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Nzinga Mbande
(1583-1663)
Mother of Angola
Nzinga Mbande began her political life as her nation of Ndongo (present-day Angola) was fighting off a Portuguese invasion. Her brother, a by-all-accounts wimp, seemingly could not bend over backwards far enough for the Portuguese, and once he ascended to the throne, the Portuguese just tossed him in jail and took over. Nzinga approached the Portuguese and demanded her brother’s return and that they leave Ndongo. At their meeting, in a sign of disrespect, the Portuguese offered her no chair to sit in, instead providing merely a floor mat fit for servants.
In response, Nzinga ordered one of her servants to get on all fours, sitting on her as she would a chair. After the negotiations concluded, according to some accounts (more on that later), she slit her throat in full view of everyone, and informed them that the Queen of Ndongo does not use the same chair twice. Shortly thereafter, the Portuguese agreed to let her brother go.
The Queen of Ndongo does not use the same chair twice.
Now, you may have noticed that I have repeatedly used words like “supposedly” and “according to some accounts.” As with many powerful historical women (as you’ll come to see as you read more of these entries), her story is a mixture of fact and fiction, with the two difficult to separate. That she met with the Portuguese and that she sat on her servant’s back is generally agreed by historians to be accurate. Furthermore, there is no doubt that she was a thorn in the side of the Portuguese, that she founded a new nation, or that she was a great leader.
Where it begins to fall to suspicion is in the more salacious rumors. While some report that she murdered her brother, others report that her brother committed suicide. Her slitting the servant girl’s neck and proclaiming her need for one-use chairs is likely hyperbole. Other outlandish rumors, to be taken with a brick of salt, include:
- After killing her brother’s family, she ate their hearts to absorb their courage.
- As a pre-battle ritual, she decapitated slaves and drank their blood.
- She maintained a 60-man-strong harem throughout her life — this one, best I can tell, is more regarded as true than most of the others.
- The men in her harem would fight each other to the death for the right to share her bed for the night. This one is more doubtful.
- She also apparently dressed some of them like women.
- Conversely, she staffed her army with a large number of women warriors.
Fact, fiction, self-promotion, or smear tactics, it is hard to tell.
After Nzinga pushed down the Portuguese for decades (both militarily and economically, cutting off their trade routes), they eventually threw their hands up and negotiated a peace treaty. She died several years afterwards, at the ripe old age of eighty-one. There are statues of her all over Angola to this day.
(enjoy the art? you can get it as a poster, shirt or phone case!)Art Notes
- Her outfit and axe are derived directly from one of the statues around Angola.
- The servant she used as a chair was female, not male.
- She’s wiping a bit of something red from her mouth as a reference to the blood-ingesting legends.
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excellent drawing, interesting history, and definitely a charming princess! Appreciate you for providing detailed sources! do update if you find more on the rumours!
I was wondering why some in the crowd behind her are lighter skinned?
Primarily to create a bit of visual contrast (as opposed to a single color for absolutely everyone). The research indicated not every Angolan (well, Ndongoan) had the same skin tone, although some of that may have just been the European art style.
Thanks to the author for taking the pains to research, to investigate, into what may be smear campaigns intended to soil Queen Nzinga’s achievements and those of other. Kindly update us of your findings at office@african-center.com
We have a similar legend in TOUGANDAH east africa but the queen was white or light skinned. . . But the brother did not die he just went retired.
I remember reading about her in the Royal Diaries series. She’s awesome.
She’s from Angola, my country! I’d Love her to be recreated in an animated series/movie!
honestly i don’t see her capabilities but only evil doings,so hw come one regard her a queen legend
You do realize that dark-skinned people come in many varying shades, right?
All people of color come in varying shades and this, of course, is inclusive of Asians, Latinos, and Africans. If the people in the crowd were all the same complexion, it would be a fictional depiction and completely unrealistic.
To be fair, it’s a fictional depiction regardless. :)
I wish many dark African American women would adopt the coloring system of the African princess: Using differing colors to compliment and emphasis their lovely skin, instead of wearing clothing and accessories that clash with and blot out their dark beauty.
I was just considering this for my soon to be adopted daughter, I’m very determined to honor her racial and historical heritage. I’ve also been looking for uplifting stories to introduce her to in the hopes it will give her proud figures to identify with.
There is a white line that is blooded decent from her found in parts of the American South. I am one, and there is another just a few blocks down the street as well! If anone is interested and will email me, I will gladly share what I have with you.
See my post above – I think you’d be the most interested in this part of her history.
I’m Portuguese but I’m so freaking happy she beated my ancestors asses.
This is a very informative site. I would love to see one on Queen Nanny of the Maroons in #Jamaica.
She’s in the book. :)
Now that was one bad African Queen. I wish she had not converted to Euro-Christianity because it steals your energy from the original African trinity and gives it to the Devil but she was an early Assata Shakur.
Reading this now in 2016- were you ever able to get clarification on the throat slitting rumors? I’m quite interested to hear what you found out. :O
Thanks Jason for that inclusion.
This is dope, good shit folks
Hahaha