She Who Dared | Queen Nzinga Mbande | Warrior, Diplomat, Queen

In present-day northern Angola, Queen Nzinga Mbande (1583-1663) was a warrior, diplomat, and Queen. After her father died in 1617, Nzinga’s brother, Ngola, became the new king. Upon assuming the throne, he killed many rival claimants, including his older half-brother and their family. Ngola ordered her Nzinga’s young son killed, and forcibly sterilized Nzinga using herbs and boiling oils. Nzinga fled to Matamba.

The Portuguese Empire tried to establish a colony in Luanda (Angola) by seizing military and economic control of the region. Nzinga’s brother lacked military skill, allowing the Portuguese to advance significantly. Ngola requested Nzinga’s help to negotiate with the Portuguese Governor in 1621. She proved to be an exceptional negotiator and diplomat. To assert the equality of their cultures, Nzinga wore lavish traditional clothing. Refused a chair by the Portuguese, she had an attendant act as one, allowing her to speak face-to-face and assert equality. Nzinga’s goal was to secure peace and cooperation. She repositioned Ndongo as an intermediary; rather than supplying enslaved people, she allowed slave traders inside Ndongo. She demanded the removal of Portuguese forts from Ndongo and refused to pay tribute to Portugal.

Nzinga became ruler of Ndongo in 1624 after her brother’s death. By 1626, Portuguese expansion forced her into exile. In response, she married the Imbangala warlord Kasanje, enabling her to conquer Matamba in 1631, where she established a new power base. 

In 1641, she partnered with the Dutch to reclaim parts of Ndongo and challenge Portuguese control. After years of warfare, she signed a peace treaty in 1656, ensuring Matamba’s sovereignty and securing her legacy as a fierce leader and skilled diplomat.

From 1656 until her death, Nzinga transitioned from warfare to state-building. Matamba became a thriving trade hub dealing with Portuguese and Dutch merchants. She also worked to abolish the Imbangala warrior customs, which relied upon recruitment rather than family connections, shifting her kingdom toward a more structured governance system.