Rise and Fall of Mutapa
Mwene Mutapa is Shona for Ravager of the Lands, and was also the title held by the dynasty of kings who ruled the territory, which was between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Mutapa is thought to be established around 1430, and was eventually taken over by the Portuguese in 1760. The first Mwene was a warrior prince named Nyatsimba Mutota who discovered what was soon to be Mutapa when he was looking for a new source of salt. Mutota's successor, Mwenemutapa Matope, extended this new kingdom into an empire which contained most of the lands between Tavara and the Indian Ocean. The Mwenemutapa became very wealthy by exploiting copper and ivory.
In 1561, Goncalo da Silveira, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary managed to make his way into the Mwenemutapa's court and convert him to Christianity. This didn't go too well with the Muslim merchants in the capital, and the Muslims persuaded the king to kill the Missionary only a few days after the baptism. This the only excuse the Portuguese needed to take over the gold mines and ivory routes. Mutapa used the Portuguese to their advantage (since they had made themselves a part of the kingdom by taking over the trade routes) to help them fight off other factions because they didn't have a very strong military.
By 1629 the mwenemutapa tried to throw out the Portuguese but he failed and in turn, he himself was overthrown. The Portuguese then took complete control and placed a man named Mavura Mhande Felipe on the throne. Mutapa technically was still independent, but was practically owned by Portugal.
Over the next several years Mutapa had many different rulers, the last being the Rozwi; but alas, the Rozwi quickly lost interest in Mutapa, as they sought to consolidate their position in the south. Thus Mutapa regained its independence sometime around 1720. In 1759 the last mwenemutapa died, sparking a civil war for the throne. It was very destructive and Mutapa never recovered, thus collapsing in 1760.
In 1561, Goncalo da Silveira, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary managed to make his way into the Mwenemutapa's court and convert him to Christianity. This didn't go too well with the Muslim merchants in the capital, and the Muslims persuaded the king to kill the Missionary only a few days after the baptism. This the only excuse the Portuguese needed to take over the gold mines and ivory routes. Mutapa used the Portuguese to their advantage (since they had made themselves a part of the kingdom by taking over the trade routes) to help them fight off other factions because they didn't have a very strong military.
By 1629 the mwenemutapa tried to throw out the Portuguese but he failed and in turn, he himself was overthrown. The Portuguese then took complete control and placed a man named Mavura Mhande Felipe on the throne. Mutapa technically was still independent, but was practically owned by Portugal.
Over the next several years Mutapa had many different rulers, the last being the Rozwi; but alas, the Rozwi quickly lost interest in Mutapa, as they sought to consolidate their position in the south. Thus Mutapa regained its independence sometime around 1720. In 1759 the last mwenemutapa died, sparking a civil war for the throne. It was very destructive and Mutapa never recovered, thus collapsing in 1760.