World's Shortest War: 38 Minutes

The island of Zanzibar, a strategically important hub for trade off the East African coast, found itself under British protectorate by 1890, a status that granted Britain significant influence over its internal affairs, including the succession of its sultans. This arrangement was crucial for British imperial interests, particularly in the context of the "Scramble for Africa" and the desire to control vital trade routes and suppress the slave trade.

The catalyst for the extraordinarily brief conflict arose on August 25, 1896, with the sudden death of Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, who was pro-British. His nephew, Khalid bin Barghash, immediately seized the throne without British approval, violating a treaty that stipulated British consent for any new sultan. The British, who favored a different candidate, Hamoud bin Mohammed, issued an ultimatum to Khalid, demanding he stand down by 9:00 AM on August 27. Khalid, however, fortified the palace with approximately 2,800 defenders, including his palace guard, servants, and even some civilians, along with a few artillery pieces.

When the ultimatum expired, the Royal Navy, having amassed two cruisers and three gunboats in the harbor, commenced a devastating bombardment of the palace at 9:02 AM. The overwhelming British firepower quickly set the palace ablaze and silenced the Zanzibari defenses, including sinking the royal yacht HHS Glasgow. By 9:40 AM, the flag at the palace was shot down, and firing ceased, marking the end of hostilities. Khalid bin Barghash fled to the German consulate, eventually finding asylum in German East Africa. The conflict resulted in around 500 Zanzibari casualties, while the British sustained only one injured sailor, underscoring the vast technological and military disparity of the era. The British swiftly installed Hamoud bin Mohammed as the new sultan, solidifying their control over Zanzibar as a puppet government.