The Enigmatic Queen Nzinga of Ndongo
Nov 18th, 2013 by bachmann
According to legend, Queen Nzinga (or Zinga, or Njinga) 1583-1663 was given her name because she was born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. To the Ndongo, this was an indication she would become a wise and proud woman. Indeed she was, a strong, charismatic, and shrewd leader who would not acquiesce to the European colonists. She ruled during a period of rapid growth in the African slave trade and at a time when the Portuguese were concentrating their efforts towards South West Africa, in attempts to circumvent the British and French holdings. The presence of the Portuguese clearly threatened the independent kingdoms of the territory (which is present-day Angola). Queen Nzinga came to power in 1626 after the death of her brother. During her reign of 37 years, she remained relentless and ruthless in maintaining independence from the Portuguese. Nzinga fearlessly and cleverly fought for the freedom of her kingdom against the Portuguese using armed combat when necessary and striking up an alliance with the Dutch when it was advantageous. She also converted to Christianity, though some believe she did so only for diplomatic leverage. She also made an unusual decree, establishing her kingdom as a safe haven for runaway slaves seeking refuge from the European colonists. It was a strategy that gained her admiration and loyal subjects to fend off the Portuguese. Her status in African history is significant, not only as an iconic female ruler during a turbulent time in Africa, but as an inspiration to the Angolans in their quest for independence in the 20th century.
Many fascinating stories and legends are attributed to Queen Nzinga. In an often repeated tale, the Portuguese governor, Correia de Sousa, did not offer a chair for Nzinga to sit on during their negotiations, and instead, had a floor mat laid out for her to sit. The use of banal floor mat was appropriate only for subordinates and Nzinga took exception to this slight by the governor. Unwilling to accept this humiliation, she ordered one of her servants to get down on the ground on all fours so she could sit upon his back during negotiations. Through this overt act, she asserted her status as an equal to the governor, not an inferior. The scene was depicted by an eyewitness account, the Italian preist Giovanni Cavazzi, during one of his missions to Africa. Cavazzi’s drawings are considered to be amongst the first sketches of African life by a European. Some of these drawings were made into prints and published in an extensive account of Cavazzi’s travels. In another peculiar legend, Nzinga was a woman noted for executing her lovers. With a large, all male harem at her disposal, she had the men fight one another to the death in order to spend the night with her and, after a single night of lovemaking, were, in turn, put to death.
- Description:
- Cavazzi, Giovanni Antonio. Relation historique de l’Ethiopie occidentale :contenant la description des royaumes de Congo, Angelle, & Matamba. A Paris : Chez C.J.B. Delespine le fils, 1732.
- Persistent Link:
- http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:10658329
- Repository:
- Widener Library
- Institution:
- Harvard University
Could somebody tell me more about the footprint on a stone that is attributed to the legendary Queen Nzinga.
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