Mwene Muji: Difference between revisions
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{{Short description|Polity in the Congo Basin, c. 1400 – 1900}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Mwene Muji''' was a polity around [[Lake Mai-Ndombe]] in the [[Congo Basin]]. Its 'empire' status is pending on further archaeological research.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thornton |first=John |date=2024 |
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{{One source|date=October 2024}} |
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{{Infobox country |
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|year_start = c. 1400 |
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|image_map = Kasai watershed.png |
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|image_map_caption = A map of the [[Kasai River]] watershed. Mwene Muji controlled the territory around the Lower Kasai, stretching from [[Lake Mai-Ndombe]] and [[Mushie]] to [[Idiofa]] and the [[Wamba River]]. |
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|capital = [[Mushie]] |
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|title_leader = Mwene Muji/Nimi a Maye |
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|leader1 = Maluma Biene |
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|leader2 = Muba |
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|year_leader1 = c. 1400 |
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|year_leader2 = c. 1900 |
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|year_end = c. 1900 |
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|s1 = Boma Kingdom |
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|s2 = Yaka Kingdom |
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|s3 = Jaga (Kongo) |
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|s4 = Congo Free State |
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|event1 = The [[Boma Kingdom|Boma]] and [[Yaka people#History|Yaka]] break away |
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|date_event1 = Early 17th century |
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}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Mwene Muji'''{{Efn|Also called '''Monmuge''', '''Moenemugi''', and '''Nimiamye'''.}} was a polity around [[Lake Mai-Ndombe]] in the [[Congo Basin]]. Its 'empire' status is pending on further archaeological research.<ref name="Thornton 2024">{{Cite journal |last=Thornton |first=John |date=2024 |title=Mwene Muji: A Medieval Empire in Central Africa? |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-african-history/article/mwene-muji-a-medieval-empire-in-central-africa/2F2D9F46069847DC655F171B75636D27 |journal=The Journal of African History |language=en |volume=65 |issue=1 |pages=30–46 |doi=10.1017/S0021853724000161 |issn=0021-8537}}</ref> It was of the [[Nunu people]] and the [[Ntote people|Ntote]].<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{Rp|page=39}} The first written record of Mwene Muji came in 1591 by Italian [[Renaissance humanism|humanist]] [[Filippo Pigafetta]].<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|page=30}} It entered a severe decline in the 19th century and was surpassed by the [[Boma Kingdom]], until Belgian conquest. |
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==History== |
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Mwene Muji was formed just after 1400 (going by genealogical records), and it likely expanded along the [[Lukenie River|Lukenie]], [[Kasai River|Kasai]], [[Kamtsha River|Kamtsha]], [[Kwilu River|Kwilu]], and [[Wamba River|Wamba]] rivers, without venturing much into the interior. It likely had a powerful riverine navy,{{efn|Their navy included ''kekupi'' which were canoes with 30 paddlers}} and dominated trade.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=42-44}} At their height, they may have included parts of the territory of the [[Kuba Kingdom|Kuba]] and [[Pende people|Pende]] kingdoms. The [[Boma Kingdom]] and [[Yaka people#History|Yaka Kingdom]] broke free in the early 17th century.<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{rp|page=46}} Boma took over Mwene Muji's north, while the Yaka took over some southern domains, weakening Mwene Muji.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Thornton |first=John K. |date=2022-09-19 |title=New Light on the “Jaga” Episode in the History of Kongo (1567-1608) |url=https://shs.cairn.info/revue-cahiers-d-etudes-africaines-2022-3-page-441?lang=fr |journal=Cahiers d'études africaines |language=en |volume=247 |issue=3 |pages=441–459 |doi=10.4000/etudesafricaines.38894 |issn=0008-0055}}</ref> The [[Jaga (Kongo)|Jaga]] who invaded the [[Kingdom of Kongo]] in the 16th century are thought to have originated from a province of Mwene Muji.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=32-33}} |
