The Formidable Warrior Queen of Angola | Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba

Elizabeth I is famous in Western history for dominating a role normally held by men as queen of England, but she had a contemporary across the oceans in Africa - Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba. Not only did Nzinga successfully take her place as a queen in place of a king, but she fought back the Portuguese, took lands, and became a modern icon in Angola. This video looks at her life, her controversies, and her legacy...
Apologies for my mispronunciation of 'catechism'! I am human, and sometimes I make an error when recording.
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Sources and related books:
Nzinga of Matamba in a New Perspective by Joseph C. Miller - www.jstor.org/stable/180812
Njinga of Angola: Africa’s Warrior Queen by Linda M. Heywood - amzn.to/40W30Bd
Nzinga: African Warrior Queen by Moses L. Howard (Fiction) - amzn.to/3S3NFuv
Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba by Ekiuwa Aire (Children's Book) - amzn.to/3E9VVmI
The above book links are affiliate links, and by clicking and buying a book, you're helping support this channel. Thank you very much! 🙌
For my images and footage, thanks to:
Pixabay
Pexels
Wikimedia Commons, especially:
jlrsousa
Angel Tostado
Erik Cleves Kristensen
Azekhoria benjamin
A HUGE thank you to Pat Masioni and UNESCO for the beautiful and detailed images of Nzinga that are available in the public domain to bring her story to life.
Some images created by Dream AI
slaveryimages.org

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thanks for watching! 😊 What are your thoughts on Nzinga? Is she really 'Mother Angola'?

[@randalllakeworth3134]

I think the Portuguese e traded guns to nzinga for her army for those people of servitude but I do know the Portuguese were happy to have these warrior men n woman to work for them as slaves either or THANK YOU for CONTRIBUTING this great piece of HISTORY.

[@MariamArt_]

she is an empress and goddess of Orisha since there was the Yoruba kingdom and other Yoruba people when it comes to women who were worshipping kings and queens 😟

[@elsbet1656]

Why are they constantly doing remakes when there are incredible stories like this out here?!

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

There are seriously so many amazing stories in history that the real problem should be choosing which one to do rather than repeating others! Having said that, I don't mind an old story made new if there's a different angle for it.

[@geraldinechoice3570]

This could depend on who you listen to. Consider tuning in to Dr. Anthony Browder.

[@chiobabe2180]

She needs a movie 🍿

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Hell YES! I would love to see her story as a film (or even a high-budget TV series, for that matter).

[@LegendOfKitty]

Must be directed by a black woman.

[@lianefehrle9921]

A great woman that needs to be taught in school

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Agreed - especially as she was a contemporary of Elizabeth I! The parallels between them are very interesting.

[@baylorsailor]

I'm sure she is taught to school children in Africa and World History classes in colleges/universities in other countries. In US grade schools they barely touch world history until college. We learn mostly about US history and whatever specific State's history that you live in. But I'm pretty sure the UK grade school children are learning mostly about their own countries (England, Scotland & Ireland) as well as about the commonwealth, and barely touch US History at all. So it all depends on where you live. It's near impossible to teach 1000s of years of history from every country in only a few years. That would take decades of study. So kids just need to be encouraged to read more, and to continue to read and learn into adulthood. There is only so much that can be taught from word of mouth. Especially since so much was not written down in some countries, in particular Africa.

[@lianefehrle9921]

@@baylorsailor this video could be shown on school grounds. At least some of this video will trigger something inside a child’s mind and heart

[@randalllakeworth3134]

But what I what do know was did she really trade slaves to contribute the the new world or was she held at gun point by the white man n forced because a lot of history discludes the devilshmenr of euromen

[@beth7935]

Wow, what an epic life, & what an amazing woman! Not a saint, but as you say, European monarchs of that time were no different. She was still a skilful politician & a strong, successful ruler, at a time when women usually weren't allowed to rule & were seen as incapable of it- quite the contrary; she did an excellent job & successfully fought back the Portuguese.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

I must admit, I was ashamed that I hadn't heard of her before researching! She did an incredible job, and I think she knew when to adapt and when to stand by her own opinion, which struck me as a bit of a parallel to Elizabeth I.

