Rozvi State.: Some of The Rozvi Kings

ROZVI STATE.
ORIGINS
- It is believed that the state grew out of several Shona dynasties that were united under the
Changamire Dynasty. They all shared the Moyo totem which they believed was given to
them by their ancestors.
- Some historians believe that, the people originated from an area between Mutapa state and
Torwa state. These people were once paying tribute to Mutapa kings.
- The other view on the origins of the Rozvi state suggests that the state was an offshoot of
Mutapa state. The founder of the Rozvi state was Dombo Changamire who rose to power
between 1648 and 1695. Oral tradition has it that he was once a cattle herder of the Mutapa
kings. He became rich because of cattle and land given to him as an appreciation for his loyal
service to the Mutapa kings.
- He gathered followers around himself. According to oral tradition, Dombo attracted a lot of
following because of his charismatic character and unique magical powers. It is claimed that
he could change the colour of livestock and this made him a respectable and fearsome figure.
- The Rozvi conquered Manyika and Uteve in the east and also drove the Portuguese from
feiras of Dambarare, Tete, and Manyika.The state extended as far as Bocha, Buhera, Duma
and the south eastern highlands. The conquered people were forced to pay tribute to the
Rozvi.
- He took over the Eastern Plateau in the 17thcentury after he rebelled against Mutapa
Mukombwe who was weakened by civil wars and wars with the Portuguese.
- As a result, Dombo took a south-west direction and conquered the Torwa and Kalanga. He
established his capital at Danan’ombe which was later moved to Manyanga.
N.B It must be noted that there is little written information on the Rozvi because they did not
allow the Portuguese into the interior. Hence, most of the information was provided by oral
tradition and archaeology.
Rozvi capitals/towns
Danan’ombe, Manyanga, Khami, Chipadze, Naletale, Dhlodhlo,Matendere, Nhava
yaTumbare.
Some of the Rozvi Kings

 Chirisamhuru 1, Chirisamhuru 2, Changamire Dombo , Gumboreshumba ,
Gomoremvura, Rupandamanhanga, Nechagadzike
Changamire’s duties
 Changamire was the head of state,

 distributed land,
 was chief judge,
 selected vassal chiefs,
 received and handled reports from various parts of the kingdom,
 appointed the Council of Advisors,
 sanctioned ritual ceremonies,
 religious leader,
 Commander in Chief of the Rozvi army(leader of the army),
 appointed army generals,
 Distributed food in times of drought,
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ROZVI STATE.
 controlled trade,
 declare war ,
 custodian of captives or war prisoners
 had power to relieve his appointees of their duties
 Custodian of Zunde ra Mambo
Uses of cattle in the Rozvi state

 Payment of tribute
 As symbol of wealth
 Used in Kuronzera (cattle loaning)
 Used to get food such as milk and meat
 Used in trade
 Used in ritual ceremonies
 Used to pay lobola
 Skins were used to make shields, drums and mats
Rozvi capitals
 Danangombe
 Naletale
 Dhlodhlo
 Manyanga
 Kame
 Tsindi
 Ntabazikhamambo
The Nguni groups which attacked the Rozvi state

 Maseko
 Kololo
 Ngoni
 Ndebele
 Ngwane
 Msene Ngoni
 Jere Ngoni
Economic activities in the Rozvi state

 Cattle rearing
 Crop cultivation
 Trade
 Tribute
 Mining
 Raiding
 Hunting and gathering
 Blacksmithing
 Pottery and weaving
 Fishing and basketry
Duties of the Rozvi army

 Expanding the frontiers of the Rozvi state
 Defending the state
 Ensure that the subjects obey the king
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ROZVI STATE.
 For raiding
 Attacking the invaders e.g. the Portuguese in 1693
 Protecting the refugees who fled from the Portuguese
 Maintain peace and order
Reasons for the collapse of the Rozvi

 Successive droughts
 Succession disputes
 Disagreement between political leaders and religious leaders
 Exhaustion or depletion of resources
 The vastness of the Empire
 Rozvi failure in incorporating some Chiefdoms
 Disruption of trade by the Portuguese
 Civil wars
 Nguni incursions
Social organization of the Rozvi State

The Rozvi belonged to the Moyo totem and were a patrilineal society. Rozvi marriages were
exogamous(married outside their clan or tribe). Thus, people of the same totem were not
supposed to marry one another because it was a taboo. Their homesteads were made up of
lineages. Those who owned large herds of cattle were highly respected and they acquired a
high social status. The Rozvi practiced ritual, religious and rainmaking ceremonies. They
believed in the existence of the Supreme Being and spirits. The Rozvi ancestors were highly
regarded and the King could preside over all national ceremonies. Religion and politics in the
Rozvi state were interwoven and the Mambo was regarded as a demi god. The Rozvi were
polygamous, wealthy men could marry many wives. Lobola was paid inform of cattle and
even iron tools. The wearing of glass beads was regarded as status symbol. The Kuronzera
system was carried out by the King to help his subjects. The Rozvi enjoyed the veneration of
spirits through the ceremonies called Bira. Religious authority relied on the support of the
military leader called Tumbare, who stood in the place of the mambo after his death until a
new mambo was installed.
Religion:
 They believed in life after death

