This is a list of the rulers of the Mutapa Empire.
List of rulers of Kingdom of Mutapa Territory located in present-day Zimbabwe.
Mwenemutapa = Lord of the Conquered Land.
Tenure Incumbent Notesc.1430Foundation of Mutapa Kingdomc. 1430 to c. 1450Nyatsimba Mutota, Great Zimbabwec. 1450 to 1480Matope Nyanhehwe Nebedza, Mwenemutapa1480Mavura Maobwe, Mwenemutapa1480 to 1490Nyahuma Mukombero, Mwenemutapa1490 to 1494Mavhuramhande, Mwenemutapa1494 to c. 1530Chikuyo Chisamarengu, Mwenemutapac. 1530 to c. 1550Neshangwe Munembire, MwenemutapaNeshangwe Munembiri ruled during the Rozvi Dynasty but was not part of the royal Moyo Chirandu clan (VaRozvi). Instead, he belonged to the Moyo Sinyoro clan of the Njanja people. His father, Gouveia, was a Jewish refugee who fled persecution in the Iberian Peninsula (modern-day Portugal and Spain) during the Inquisitions. Gouveia married Princess Mashawashe, the daughter of Chief Chirwa, and she became known as Gambiza, a term derived from the Hebrew Ger Tzedek, meaning "righteous convert" or "righteous foreigner."When their son Neshangwe rose to the position of Mutapa (King), Princess Mashawashe, in accordance with Hebrew tradition, was recognized as Gebirah, meaning "Queen Mother." Over time, the terms Ger Tzedek and Gebirah evolved into "Gambiza," now understood to mean "stranger among us" or "righteous convert." In Njanja culture, "Gambiza" has since been adopted as a title for all women who marry Njanja men, symbolizing a form of cultural conversion.
Today, Neshangwe is one of the Njanja chieftainship located in Chikomba.Other Njanja chieftainships are nearby in Buhera.c. 1550 to 1560Chivere Nyasoro, Mwenemutapa1560 to 1589Negomo Chirisamhuru, Mwenemutapa Granted Coat of Arms by King of Portugal1589 to 1623Gatsi Rusere, Mwenemutapa1623 to 1629Nyambo Kapararidze, Mwenemutapa Overthrown by the Portuguese1629Mutapa becomes a Portuguese Vassal1629 to 1652Mavura Mhande Felipe, Mwenemutapa Signs treaty of Vassalage with Portuguese; Dies of accidental gunshot wound.1652 to 1663Siti Kazurukamusapa, Mwenemutapa Son of Mavura; assassinated by Prazos merchants1663Mutapa becomes a Rozvi Vassal1663 to 1692Kamharapasu Mukombwe, Mwenemutapa Allies with Rozvi and throws out Prazos1692 to 1694Nyakambira, Mwenemutapa Assumes throne with Rozvi support; Rozwi vassal king of Manyika after 16941694Mutapa returns to Portuguese vassalage1694 to 1707Nyamhande, Mwenemutapa Defeats Nyakiambira with Portuguese support1707 to 1711Nyenyedzi Zenda, Mwenemutapa1711 to 1712Baroma Mugwagwa, Mwenemutapa Overthrown and retreats to Chidima1712Mutapa returns to Rozvi vassalge1712 to 1723Samatambira Nyamhandu I, Mwenemutapa Installed by Rozvi invasion1720Mutapa independent of Rozvi; moves capital to Chikova in 17231723 to 1735Samatambira Nyamhandu I, Mwenemutapa Rules in close alliance with Portuguese at Tete1735 to 1740Nyatsusu, Mwenemutapa1740 to 1759Dehwe Mapunzaguta, Mwenemutapa Has Portuguese garrison reinstated at royal capital.1760Mutapa collapses in Civil War; dynasty survives in Chidima? to 1917Chioko Killed in battle with the Portuguese
Sources