The emperor was a semidivine religious leader, a military leader and the chief priest. Introduction one of the questions that have dominated archaeological research throughout the world has been the question of why and how ancient societies transformed from relatively simple sociopolitical organisation. The rulers in mutapa would also tax people and then forced the people who they conquered in citystates to mine gold for them. An indepth history of the mutapa state the moyo chirandu folks. So, when the portuguese reached mutapa, they sought to penetrate it through religion. In fact politics was behind the rise of the mutapa state. Apr 24, 20 the kingdom of mutapa or any kingdom of zimbabwe holds a captivating history. As a graduate student at michigan state university, i received support, assistance, and funding from the african studies center, department of history, college of arts and letters, and the graduate school.
It has been suggested by some including the archaeologist peter garlake that religion was also significant to the rise and expansion of the mutapa state. Droughts were natural disasters nothing to do with portuguese. Politics, history and conceptions of democracy in barue district, mozambique. Politics, history and conceptions of democracy in barue district, mozambique van dokkum, a. Origins like that of the mutapa, the origins of the rozvi is a matter of controversy, various scholars attempted in vein to trace the origins of the rozvi state but in vain. This was a secondary state, resulting from the northward expansion of the great zimbabwe tradition.
The empire was the most powerful political entity in the region. Mutapa meaning and origin of the name mutapa nameaning. They established the mwene mutapa empire which ruled until the time of the ngoni invasion in the 1830s. The zimbabwe mining legacy dates back to medieval great zimbabwe. The mutapa people produced and traded a variety of goods such as elephant tusks and gold and encouraged traders including the swahili and portuguese to come to their state. The origins of the name torwa and what it implied remain a. This paved the way for the rise of the rozvi kingdom, the successor of the mutapa kingdom. Political organization of the mwene mutapa empire atika. Announcing to the visiting provincial leaders the orders of the king. He used his army to raid the shona people and taxed them to support himself. In as far as religion is an important component of ideology, this suggestion is plausible.
Mar 16, 2011 a political history of munhumutapa a book by dr mudenge saturday, 05 march 2011 20. Nevertheless not withstanding the efforts of the scholars, this issue remains a thorn in. Anglophone africanists may well wonder why it has taken so long for a. The empire was probably established by changamire dombo i 168495, who conquered some of the most fertile and mineralrich areas and drove the portuguese from their marketplaces in the zambezi river valley in the 1690s.
History notes pdf download, history notes form 4, history notes form 3, history notes form 2 pdf, history notes form 1 pdf, history. Political organization of the mwene mutapa empire atika school. According to oral tradition chibatamatosi nyatsimba mutotas father sent nyakatondo the messenger to the area north of great zimbabwe to look for salt deposits. They probably were not absorbed by the zulu at any time. The social, economic and political activities as well as the reasons for. This is hardly surprising given that the local traditions emphasized political history and the activities of the elites. Using the jesuits in the mutapa empire of zimbabwe academic. The mutapa empire monompotapa, developed gradually out of the culture of great zimbabwe between 1200 to 1450. Mwene matapa historical dynastic title, southern africa britannica. The use of cattle as a source of social or political power among the shona in zimbabwe in the distant and recent past is well documented mudenge, 1974, 1988 and also recounted in shona oral traditions. Social, economic and political organization of african.
Pdf on jan 1, 1993, innocent pikirayi published the archaeological identity of the mutapa state. Political organization of the mwene mutapa empire the emperor was the head of the state and government. History of precolonial mining in zimbabwe celebrating. Matopes title, mwene mutapa, means the lord of the plundered lands, conquerer, or master pillager.
The mwene conquering king or masterpillager was the designation given to the state which was referred to as mwene mutapa. This was a secondary state, resulting from the northwards expansion of the great zimbabwe tradition. The portuguese term monomotapa is a transliteration of the african royal title mwenemutapa derived from a combination of two words mwene meaning king or lord, and mutapa meaning land. It stretched from zimbabwe to the mozambique coast. The origin and rise of the mutapa state free zimsec. The emperor was the head of the state and government. Mutapa empire 1430 to 1760 was an empire, in present day zimbabwe, extending to the mozambique coast.
