Queen Nzinga, Warrior Queen

Queen Nzinga, Warrior Queen

Meet Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba Kingdoms in modern day Angola. Queen Nzinga was an irrepressible leader who spent a lifetime in constant battle with the Portuguese. She is considered one of the greatest female leaders of all time.

Queen Nzinga was born in 1583 the year that her father, the King, began fighting the Portuguese. The Portuguese had colonised Brazil and considered the Ndongo people the answer to their labour issues, they also had their eyes on the natural riches of Angola. It’s not a surprise then that Queen Nzinga spent her lifetime fighting the Portuguese, one could argue that this was something she was born to do.

Queen Nzinga, Strategic Visionary

She had a clear vision on how she wanted her rule to impact the Ndongo people. She established a regular and profitable trading relationship between Luanda and Europeans. Queen Nzinga exploited the European rivalry by forging an alliance with the Dutch and used their wealth to consolidate her position. With this alliance Nzinga defeated the Portuguese army in 1647. The Dutch withdrew from Central Africa, leaving her to rule her kingdom and to continue to defend it against persistent Portuguese with her troops, which she personally led into her 60's.

After continuous war against the Portuguese, she concluded another treaty with them that largely fulfilled her initial goals, and her policy continued successfully until her death. She died peacefully before the kingdom lost its independence to the Portuguese in 1671.

Wear her name, tell her story with our statement apparel in our classic t-shirt, vest or tote.