Princess Salme bint Said

Born on August 30, 1844, Princess Salme bint Said, later known as Emily Ruete, was the youngest daughter of Sultan Said bin Sultan Al-Busaid of Zanzibar. She defied the norms of her royal upbringing by educating herself and eventually writing the first autobiography by an Arab woman, 'Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar.' Her life journey took her from the opulence of the Zanzibar palace to exile in Germany, where she faced cultural dislocation and personal loss. Salme's memoir offers a unique perspective on 19th-century life, challenging stereotypes and providing insights into gender roles, colonialism, and identity.