The empire was comprised of a karanga majority speaking population. Explain the social structure, unique aspects, and decline of great zimbabwe. Its successor in the southwest was torwa, with its centre at khami. Most historians agree that the mutapa state was an offshoot of the great zimbabwe state the decline of great zimbabwe led to the rise of the mutapa state. Oral tradition of dp abraham add more flesh on the history of the mutapa state. Kingdom of mutapa great discoveries in archaeology. Written in accessible language, book 1 describes precolonial african history, enlivened by many. The mutapa state is believed to have been an iron age state which spanned across three centuries till its decline in the 19 th century. Sep 25, 2019 the rozvi state grew due to sound economic, social and political polices. Pdf o level study guide for zimbabwean history upto 1897. The demise of great zimbabwe left the mutapa state dominant in northern. Welcome to white rose etheses online white rose etheses.
Jun 01, 2017 the nation state had been fully developed by 1450 ad, which time mutapa embarked on a full military expansion that gave rise to the munhumutapa empire. The author is associate professor of history at the university of san diego. The portuguese who arrived on the east african coast in the early 1500s believed mwene mutapato be a title of respect for the ruler. The archaeological identity of the mutapa state innocent pikirayi 1993. Acting as a regent when a mutapa died before a new one was appointed. The ndebele state by julian cobbing the ndebele state. The founder of the mutapa state was nyatsimba mutota who left great zimbabwe in search of salt or after succession disputes according to oral history. Political organisation of the mutapa state free zimsec. According to oral tradition chibatamatosi nyatsimba mutotas father sent nyakatondo the messenger to the area north of great zimbabwe.
Because the mutapa state has a documentary record going back to i502, it is the prime testingground in southern africa for theories concerning economic, social, political and religious development within a state formation over a long period. The archaeological identity of the mutapa state towards an historical archaeology of northern zimbabwe, innocent pikirayi, 1993, archaeological surveying, 200 pages. Various theories were put forward to tress where this state originated from. The mutapa state was one of western mozambique and present day zimbabwes greatest kingdoms. Changamire dombo, according to oral tradition, is believed to have possessed supernatural powers. The term is also the origin of the name of the mutapa empire. Towards a historical archaeology of the rozvi in southwestern. These foils were brought together by the lucrative indian ocean. The names of some of the mutapa rulers are known to the present generations through oral traditions, for example, mutota and his successor nyanhewe matope. King chibatamatosi, mutotas father ordered mutota to find salt before the succession disputes.
There are several mutapa origin stories, the most widely accepted told by oral tradition is of the. Pdf the archaeological identity of the mutapa state. This book began as a dissertation on history and identity in the ndau region. Abraham, the early political history of the kingdom of mwena mutapa 850i 589, in historians in tropical africa, proceedings of the leverhulme intercollegiate history conference. The main people that mutapa traded with were the portuguese. Over time the monarchs royal title was applied to the kingdom as a whole, and used to denote the kingdoms territory on maps from the period. This kingdom was founded by a royal member from its successor. Mutapa state origins around 1425, mutota, king of the shona, embarked on conquest of the inland plateau, the region located between the zambezi river and the limpopo river, to the coast of mozambique. In the second half of the 15th century great zimbabwe came to an abrupt end. For some oldtime liberals, history was related to the belief that, given. Mutota who went in a northerly direction from great. Discussing important matters and developments within the state with the mutapa.
Jun 30, 20 the mutapa s control in these far away lands was probably peripheral and not regular. Changamire dombo defeated a pinitive mutapa army after rebelling in 1684. Mutapa rulers these conquered people called mutota and his successors mwene mutapa,meaning conqueror or master pillager. Important emperors included chikura, nyatsimba, mutota and matope. During his reign the centre of the state was shifted from zimbabwe north to mount fura on. The mutapa state was located on the northern part of modern day zimbabwe. The rozvi leader changamire dombo was originally a herdsmen in the mutapa state, yet managed to drive away the portuguese, earning himself support and followers, thereby enabling him to break away from the legendary mutapa empire. David beach believes that the city and its state, the kingdom of zimbabwe, flourished from 1200 to 1500. The rozvi and mutapa states display similarities, although the rozvi appear to have been more tight ly controlled. The most powerful local player was the mutapa state, while the mercantilismfuelled portuguese were the dominant foreign players. A political history of munhumutapa, c14001902, 1988, 420. Origins the founder of the mutapa state was nyatsimba mutota who left great zimbabwe in search of salt or after succession disputes according to oral history.
