This chapter focuses on the establishment of the princely state of Janjira and explores the interactions of its rulers with its neighbouring powers, especially the Marathas and the British in the immediate vicinity. The sources for the history of Janjira are varied and include official government gazettes, works dedicated solely to the history of Janjira, by Peshimam and Chitnis (Chitnis, 2005; Peshimam, n.d.), and an unpublished and undated handwritten manuscript in Urdu from the early twentieth century, presented in the style of a court history, by Sidi Abdul Rahim Damad (c.1920). Foundational works such as those by Banaji and Ranade have also been consulted to obtain an in-depth understanding of the political and military interactions between the Sidis, Marathas, Mughals and the British, although it should be noted that relations with the British were consolidated only in the early nineteenth century, which is beyond the time frame of this chapter (Banaji, 1932; Ranade, 1999).  
The Africans who eventually established their rule over the island fortress of Janjira originated from Abyssinia and arrived on the west coast of India in the fifteenth century. While some Sidis soon proved their abilities as sailors and naval leaders, others gained prominence as administrative officials, obtaining  
significant posts with the existent Bahmani and Ahmadnagar kingdoms on the west coast of India (Banaji, 1932, pp. xix-xx).