Kasanje Kingdom
Kingdom of Kansanje | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1620–1912 | |||||||||
| Government | Electivemonarchy | ||||||||
| King of Kasanje | |||||||||
• c. 1620 | Kalanda ka Imbe | ||||||||
• 1911-1912 | Ngwangwa | ||||||||
| Historical era | Early Modern,Late Modern | ||||||||
• Established | 1620 | ||||||||
• Incorporation intoPortuguese Angola | 1912 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1680 | ~300,000 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Lunda Norte Province | ||||||||
| |||||||||
TheKasanje Kingdom(1620–1910), also known as theJaga Kingdom,was aCentral Africanstate. It was formed in 1620 by a mercenary band ofImbangala,which had deserted thePortugueseranks. The state gets its name from the leader of the band, Kasanje, who settled his followers on the upper Kwango River. The Kasanje people were ruled by the Jaga, a king who was elected from among the three clans who founded the kingdom.[1]
History[edit]
In the 1650s the intellectuals of Kasanje developed a largely fiction history that sought to give meaning and stability to the state.[2]This history claimed a Zimbo and Tendo Andumba, and their daughter Tendo Anduma as the founding force of the nation.[3]
By the 1650s Kasanje had been making war with many of its neighbors for quite some time. These included QueenNzinga of Ndongo and Matamba,and also areas called Lubolo, Beebe, Haku and Sango.[4]
Kasanje also had relations with the Yaka Kingdom of theYaka people.Nbangu a Kutana kwa Mbuku, whose father was the King of Yaka, was for a time a prisoner in Kasanje but later was freed and established more peaceful relations between the states.[5]
In the 1650s Kasanje had six major languages as a result of recent conquests. The conquests continued in this decade with significant taking of areas in Bembe in 1657.[6]
On the south Kasanje bordered a domain calledMuzumbu a Kalunguwhich controlled an area between the Kwanza River and the headwaters of the Cunene River. It appears that Kasanje captured some of the territory of Muzumbu a Kalungu.[7]
There were many Portuguese merchants who operated in Ksanje by the 1650s.[8]
In 1680, the Portuguese travellerAntónio de Oliveira de Cadornegaestimated the kingdom had 300,000 people, of whom 100,000 were able to bear arms. However, it is noted that this claim may be exaggerated.[1] The kingdom of Kasanje remained in a constant state of conflict with its neighbours, especially the kingdom ofMatamba,then ruled by queenNzinga Mbande.The Imbangala state became a strong commercial center until being eclipsed byOvimbundutrade routes in the 1850s. Kasanje was finally incorporated intoPortuguese Angolain 1910–1911.
List of kings of Kasanje[edit]
The kings of Kasanje are listed below based on a compilation of several different contemporary king lists by Joseph C. Miller.[9]
| King name | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zimbo | c. 1500s? | Existence disputed |
| Tembandumba | c. 1500s? | Existence disputed |
| Kulembe | 1560s? | |
| Kinguri | 1560s? | |
| Kalanda ka Imbe | c. 1600s | Met by the English travelerAndrew Battel,1601-1603 |
| Kulashingo | c. 1610-1616 | Became allies with the Portuguese, c. 1612-1616 |
| Kasanje ka Kulashingo | c. 1616-1620s | |
| Kasanje Kingdom founded c. 1620 | ||
| Kalunga ka Kilombo | c. 1630s-1650 | |
| Ngongo a Mbande | c. 1650-1680 | Known personally by the missionaryCavazzi |
| "Dom. Pascoal Machado" | 1680 | Killed in an attack fromMatambaandMbunduarmies |
| Kingwangwa kya Kima | c. 1680-1681 | Usurper; possibly identified as "Luiz Dala" |
| Kitamba kya Keta | 1681-1690? | Possibly identified as "Luiz Dala" |
| Mwanya a Kasanje | c. 1690s? | |
| Kiluanje kya Ngonga | c. 1690s-1700s? | |
| Kinguri kya Kasombe | c. 1700s? | |
| Kitumba kya Kalunga | c. 1710s | |
| Kambamba ka Kinguri | c. 1720s? | |
| Kasanje ka Kiluanje | c. 1730s? | |
| Lubame lwa Kipungo | c. 1739-1750s? | |
| Ngunza a Kambamba | c. 1750-1770 | Extremely powerful |
| Lukala lwa Njinje | Early 1770s? | |
| Kalunga ka Luhame | Mid 1770s? | |
| Kitumba kya Wanga | Late 1770s-Early 1780s? | |
| Kisweya kya Kambamba | Mid 1780s? | |
| Kitamba kya Shiba | c. 1785-1792 | |
| Malenge a Ngonga | 1792-c. 1810 | Defeated by Félix Velazco Galiano, commander ofPungo Andongo,in 1805 |
| Kitumba kya Ngonga | c. 1810-1820 | |
| Kansanje kya Kambolo | c. 1820s | |
| Kihengo kya Kambolo | Early 1830s | |
| Kamasa ka Kiwende | Mid 1830s | |
| Mbumba a Kinguri | c. 1840-1850 | Expelled by a Portuguese expeditionary force in 1850 |
| Kalunga ka Kisanga | 1850 | Ruled as a Portuguese vassal; assassinated in late 1850 by Mbumba a Kinguri loyalists |
| Kambolo ka Ngonga | 1851-1856 | Known as "Dom Fernando Accacio Ferreira" to the Portuguese |
| Kamweje ka Kalunga | 1856-1857 | Died under mysterious circumstances |
| Mbumba a Kinguri | 1857-1873 | 2nd reign, probably arranged Kamweje ka Kalunga's death. Kingdom embroiled in civil war after his death |
| Civil War, 1873-1883 | ||
| Malenge a Kitumba | 1873 | Killed in battle |
| Kwango | 1883-1885 | Swore fealty toLuis Iof Portugal |
| Kasanje ka Kalanyi | 1888 | Had little authority, upon death a political stalemate lasted until 1896 |
| Kinguri kya Kiluanje | 1896 | Also known as Mushabata; immediately expelled and another stalemate occurred until 1911 |
| Ngwangwa | 1911-1912 | Defeated both warring factions; led a failed revolt against the Portuguese in 1912 that led to the end of the kingdom |
Location[edit]
Kasanje is located on the upperKwango Riverin what is now Angola.[10]
References[edit]
- ^abFage, J. D.; Oliver, Roland (1975).The Cambridge History of Africa: From c. 1600 to c. 1790.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.355.ISBN0-521-20413-5.Retrieved16 June2010.
- ^John K. Thornton.History of West Central Africap. 188
- ^Thornton. p. 189
- ^Thornton, p. 189
- ^Thornton. p. 189
- ^Thornton. p. 190
- ^Thornton. p. 190
- ^Thornton, p. 190
- ^Miller, Joseph C. (1979). "Kings, Lists, and History in Kasanje".History in Africa.6:51–96.doi:10.2307/3171741.ISSN0361-5413.JSTOR3171741.S2CID161608343.
- ^Kasanje - Britannica Concise
External links[edit]