[@beth7935]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople She reminded me a bit of Elizabeth I too! I'm afraid I don't know any African history- I'm just starting to learn some NON-British European history, lol, & it's still just the basics, & my brain doesn't have room to focus even more broadly. I _am_ interested in awesome historical women regardless of place or era tho, & I often don't know the non-European ones, so they're extra-interesting to learn about, & I like that you cover some of them.

[@ericsalinas98]

A lot of ancient historical figures lived through a blood bath all had unchecked power all amazing figures non the less history is beautiful it's bittersweet

[@eddiesengola4491]

@@beth7935unlike the West, Africa was a Matriarchal Society. So, don’t be surprised that Women were Queens, Rulers.

[@randalllakeworth3134]

But what I want to know is did she really trade slaves to contribute to the new world or was she held and gunpoint by European men.

[@sarahpersonalexcellenceguide]

@38:03 Great work! Reframing it this way is EXACTLY what we need to understand history in context. I love this quality about your videos! You recontextualize historians’ traditional interpretations and gently (but firmly) nudge everyone toward a fairer viewpoint.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much! 😊 I do try to make everything non-bias and fair as much as possible. I have a saying that I picked up from my (much more optimistic) husband - "People are people." Rich or poor, fat or thin, any language, any skin colour...we're all people underneath, and we're both wonderful and terrible, and someone who might be a tyrannical ruler might also be a loving and caring parent. It's not to say we excuse terrible deeds, but when people become caricatures instead of rounded human beings, we risk ignoring those who would become terrible leaders because we make 'bad people' one-sided.

[@sarahpersonalexcellenceguide]

@HistorysForgottenPeople Love it! I've really enjoyed your channel and sometimes just listen for the sound of your voice. Thanks for what you're contributing to the world!

[@Mandarim-facil]

Thank you for sharing🌹

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

No problem, I'm glad you enjoyed it! ☺

[@kevinwindley7872]

Wow this video is beyond amazing , I love it❤❤❤❤

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Thank you so much, I'm so glad you like it! ☺

[@lfgifu296]

Oh! I spent my childhood in Angola, so this one hits close to home🫶 I remember visiting her castle (not rly a castle though😭) when I was about 7 or 8. Also, on a small note, the “N” in Nzinga is silent if I recall correctly:) History Tea Time With Lindsay Holiday has a video on her, but it’s 16 minutes long, so I trust this one will be more thorough (though I like Lindsay Holiday too)

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

That's so cool! Living here must be very different to Angola. (I'm very jealous, as I've never had the chance to get further than Europe so far.) For the pronunciation, I'm happy to be corrected, but I've gone with Linda Heywood's pronunciation, as she did a huge amount of research before her biography on the queen. 😊 And I certainly always try to be thorough, hopefully not too much at times! 🤣

[@lfgifu296]

@@HistorysForgottenPeopleHaha thank you but don’t be :’) it was extremely dangerous: my father was robbed three times and we were robbed once in our house during the night, we lived in constant fear of being robbed and killed because criminality was rife, I remember after we heard some noises outside, going to sleep crying and praying I would just wake up the next day- overall quite traumatic:’) but it had good points too ofc, it’s just that, at least for me, the bad ones won :/

[@lfgifu296]

@@HistorysForgottenPeopleYes it is a completely different world- also the poverty is completely heartbreaking- in my way to school I often saw children searching for something to eat in the garbage… I now live in Portugal and like it much more, as it is much safer- I can actually walk through the town!

[@lfgifu296]

But I still hold it dear in my heart- surprisingly for me! When I left I thought I’d never want to even visit it again, now, while I know it is impossible due to the criminality that still reigns, I sometimes wish to visit it just to see it all again :)

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Oh my goodness! I can understand why you have mixed feelings about it, but it's good that you still have some happy memories of it to hold dear. It reminds me of two of our friends who are from Johannesburg, but now live in Florida as they also grew worried about being harmed - but they also miss it, as it's where they were born and grew up.

[@Caleb17-ym6pq]

Why isn't Netflix doing a docu-series about her?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

100% THIS! I would love to watch a series about Nzinga!

