As it took over Mayotte, East Africa also cast covetous eyes on the four main islands near Mayotte—Grande Comore, Anjouan, and Mohéli—as well as numerous smaller islands. The Sultan of Anjouan was the nominal ruler of the Comoros. The Kingdom of East Africa intended to have a heart-to-heart talk with him and send part of his people to the Sultanate of Zanzibar. In the future, the Comoros would be East Africa's Comoros.
That was certainly not possible yet, as the immigrants had not arrived in place. Therefore, the East African Navy first took responsibility for keeping the Sultan of Anjouan in check.
After Mayotte had stabilized, the East African Navy immediately headed toward Anjouan. Following the cordial visit by Archduke Ferdinand and the East African Navy, the Sultan of Anjouan promptly signed a treaty with East Africa, and the Comoros became an East African protectorate.
By then, Anjouan had actually lost control over the other three islands. However, East Africa merely needed legitimacy and an excuse, using the Sultan of Anjouan's name to suppress the natives on the remaining two islands, Grande Comore and Mohéli.
The Comoros was a jumble of mixed forces. Apart from Mayotte, which was fully controlled by East Africa, the other three islands were inhabited by Black people in Africa, Arabs, and Malays. The Arabs held the ruling position, and Arab culture prevailed on the islands.
Fortunately, the Comoros, with its tropical rainforest climate, did not have a large population, so it was not particularly difficult for East Africa to bring it under control.
On January 18, 1871, King Wilhelm I proclaimed himself Emperor of the German Empire in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles in Paris.
At the end of the previous year, taking advantage of the sweeping tide of the