Its founding and the only recorded ruler was king chibata matosi. Shona oral tradition states that the mutapa state was founded by nyatsimbe. May 04, 2012 the mutapa western adaptation of the munhumutapa or mwenemutapa or monomutapa depending on the shona dialect was one of western mozambique and present day zimbabwes greatest kingdoms. The ndebele state by julian cobbing the ndebele state was ruled by khumalo kings who had emerged from the nduandwe. During the zulundwandwe wars of 181820 the khumalo were ejected and one of them, mzilikazi, came to dominate a mixed band of maraiders in search of more peaceful pastures. Beach 1990 a history of uteve under the mwene mutapa rulers 14801834. Politically changamire dombo managed to defeat the portuguese in 1684 and 1695 near butwa. From mutapa to rhodes by aeneas chigwedere 1980 the changing history of the mutapa dynasty by d. Information of the history of great zimbabwe was recovered from archaeology and oral tradition. For hardline marxists, history is a process defined by the founder in the last century, and some of these have been heard to state that economic and social history is the only real history.
Welcome to white rose etheses online white rose etheses online. It is now known that the primary successor state of the zimbabwe culture was the torwa state at khami. 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. The ndebele state by julian cobbing the ndebele state was. However it was the mutapa state which invited the portuguese e. It is believed that the later had migrated with a large military force from great zimbabwe in. The decline of great zimbabwe led to the rise of the. One of them dr mj sibanda purports that the rozvi state was founded by changamire dombo a descended of the torwa. Jan 04, 2016 the mutapa state consolidated power and maintained its dominance from the 15th to the 20th century in what is now present day zimbabwe. The ruling class of the mutapa people had similar culture and customs as those of the great zimbabwe. The mutapa state is of especial interest because it is the only one of four known major shona stateszimbabwe, torwa, mutapa, and changamireto escape. Prince mutota traveled north leading a large army of 300 men. The great zimbabwe state was founded and is believed to have existed around 11501450 ad.
The meaning of the name mutapa is the conquered lands. For some historians in africa, history is essentially about race or ethnicity. Khami phase origins became entangled with the mutapa state, great. The kingdom of mutapa is said to have stretched between the zambezi and limpopo rivers. Drivers of decline in precolonial southern african states to 1830. The african ejournals project has digitized full text of.
The kingdom of mutapa sometimes referred to as the mutapa empire, mwenemutapa was an. The shona thus formed a new state, the kingdom of mutapa, from around 1450 ce, although it may well have been a case of the zimbabwe. The munhumutapa empire had command over and exploited not less than 4 000 gold and 500 copper mines spread across the country. The mutapa s control in these far away lands was probably peripheral and not regular.
The mutapa state can be called mwenemutapa or munhumutapa or monomutapa. Mutapa dynasty could not have derived from zimbabwe originally, but the evidence from archaeology would suggest a less dramatic development than mutotas march to the north. In particular, the role of the rozvi in the rise and spread of khamiphase. An important feature of the mutapa state way of life was the close link between politics and religion. Subjects were required to give livestock to prove their allegiance to the mwene mutapa. Pdf a level history zimbabwe anotida chikumbu academia. Rise and expansion of the mutapa state essays antiessays.
Ultimately, the mutapa empire represents africas proud heritage. Matope, son of mutota completed the conquest and expansion started by his father. The portuguese invaded the mutapa kingdom in the 17th century and deposed the mutapa king in 1629. Most historians agree that the mutapa state was an offshoot of the great zimbabwe state. The mutapa state is of especial interest because it is the only one of four known major shona stateszimbabwe, torwa, mutapa, and changamireto escape being uprooted entirely by new settlements of people, and the only one that was close to portuguese centers in which information was recorded. According to oral tradition the first mwene was a warrior prince nyatsimbamutota from great zimbabwe who was sent to find new sources of salt in the north. Rozvi state pdf the history of the rozvi has been for a long time shrouded by myth. Zimbabwean history is covered in two books from a socialist perspective. Crafting identity in zimbabwe and mozambique rochester. Mutapa state formed by army commander who left great zimbabwe not mutota by fage and d.
Oral tradition also provides information about the rozvi state, for instance, the origins of the rozvi state is known through oral tradition. The fall of the mutapa originslike that of the mutapa, the origins of the rozvi is a matter of controversy, various scholars attempted in vein to trace the origins of the rozvi state but in vain. Mutapa is thought to be established around 1430, and was eventually taken over by the portuguese in 1760. Assisting the mutapa in the appointment of provincial chiefs when one chief diedresigned or was dismissed. Religion played a role in government and united people.
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