Anna Nzinga - Queen of Ndongo
Known for: resisted Portuguese in central Africa
Occupation: queen of the Ndongo (Angola), queen of Matamba
Dates: 1581 - December 17, 1663
Nzinga was born sometime in 1583 to Ngola Kilaunji and Guenguela Cakombe in Ndongo, an kingdom located in what is now Angola. As a child, Nzinga was the envoy for her brother, the Ngola, at various peace conferences with Europeans. At the time, Portuguese colonists were attempting to take away native African land, capture and sell Africans into slavery, and destroy the Africans and their culture, as they were considered inferior and subhuman. At one conference, a peace treaty was made with the Portuguese settlers of Luanda. As a sign of good will, Nzinga converted Christianity, was baptized, and changed her name to Anna de Sousa. The Portuguese, however, broke the treaty and attacked Ndongo in 1623.
Occupation: queen of the Ndongo (Angola), queen of Matamba
Dates: 1581 - December 17, 1663
Nzinga was born sometime in 1583 to Ngola Kilaunji and Guenguela Cakombe in Ndongo, an kingdom located in what is now Angola. As a child, Nzinga was the envoy for her brother, the Ngola, at various peace conferences with Europeans. At the time, Portuguese colonists were attempting to take away native African land, capture and sell Africans into slavery, and destroy the Africans and their culture, as they were considered inferior and subhuman. At one conference, a peace treaty was made with the Portuguese settlers of Luanda. As a sign of good will, Nzinga converted Christianity, was baptized, and changed her name to Anna de Sousa. The Portuguese, however, broke the treaty and attacked Ndongo in 1623.