▁base ▁of ▁Mass awa . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁Eth iop ian ▁military . ▁In ▁ 1 6 5 2 , ▁with ▁Portuguese ▁power ▁in ▁decl ine , ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁India ▁Company ▁sent ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁three ▁small ▁ships ▁under ▁Jan ▁van ▁R ie be e ck ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁first ▁permanent ▁col ony ▁in ▁Southern ▁Africa ▁at ▁Table ▁Bay , ▁and ▁began ▁expand ing ▁north wards . ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁Egypt ▁went ▁to ▁war ▁at ▁G ura . ▁Eth iop ia , ▁led ▁by ▁Emperor ▁Y oh annes ▁IV , ▁defeated ▁the ▁Egypt ians ▁decis ively . ▁ ▁A j ur an - Port ug uese ▁wars ▁ ▁The ▁European ▁Age ▁of ▁discovery ▁brought ▁Europe ' s ▁then ▁super power ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁emp ire ▁to ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁East ▁Africa , ▁which ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁enjoyed ▁a ▁fl our ishing ▁trade ▁with ▁foreign ▁nations . ▁The ▁wealth y ▁sout he astern ▁city - states ▁of ▁Kil wa , ▁M omb asa , ▁Mal indi , ▁P ate ▁and ▁Lam u ▁were ▁all ▁system atically ▁s ack ed ▁and ▁pl under ed ▁by ▁the ▁Portuguese . ▁Tr ist ão ▁da ▁C un ha ▁then ▁set ▁his ▁eyes ▁on ▁A j ur an ▁territory , ▁where ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Bar awa ▁was ▁fought . ▁After ▁a ▁long ▁period ▁of ▁eng agement , ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁soldiers ▁burn ed ▁the ▁city ▁and ▁lo oted ▁it . ▁However , ▁fier ce ▁resistance ▁by ▁the