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| Autobiography – 1844-1886 |
Princess Salamah bint Saïd was the daughter of the Sultan of Zanzibar. Born in 1844, she was educated in her father's palace and eloped with a German trader, eventually settling in Germany under the name of Emily Ruete. Her autobiography provides a vivid description of family life in a powerful 19th century Arab family. Princess Salamah writes fondly of her childhood, of the bustling activities of the palace and her love for her parents, but she also raises the delicate issues of intrigues of Court, her falling out with her brother after the death of her father and British involvement in Zanzibar's affairs. An intimate understanding of both Arab and German customs allows her to make very astute comparisons between the two worlds.
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