Mutapa State

The Mutapa was able to rise as a result of the Dande area and millitary achievements of Nyatsimba Mutota.

Factors that led to the rise of Mutapa

1.The decline of Great Zimbabwe

• The Mutapa was an off-shoot of the Great Zimbabwe state.
• Mutota and his followers migrated from Great Zimbabwe as a result of succession disputes.
• Environmental problems also led to the migration
• A great fire could have bent down the capital.
• Weak leadership weakened the state.
• The state was attacked by neighboring groups.
• All this gave way for the Mutapa state’s rise.

2.Dande Area's Favourable conditions

• Rich grasslands for livestock.
• Mineral wealth
• Salt deposits
• Favorable climate eg rainfall.
• The area was not overpopulated.
• It had access to trade.

3. Mutota's Military achievements

• Nyatsimba mutota was founder of Mutapa.
• He left great Zimbabwe around 1450 with a strong army.
• He used his army to conquer the Tonga, Tavara and Korekore.
• He established his capital at Chitako hills.
• He was commander of the army.
• The Tonga gave him a praise name-Munhumutapa.

4. Economic factors that also led to the rise

• Agriculture-fed people.
• Hunting- brought wealth from trade.
• External trade-brought wealth.
• Mining – brought iron.
• Raiding -grain and wealth

The expansion of Mutapa state

• Nyatsimba’s son,Nyanhehwe Matope was responsible for the expansion of Mutapa.
• Matope conquered new provinces like Barwe,Guruuswa,Manyika,Uteve,and Madanda.
• The military maintained law and oder.
• At its peak,Mutapa state expanded from Limpompo to Zambezi and from the east coast of Mozambique to the Kalahari desert.
• Matope established an alliance with the Tavara king Dzivaguru.
• Matope used marriage alliances to strengthen the state.
• Tribute payment was a method used to bring wealth.

Economic system

• Agriculture was the backbone of the Mutapa.it provided food and feed the shona people.
• Livestock keeping-cattle,sheep and goats were the banks of the shona people.
• Mining of iron,gold , silver , copper provided weapons for the army.Minerals like gold led to the rise of external trade.
• The state became rich through foreign goods eg clothes,mirrors.
• Hunting brought wealth eg meat, this improved external trade.

Military organisations of the Mutapa state

• The army was headed by the king as chief commander of the soldiers.
• He was helped by an appointed commander of the soldiers-Nengomasha-second most powerful official in the Mutapa state.
• There was a war council-dove rehondo-The council ratified war decisions and conscripted soldiers.It also gave advice to Munhumutapa.
• Drums were beaten and hwamanda was sounded to assemble the Mutapa soldiers.
• Spirit mediums were consulted by the army before it went to war.
• Weapons used include spears,swords,catapults,knobkerries,guns,and battle axes.

Importance of religion

• It gave authority to Munhumutapa.
• The king was allied to religious leaders.
• Religious leaders and spirit mediums chose the king.
• Mediums solved succession disputes.
• The king was also a religious leader as he led national ceremonies.

Responsibilities of Munhumutapa

• Head of the state.
• Chief judge
• Distributor of land
• Custodian of state property.
• Religious leader
• Received and shared tribute.
• Signing treaties.
• Controlled trade.
• Receiving foreign visitors.
• Fed people in times of drought.
• Loaning cattle.
• Protecting the state.
• Declared wars
• Punished rebels
• Negomomupunzagutu received Gonzalo da Silveira.

Decline and Fall of Mutapa State

Internal and external factors led to the decline and fall of Mutapa state.

1. Internal political factors

• Succession disputes in ruling houses weakened the state. Puppet munhumutapa was Gatsi Rusere And Mavhuramhande.
• Civil wars came to state.
• The state became too big.some provinces refused to pay tribute.
• Changamire Dombo broke away and established the Rozvi state.
• Army was weak caused by internal political rebels.

2. Internal Economic factors

• There were shortage of resources .
• The number of Elephants declined due to hunting using guns.
• This led to decline in external trade.
• Soils became poor.
• Mines became exhausted and other were filled with water.
• Some mines became too big and dangerous.
• Drought led to poor yield.

3. External factors

• Activities of the Portuguese weakened the Mutapa.
• They were involved in succession disputes and civil wars
• When Munhumutapa died , they chose weak claimants.
• They supplied armies called Chikunda.
• Puppets Munhumutapa came to power.
• Portuguese refused to pay tribute.
• They demanded tribute from Munhumutapa.
• Prazeros were rude,lawless,disrespectful.
• Signed treaties which gave them mining rights and land.

4. Social activities of the Portuguese

• Prazeros raped African women.
• ill treatment of African women.
• Raided African villages and took the people for slavery.
• No payment for mining.
• Social evils-grew marijuana and brought alcohol.
• Rape led to children of mixed blood called Mulattos.

By: T.Titus Nyakudyara
Twitter: @NyakudyaraTitus

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