Njinga of Angola : Africa’s Warrior Queen

Though largely unknown in the Western world, the seventeenth-century African queen Njinga was one of the most multifaceted rulers in history, a woman who rivaled Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great in political cunning and military prowess. Linda Heywood offers the first full-length study in English of Queen Njinga?s long life and political influence, revealing how this Cleopatra of central Africa skillfully navigated - and ultimately transcended - the ruthless, male-dominated power struggles of her time. In 1626, after being deposed by the Portuguese, she transformed herself into a prolific slave trader and ferocious military leader, waging wars against the Portuguese colonizers and their African allies. Surviving multiple attempts to kill her, Njinga conquered the neighboring state of Matamba and ruled as queen of Ndongo-Matamba. At the height of her reign in the 1640s Njinga ruled almost one-quarter of modern-day northern Angola. Toward the end of her life, weary of war, she made peace with Portugal and converted to Christianity, though her devotion to the new faith was questioned. Who was Queen Njinga? There is no simple answer. In a world where women were subjugated by men, she repeatedly outmaneuvered her male competitors and flouted gender norms, taking both male and female lovers. Today, Njinga is revered in Angola as a national heroine and honored in folk religions, and her complex legacy continues to resonate, forming a crucial part of the collective memory of the Afro-Atlantic world “The fascinating story of arguably the greatest queen in sub-Saharan African history, who surely deserves a place in the pantheon of revolutionary world leaders.”—Henry Louis Gates, Jr.Though largely unknown in the West, the seventeenth-century African queen Njinga was one of the most multifaceted rulers in history, a woman who rivaled Queen Elizabeth I in political cunning and military prowess. In this landmark book, based on nine years of research and drawing from missionary accounts, letters, and colonial records, Linda Heywood reveals how this legendary queen skillfully navigated—and ultimately transcended—the ruthless, male-dominated power struggles of her time.“Queen Njinga of Angola has long been among the many heroes whom black diasporians have used to construct a pantheon and a usable past. Linda Heywood gives us a different Njinga—one brimming with all the qualities that made her the stuff of legend but also full of all the interests and inclinations that made her human. A thorough, serious, and long overdue study of a fascinating ruler, Njinga of Angola is an essential addition to the study of the black Atlantic world.”—Ta-Nehisi Coates“This fine biography attempts to reconcile her political acumen with the human sacrifices, infanticide, and slave trading by which she consolidated and projected power.”—New Yorker“Queen Njinga was by far the most successful of African rulers in resisting Portuguese colonialism...Tactically pious and unhesitatingly murderous...a commanding figure in velvet slippers and elephant hair ripe for big-screen treatment; and surely, as our social media age puts it, one badass woman.”—Karen Shook, Times Higher Education One Of History's Most Multifaceted Rulers But Little Known In The West, Queen Njinga Rivaled Elizabeth I And Catherine The Great In Political Cunning And Military Prowess. Today, She Is Revered In Angola As A Heroine And Honored In Folk Religions. Her Complex Legacy Forms A Crucial Part Of The Collective Memory Of The Afro-atlantic World.-- The Ndongo Kingdom And The Portuguese Invasion -- Crisis And The Rise Of Njinga -- A Defiant Queen -- Treacherous Politics -- Warfare And Diplomacy -- A Balancing Act -- On The Way To The Ancestors. Linda M. Heywood. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 265-295) And Index. Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright 5 Contents 6 Map 9 Introduction 10 1. The Ndongo Kingdom and the Portuguese Invasion 27 2. Crisis and the Rise of Njinga 44 3. A Defiant Queen 65 4. Treacherous Politics 94 5. Warfare and Diplomacy 123 6. A Balancing Act 167 7. On the Way to the Ancestors 202 Epilogue 254 Glossary 268 List of Names 270 Chronology 272 Notes 274 Acknowledgments 306 Illustration Credits 310 Index 312 One of history's most multifaceted rulers but little known in the West, Queen Njinga rivaled Elizabeth I and Catherine the Great in political cunning and military prowess. Today, she is revered in Angola as a heroine and honored in folk religions. Her complex legacy forms a crucial part of the collective memory of the Afro-Atlantic world--Provided by publisher