[@MariamArt_]

there was the possibility of her army outnumbering these Portuguese merchants and mercenaries who are willing to purchase slaves from Queen Luanda of Nzinga who is willing to the end of the war as a negotiation and trade between the Portuguese prince and just many of her 230 men were caught in the middle of the battle and captured to the Queen Nzinga in her palace and decided to put them in prison meaning that they have to pay their oaths to become slaves

[@user-tn2wl6el7o]

❤❤❤❤amen

[@MariamArt_]

Luanda is present day modern Angola which is the capital of the Matamba and Ndongo states in Angola. then how come the contact with European Portuguese men. then the first governor of Portuguese descent and Henri Luis Mendes de Suaverez Cavapeliaç which now still since the Matamba and Ndongo collapsed because of the transAtlantic slave trade due to warfare and prisoners of war being captured by other African tribal warlords in terms of many Ndongon people were killed even kidnapped by being offered as a slave to the Portuguese merchants and mercenaries during the transatlantic slave trade 😟

[@leeannproctor2966]

Did viola davis play her?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

No, I know the movie you're thinking of, but I think Viola Davis was (loosely) portraying a general of the Agojie. There hasn't been, to the best of my knowledge, a film about Nzinga, but I would love to see one.

[@leeannproctor2966]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople someone needs to do a movie about her asap.

[@stevenyanacsek4873]

La Reine Kongo!

[@randalllakeworth3134]

What i want to do did sge really trade slaves to contribute to the new world or was she held at ginpoint by the port of geese

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

It's a really complex question. I don't think she was held at gunpoint, per se, but it was also not something that would have been fully understood as the horrific system of slavery created by Europeans. Slavery has always existed, and within Nzinga's kingdom it existed as a way of keeping men from other tribes or kingdoms captured from battle, or punishing their families, but it wasn't considered a 'system' that was necessary to maintain agriculture and crops. I don't believe Nzinga was ever given the full explanation of what would happen to those she sold as slaves, and assumed it would exist as it did within Africa.

[@mamatrace8304]

Queen Nzinga converted because of the HRCC edict that nonbelievers can be enslaved. So by converting and proving her conversion. The Portuguese cannot enslave her people. She is under the authority of HRCC. Clever.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Nzinga was a really smart woman! Every decision she made was two steps ahead of those who were against her, that's for sure.

[@brondavis1601]

Isn’t catechism pronounced /ka/ta/ki/sm/?

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Yes, it is - sometimes I make an error when recording and editing. Thank you for spotting it, I'll make a note of it!

[@brondavis1601]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople My pleasure! I was worried there was a new religious word I didn’t know

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

@@brondavis1601 No, just a silly error of mine - I'm going to blame it on working during half-term holidays with my little boy at home! 🤣

[@albertansah1373]

Angola 🇦🇴 must change their country’s name period 😅😮😢😂in Africa to a modern name for changing world 🌎 order into global name from Portuguese to either language simple nNe.Angola speak 🗣️ Portuguese and needs to change that Portuguese language period.I don’t even know the name of current president of Angola 🇦🇴.????😮😢😂😮.????.

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

It would be wonderful if Angola wanted to have a new name for their country that resonated with their past before the Portuguese arrived! As for languages spoken, although Portuguese is the 'official' language, Umbundu, Kimbundu and Kikongo are still widely spoken within the communities there. I guess it makes sense that everyone can speak at least one other language that is better known in order to communicate better.

[@claudiopereira9900]

Angola's name comes from the Kikongo name for "Sovereign" or King/Queen, that name is Ngola! Because Portuguese is a Latin language Ngola became A'ngola. We don't need to change the name, and we will stop with that logic, the name Hispania( Spain) was given by the Romans, another colonial power or Empire

[@poinky8]

Yet they speak Portuguese in Angola🧐

[@HistorysForgottenPeople]

Yes, the language (and some of the customs/festivals) stuck, but not much else. 🙂

[@Pj287.]

@@HistorysForgottenPeople food and religion

[@MariamArt_]

this is so interesting to hear of Queen Nzinga of Great Zimbabwe Kingdom in modern day Angola. i’ve always wondered and was so interested in learning about her and her journey. Angola, is mainly just Queen Angola of Nzinga. she was such a lovely and powerful woman 🧝🏾‍♀️🪽