y chief Lundi.
In 1698, the town came under the influence of the Sultanate of Oman, subordinate to the Omani rulers on the island of Unguja, prompting regular local rebellions. Oman appointed three consecutive Governors (Wali in Arabic, Liwali in Swahili):
• 12 December 1698–December 1698: Imam Sa'if ibn Sultan
• December 1698 – 1728: Nasr ibn Abdallah al-Mazru'i
• 1728–12 March 1728: Shaykh Rumba
Next, Mombasa returned to Portuguese rule by captain-major Álvaro Caetano de Melo Castro (12 March 1728–21 September 1729), then four new Omani Liwali until 1746, when the last of them made it independent again (disputed by Oman), as the first of its recorded Sultans:
• 1746–1755: 'Ali ibn Uthman al-Mazru'i
• 1755–1773: Masud ibn Nasr al-Mazru'i
• 1773–1782: Abdallah ibn Muhammad al-Mazru'i
• 1782–1811: Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Mazru'i (born 17–died 1814)
• 1812–1823: 'Abdallah ibn Ahmad al-Mazru'i (died 1823)
• 1823–1826: Sulayman ibn 'Ali al-Mazru'i
From 9 February 1824 to 25 July 1826, there was a British protectorate over Mombasa, represented by Governors. Omani rule was restored in 1826; seven liwalis where appointed. On 24 June 1837, it was nominally annexed by Said bin Sultan of Muscat and Oman. On 25 May 1887, its administration was relinquished to the British East Africa Association, later the Imperial British East Africa Company. It soon became the capital of the British East Africa Protectorate and the sea terminal of the Uganda Railway, which was started in 1896. Many workers were brought in from British India to build the railway, and the city's fortunes revived. The Sultan of Zanzibar formally presented the town to the British in 1898.
Mombasa became the capital of the