 Worshipped ‘ Mwari/Musikavanhu/Nyadenga’, the Supreme Being and Creator of
everything on earth.
 Believed in national or regional spirits (mhondoro)
 Prayed to Nyadenga through ancestral spirits
 Believed that larger pools, forests, and mountains harboured spirits
 Built stone enclosures for religious purposes
 Held rain making ceremonies
 Brewed beer and slaughtered cattle at ceremonies called ‘bira’.
 The king was the religious leader who led traditional ceremonies. His position and
authority was sanctioned by the ancestors. Therefore, his power was sacred and could
not be challenged
 They also believed in witchcraft. Problems, bad luck and sickness were caused by
witches.
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ROZVI STATE.
 Economic structure of the Rozvi
1. Crop cultivation was the back- bone of the Rozvi economy. They grew crops such as
sorghum, millet and Rapoko. Produce from agriculture could be traded or used to pay tribute
or for consumption. The produce from the king’s field could be distributed to the subjects
during drought or used during national ceremonies.
2. Cattle rearing constituted the basis of Rozvi economy. Cattle were used to pay lobola, to
provide meat and milk as well as to pay tribute to the Mambo. The king used cattle to make
the Kuronzera system effectual. Cattle were a living bank of the Rozvi people. The largest
herd belonged to the king.
3. The Rozvi people were involved in both internal and external trade. In external trade items
such as ivory and gold could be exchanged with exotic goods such as beads and clothes.
Trade in the Rozvi state was conducted through the Vashambadzi.
4. Tribute payment was another economic activity in the Rozvi State. The subjects could pay
tribute to the King in form of cattle, beads, bangles, gold and grains. The payment of tribute
to the King was a sign of loyalty. Those who refused to pay tribute were subjected to raiding.
5. Mining and hunting were practiced by the people of the Rozvi state. Gold mining was done
after harvest. Gold could be used in trade and to pay tribute. Elephant hunting was conducted
to get ivory. Ivory was also important in trade and tribute payment.
N.B. other economic activities were the same as those of Great Zimbabwe.
Political organization of the Rozvi

The mambo was the head of the state and was a hereditary ruler. He was overall in charge of
military, social, economic, religious and political power. The Changamire (king) ruled with
the assistance of the dare, which comprised of priests, military leaders and provincial
governors. Provincial chiefs and sub chiefs were appointed by the King to be in charge of
provinces and chiefdoms. The headmen played an important role in the Rozvi politics. The
King was the distributor of land and the holder of other property in trust of the state. Loyalty
to the mambo was shown through the payment of tribute. Religious leaders were involved in
the installation of the new mambo. Above all, the royal fire signified loyalty and respect.
Every vassal chief was expected to light his fire annually from the royal fire which was kept
burning in the royal court. The Mambo had several wives who played an important role in
advising him. The wives played a spy network informing the King on important matters
which could threaten the state. The army commander was Tumbare or Mutinhima, who was
purely chosen by the King on matters of bravery and could act as a regent king after the death
of the Mambo. The Mavhudzi were the Vazukuru who played an important role in advising
the Changamire. They were the ambassadors who could be sent on important state
assignments.
The Decline of the Rozvi state

The Rozvi state collapsed because of a combination of political, economic and social factors.
Economic Factors
 Fall in mining,
 Fall in trade,
 Serious droughts resulting in famine or starvation,
 Fall in elephant population
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ROZVI STATE.
 Successive droughts resulted in depletion of cattle herds leading to the collapse of the
state. Many people started to migrate in search of better grazing lands.
 Depletion of resources such as gold made the decline of the Rozvi state. Exhaustion
of gold fields meant loss of foreign trade, thereby killing the life line exchange in
foreign goods.
Social Factors
 Spirit mediums became too strong
 Failed to fully incorporate some groups like the Kalanga
Political Factors
 The failure of the Rozvi to incorporate some chiefdom like the Kalanga led to the
decline of the state as these groups frequently threatened the sovereignty of the Rozvi
state.
 Continued opposition from members of the Torwa who demanded special privileges
and resented being subdued,
 Succession disputes weakened the state. The Tumbare was meant to safeguard this.
However, in some instances it did not work because the Tumbare could become too
ambitious and refuse to hand over power to the legitimate heir. At times some
members of the ruling family were against the Tumbare, hence they challenged his
authority,
 Civil wars disrupted economic activities,
 The kingdom became so large such that control became difficult,
 Regional chiefs like Barwe and Chikanga rebelled against Mambo Gomoremvura,
 Many chiefdoms stopped paying tribute to Changamire,
 Clashes with the Portuguese left the Rozvi state weakened,.
 Succession disputes hindered the survival of the Rozvi state. The disputes culminated
into civil wars. The civil wars of the late 18th century brought divisions in the state.
There were serious disagreements between Gomoremvura and his son over the Rozvi
ruler-ship, and this division led to the collapse of the Empire.
 Disagreements between the Rozvi rulers and the religious leaders led to the collapse
of the Rozvi state. Oral tradition says these quarrels led to drought which greatly
affected livestock production which was the base of the Rozvi economy.
 Nguni – Sotho attacks: These were people from the South running away from
Mfecane
 Such groups included:
Group Leader
Jere-Ngoni Zwangendaba
Msene-Ngoni Nxaba
Ngoni Nyamazana
Shangane Soshangane
Khumalo/Ndebele Mzilikazi
 Zwangendaba destroyed Changamire’s army. Nxaba followed and battered the Rozvi.
The Ngoni woman General Nyamazana finished off the Rozvi. She killed Changamire
Chirisamhuru at Manyanga. Finally the Ndebele found the Rozvi state broken and
divided. Mzilikazi conqured the Rozvi and married Nyamazana.

Rozvi State.: Some of The Rozvi Kings

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Rozvi State.: Some of The Rozvi Kings

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ROZVI STATE.

Some of the Rozvi Kings

 Changamire was the head of state,

Uses of cattle in the Rozvi state

The Nguni groups which attacked the Rozvi state

Economic activities in the Rozvi state

Duties of the Rozvi army

Reasons for the collapse of the Rozvi

Social organization of the Rozvi State

 They believed in life after death

Political organization of the Rozvi

The Decline of the Rozvi state

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