In the ports of Servilla new industrial development spread: no longer would slaves row boats at the beat of the drum as they had done for centuries.. on the Mediterranean Sea.
Tuplins, Canvas, Twines manufacturing and larger Ocean going Ships were being built along the ports of Portugal and Spain - and, the new industry was spreading across coastal Europe to as far as Italy and Greece: by the time King Phillip II ascended, the famous Artwork canvas depicting the Blessed Virgin spreading her hands over the Port strewn with the 'Great Whites' was a new Dawn. The age of the farers, voyagers, discoverers was born! Mothered by the blessed Virgin.
By the fourteen hundreds, the assult on the Oceania had moved out 'Ahoy'!
If you went to Mombasa in Kenya today, you would find a notice board posted outside the entrance of 'Fort Jesus' - on it, is written the dates the Portugese built that Fort.
A light house looking to the East! For it was said that the 'World was round' and, therefore 'Great Whites' that sailed out of the Blessed Virgin's ports in Portugal must see this 'light house'! On arrival onto the known 'Old World' - The African Continent, was part of the mapping of that 'Old World'. And, the point of proof that actually the World was round - should the Ships that sailed into the sunset, suddenly appear from the far East.
Columbus, sailed out. Then Amerigo the Italian hit the New Found Land. Batholomew Diaz went round the west coast of Africa and demonstrated the Cape of Good Hope.
We, the African children sat attentively as we learned about Europe in our classes! Mostly, how you understood it, depended on how dramatic your class teacher was!
So that, finally, out of the five Great Whites to set sail from the Blessed Portuguese Port, Commanded by Ferdinand Magellan - who dies fighting in the Philippines - one ship made that mission of circumnavigation of Earth. Limping back to home port in Portugal. 1519 - 1522.
In a typical grandiosity, as usual, the glory gets taken away! The story perspective gets hijacked!
So that, the Jesus (Magellan) dies in the Philippines!
On the African Eastern coasts Fort Jesus is embattled! The Mohammedans constantly attack and assult Fort Jesus! It eventually breaks the will of the Portuguese.
The Sultan of Mombasa (Al Hasan) - supported by three Sultans of Somalia, that of Zanzibar, the spice islands of Pemba, Mafia etcetera
Partnered with the trade wind Emirs from around the old Gulf Emirates - fought off the Portuguese forcing them to shift further South to what is now Maputo, Mozambique - the story perspective had shifted!
The Port of Peace: 'Dar es Salaam', earns it's name as volatility engulf Mombasa and Tip-o-tip's Zanzibar. Trade in slaves flourishing - while spice trade peaks in the Islands of Pemba and Mafia. Thus far, I am not so sure we the African pupils got it wrong.
THE NEW ERA:
George Stephenson (1781 - 1848) makes landmark invention that gives old England a new sense of direction. The original prototype steam engine is developed into two massive engines: for the Train (originally designed to run on rails by the inventor) and, for a whole new entirely Iron bodyworks Ocean going Ships.
Then, the Treaty of Berlin happens - 1885.
The scrumble for Africa begins. England already had India under the Victorian Crown.
It was as easy as writing 'one' figuratively, for the British to create the linkage between India and Mombasa - now vacated by the Portuguese.
William Mackinnon and initial partner open-up the 'Mackinnon - Sclater' road, 970 kilometers of hand dug 'Ox-Cart' track from Mombasa to Busia.
Mackinnon, was an early investor into the massive George Stephenson ideas. Barely five years after the Treaty of Berlin, with Mackenzie floated a Royal Chattered 'Colonial Enterprise': IBEAC - Imperial British East Africa Company - 1888.
Mackinnon was to be knighted and, also made the Administrator of Uganda from 1890 to 1894 when IBEAC was desolved by the British Government - prior to the declaration of 'Uganda Protectorate'.
1896 to 1901, the railway lines, built by the Mackinnon/Mackenzie alliances back in Britain, were layed by the British Government - Mombasa to Kisumu.
CONCLUSIVELY
A huge part of this cronological history and, it's overarching spirituality and religious background is kleidioscopic with many cut-out parts.
It is my belief and conviction, that, we Africans suffer loss of base material knowledge here.
Which is why, we do not identify clearly, the values inherent in the infrastructural development and or maintenances. END
