Mutapa's Government
The Portuguese people who arrived in the East African coast in the 1500’s thought mwenemutapa was a title of respect for the ruler. Mwenemutapa has a few different translations on of them being “lord of the plundered lands”, and another being “Prince of the conquered land” both meaning ruler of land. The name for the ruler was actually mwene. Mutapa had a government that was ruled by a king. It was a monarchy, the Mutapan government, and only had one dynasty. This dynasty was called the Mutapa Dynasty, which ruled Mutapa until the Portuguese interfered with their politics, and helped overthrow their ruler. Symbols of kingship included an exquisitely decorated small hoe, granaries, small horns, and spears or weapons. The nation also believed in the principle of divine kingship. The ruler was believed the be the “God of the sun and moon, conqueror of enemies, and king of the land and the rivers.” The government also used a system of vassalage to gain a substantial amount of wealth. The government did start to get some Portuguese interference though, and one of the rulers got overthrown with the help of the Portuguese. After the ruler got overthrown, the Portuguese put forth a ruler in which they could control. This began the decline of the Mutapa government.
The Portuguese people who arrived in the East African coast in the 1500’s thought mwenemutapa was a title of respect for the ruler. Mwenemutapa has a few different translations on of them being “lord of the plundered lands”, and another being “Prince of the conquered land” both meaning ruler of land. The name for the ruler was actually mwene. Mutapa had a government that was ruled by a king. It was a monarchy, the Mutapan government, and only had one dynasty. This dynasty was called the Mutapa Dynasty, which ruled Mutapa until the Portuguese interfered with their politics, and helped overthrow their ruler. Symbols of kingship included an exquisitely decorated small hoe, granaries, small horns, and spears or weapons. The nation also believed in the principle of divine kingship. The ruler was believed the be the “God of the sun and moon, conqueror of enemies, and king of the land and the rivers.” The government also used a system of vassalage to gain a substantial amount of wealth. The government did start to get some Portuguese interference though, and one of the rulers got overthrown with the help of the Portuguese. After the ruler got overthrown, the Portuguese put forth a ruler in which they could control. This began the decline of the Mutapa government.