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When the [[steamboat|steamers]] of the [[Congo Free State]] came into use, Mwene Muji lost their naval supremacy and thus their dominance over trade. Deadly epidemics swept the region in the 1890s, dispersing the population. The Boma Kingdom became the main power in the region.<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{Rp|page=36}} The region was conquered by the Belgians in the early 20th century. By the time the Belgians began collecting traditions, the capital [[Mushie]] appeared to be a small fishing village and the grand claims from its ruler Muba of them once having imperial status were swept aside.<ref name="Thornton 2024"/>{{rp|pages=46}} |
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== Boma oral tradition == |
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[[Boma people|Boma]] [[oral traditions]] collected in 1926 account how the Boma came to the region fleeing their elders, who were forcing them to work in mines, following leaders. Their elders, the ''Ngeli'', then returned to conquer them. The 'leaders' are thought to be the [[Ntote]], and representing the Boma kings (''Ngeliboma'') as elders gives them legitimacy.<ref name="Thornton 2024" />{{Rp|page=38}} |
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==Notes== |
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{{notelist}} |
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==References== |
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{{reflist}} |
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[[Category:Former monarchies of Africa]] |
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[[Category:Countries in medieval Africa]] |
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[[Category:Countries in precolonial Africa]] |
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[[Category:History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] |
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[[Category:15th-century establishments in Africa]] |
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Latest revision as of 22:07, 23 October 2024
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (October 2024) |
Mwene Muji | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1400–c. 1900 | |||||||||||||
 A map of the Kasai River watershed. Mwene Muji controlled the territory around the Lower Kasai, stretching from Lake Mai-Ndombe and Mushie to Idiofa and the Wamba River. | |||||||||||||
| Capital | Mushie | ||||||||||||
| Mwene Muji/Nimi a Maye | |||||||||||||
• c. 1400 | Maluma Biene | ||||||||||||
• c. 1900 | Muba | ||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||
• Established | c. 1400 | ||||||||||||
| Early 17th century | |||||||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 1900 | ||||||||||||
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Mwene Muji[a] was a polity around Lake Mai-Ndombe in the Congo Basin. Its 'empire' status is pending on further archaeological research.[1] It was of the Nunu people and the Ntote.[1]: 39 The first written record of Mwene Muji came in 1591 by Italian humanist Filippo Pigafetta.[1]: 30 It entered a severe decline in the 19th century and was surpassed by the Boma Kingdom, until Belgian conquest.
History
[edit]Mwene Muji was formed just after 1400 (going by genealogical records), and it likely expanded along the Lukenie, Kasai, Kamtsha, Kwilu, and Wamba rivers, without venturing much into the interior. It likely had a powerful riverine navy,[b] and dominated trade.[1]: 42–44 At their height, they may have included parts of the territory of the Kuba and Pende kingdoms. The Boma Kingdom and Yaka Kingdom broke free in the early 17th century.[1]: 46 Boma took over Mwene Muji's north, while the Yaka took over some southern domains, weakening Mwene Muji.[2] The Jaga who invaded the Kingdom of Kongo in the 16th century are thought to have originated from a province of Mwene Muji.[1]: 32–33
When the steamers of the Congo Free State came into use, Mwene Muji lost their naval supremacy and thus their dominance over trade. Deadly epidemics swept the region in the 1890s, dispersing the population. The Boma Kingdom became the main power in the region.[1]: 36 The region was conquered by the Belgians in the early 20th century. By the time the Belgians began collecting traditions, the capital Mushie appeared to be a small fishing village and the grand claims from its ruler Muba of them once having imperial status were swept aside.[1]: 46
Boma oral tradition
[edit]Boma oral traditions collected in 1926 account how the Boma came to the region fleeing their elders, who were forcing them to work in mines, following leaders. Their elders, the Ngeli, then returned to conquer them. The 'leaders' are thought to be the Ntote, and representing the Boma kings (Ngeliboma) as elders gives them legitimacy.[1]: 38
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i Thornton, John (2024). "Mwene Muji: A Medieval Empire in Central Africa?". The Journal of African History. 65 (1): 30–46. doi:10.1017/S0021853724000161. ISSN 0021-8537.
- ^ Thornton, John K. (2022-09-19). "New Light on the "Jaga" Episode in the History of Kongo (1567-1608)". Cahiers d'études africaines. 247 (3): 441–459. doi:10.4000/etudesafricaines.38894. ISSN 0008-0055.