Traditional polities

Note: This record is in three parts: (A) the end of the "Changamire Empire"; (B) other Shona states; (C) the Ndebele ("Matabele") Kingdom.

"Changamire Empire"

Note: Various names have been proposed for this polity, among them Botwa and Ukalanga (i.e., Karanga, the state [see Mozambican traditional polities] of which this polity is historically an offshoot). Changamire is probably a distortion, adopted by the Portuguese, of name and/or epithet of the founder.

     c.1480                Changamire, briefly usurping ruler of the Karanga state,
                           is removed and establishes a separate polity; its history
                           to c.1680 is obscure
     c.1680                the Changamire state absorbs the Torwa state
       1857                the last effective ruler flees (he is captured 1866) and
                           the British South Africa Company rules (till 1923); the
                           ruling lineage continues to claim the royal style

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Nechasike dynasty, Moyo-vaRozwi lineage -
      *1802*               Gumboremvura Changamire
       1828 -        1836  Chirisamhuru II Changamire
                           Dhlembevu = Sabanko Changamire
                           = Chapungu Changamire
       1836 -        1838  vacant
       1838 -        1857  Tohwechipi Changamire "Chibamubamu"

Other Shona states

Bocha

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Marange dynasty -
    bf.1750                Mutekwatekwa
        ... -         ...  Chiruka (later Dongorere)
        ... -         ...  Chimhiti
        ... -         ...  Gandidzanwa
        ... -         ...  Nyachitwu
       1938 -        19..  Chikwa
       19.. -        19..  Manjengwa
       19.. -        19..  Nyamura
       19.. -        19..  Nyika
       1946 -        19..  Murwira
       19.. -        19..  Isiah = Hama
       19.. -        19..  Solomon Murwira
       19.. -              Bernard

Buhera

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Nyashanu dynasty (originally Mbiru) -
      *1858*               Mutema
        ...                Muradzikwa

Govera

     c.1788                Govera state founded

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Chirimuhanzo dynasty -
     c.1788                Chirimuhanzo I Mhepo
        ... -         ...  Chirimuhanzo II
        ... -         ...  Chirimuhanzo III
        ... -         ...  Chirimuhanzo IV
        ... -         ...  Chirimuhanzo V
        ... -         ...  Chirimuhanzo VI
        ... -        1891  Chirimuhanzo VII Chatikobo
       1891 -         ...  Chirimuhanzo VIII Chinyama

Manyika: see under Mozambican traditional polities.

Maungwe

     c.1635                Maungwe state founded

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Makoni dynasty -
        ... -        1831  Makoni IX Muswati
       1831 -        183.  Makoni X Zendera
       183. -        1840  Mukunyadze (usurper)
       1840 -        1865  Makoni XI Nyamahindi
       1865 -        1889  Makoni XII Muruko
       1889 -  4 Sep 1896  Makoni XIII Mutota = Chingaira
       1896 -        1921  Makoni XIV Ndapfunya

Mbire

     c.1740                Mbire state founded

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Svosve dynasty -
        ... -        186.  Svosve Chikunga
       186. -        18..  Svosve Choto Mtuta Chidyausiku
       18.. -        1896  Svosve Gusha
       1896 -        1897  Svosve Chikosha

Mhari

     c.1820                Mhari state founded

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Chivi dynasty -
      *1830*               Chivi I Tavengerwegi
      *1837 -        1865  Chivi II Matsweru
       1865 -    Oct 1879  Chivi III Mazorodze
       1879 -        188.  Chivi IV
       188. -        1907  Chivi V Madhlangove

Nhowe

     c.1710                Mangwende dynasty, formerly in Matandandura and Matukutu,
                           settles in Nhowe

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Mangwende dynasty -
      *1831*               Gatsi
       18.. -        1869  Motani
       1869 -        1880  Katerere
       1880 -    May 1924  Mungati
       1924 -        1926  vacant
       1926 -        19..  Chibanda

Shavasha

     c.1744                Chinamhora dynasty, founded c.16..., settles in Shavasha

Rulers (title Mambo)
- Chinamhora dynasty -
      *1831*               Chinamhora V Chidwiza
       18.. -        18..  Chinamhora VI
       18.. -        18..  Chinamhora VII
      *1869*               Chinamhora VIII Chingoma
     c.1888 -        1907  Chinamhora IX Kuvimadzama
       1907 -        1916  Chinamhora X Shambare

amaNdebele (the Ndebele Kingdom)

       1821                Mzilikazi Khumalo, a Zulu chief, emigrates, creating a
                           migrating amaNdebele polity
       1837                one of two migrating parties settles in its final location
                           (modern Bulawayo) and, in ignorance of the fate of
                           Mzilikazi, installs his son Nkulumane as acting king
       1839                Mzilikazi's party arrives and purges the Nkulumane faction,
                           consolidating the kingdom
       1894                the British South Africa Company (i.e., Cecil Rhodes's
                           company) extinguishes the kingdom after the flight of
                           Lobengula
       1894 -        1896  sporadically successful attempts at reinstating the kingdom
                           ultimately fail

Rulers (title Nkosi)
- AbakwaKhumalo lineage -
       1821 -  9 Sep 1868  Mzilikazi ka Mthsobana Khumalo     (b. c.1790 - d. 1868)
       1837 -        1839    Nkulumane ka Mzilikazi Khumalo
                             (acting king)
 9 Sep 1868 - 24 Jan 1870  Mncumbathe ka Mzingeli Khumalo     (b. c.1780 - d. c.1872)
                           (regent)
24 Jan 1870 -    Feb 1894  Jandu "Lopengule" ka Mzilikazi
                           Khumalo                            (b. 1836 - d. 1894)
                           (usually referred to as Lobengula)
   Feb 1894 -   late 1894  vacant
  late 1894 - 15 Jun 1896  Mlugulu Khumalo (regent)
15 Jun 1896 -    Dec 1896  Nyamanda ka Lopengule Khumalo