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Circa 1583 – 1663. Also known as Njinga, Zingha and Dona Anna de Souza. Modern-day Angola. Ruled for 30 years.

Queen Nzinga was an educated and fearless leader, renowned for her fight against the slave trade and the colonial incursions of the Portuguese. She spoke both her native tongue and fluent Portuguese and became well-versed in Portuguese culture. For 30 years she protected her people from the Portuguese and fought to maintain that freedom until she died, at age 80.

Nzinga was born into the royal family around the time that violent conflict erupted between the Portuguese and the people of Ndongo. King Kiluanji had allowed a limited slave trade with the Portuguese, in order to negotiate relative peace for his nation. However, the Portuguese broke the agreement, resulting in full-scale war. Mbandi overthrew his father and assumed power. In order to safeguard his crown, he murdered Nzinga’s son and forced his doctors to sterilize her. Mbandi was brutal, but an ineffectual leader and useless diplomat. He was soon forced to flee eastward, to the state of Matamba.

It is testimony to Nzinga’s love for her people that when Mbandi begged her to negotiate a peace treaty with the Portuguese, in around 1622, she agreed. Nzinga met with the Portuguese governor, Joao Corria de Souza. The only chair in the room was occupied by the governor himself. Nzinga immediately motioned to one of her entourages, who fell to her hands and knees and served as a chair for Nzinga for the duration of the meeting. In order to make an ally of the Portuguese, and bargain for the safety of her people, she converted to Christianity and took the name Dona Anna de Souza. She then urged Mbandi to order the conversion of their people to Christianity. Following Mbandi’s death, Nzinga became regent for his son, Kaza. Soon after, Kaza was killed (amid rumours of conspiracy) and Nzinga assumed the throne in defiance of tradition and the political pecking order.

As Queen, Nzinga formed alliances with former rival states, and led her army against the treacherous Portuguese, initiating a war that would continue for 30 years. She abandoned Christianity and formed an alliance with a group of ostracized warriors from the Kwanza River plateaus, called the Jaga. She offered asylum to fugitive slaves from the Portuguese territory. To further swell the ranks of her army, she offered the Kimbares (African soldiers trained by the Portuguese) land and payment to join her forces instead. She also forged alliance with the feared Imbangala rebels, and married their feared leader in order to increase the size of her army. It has been recorded that Queen Nzinga lived, travelled and fought with her army, dressing as a man, possibly to avoid enemy detection. There are also reports that, she kept a harem of men, who dressed as women.

The Dutch had conquered Luanda in 1641, and were initially more interested in commodities, such as ivory, than slaves. With the help of the Dutch, Nzinga defeated the Portuguese in 1647. The following year saw the Dutch defeated and withdrawn from Central Africa, but Queen Nzinga continued her fight against the Portuguese. Even in her 60s, she was leading troops into battle and orchestrating guerilla warfare tactics. These strategies would continue long after her death and inspire the armed resistance that eventually resulted in Angolan independence in 1975.

R 80 000