A Collection of Art: Great Kings and Queens of Africa
DUNIA MAG / Twitter: @duniamagazine
Egypt
Hatshepsut The Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity (1503-1482 BC)
Artist: Dean Mitchell (1957-)
For 33 years Hatshepsut was the ablest queen as she withstood male rivals after her father appointed her heiress to the throne. She was the leader of the world’s leading nation of the time. To increase her popularity she had spectacular temples and pyramids erected, of which many still stand today.
Angola
Mwana Ngana Ndumba Tembo—Ruler of the Angolan Tchokwe (1840-1880 circa)
Artist: Kenneth Calvert (1950-)
Ndumbo Tembo maintained the Tchokwe sovereignty and protected its resources by securing an autonomous territory that severely restricted European access. Ndumba Tembo’s work allowed the Tchokwe to retain their independence.
Congo
Shamba Bolongongo African King of Peace (1600-1620)
Artist: Roy LaGrone (1921-1993)
Hailed as one of the greatest monarchs of the Congo, King Shamba had no greater desire than to preserve peace. Shamba was also known for promoting arts and crafts, and for designing a complex and extremely democratic form of government, which represented all Bushongo people.
Dahomey (now Benin)
Benhanzin Hossu Bowelle—The King Shark (1841-1906)
Artist: Thomas Blackshear II
Benhanzin was the most powerful ruler in West Africa at the end of the 19th century. To defend his nation’s sovereignty, he maintained a physically fit army. He was a lover of the humanities and is credited with the creation of some of the finest songs and poetry of Dahomey.
Egypt
Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC)
Artist: Ann Marshall
The most famous of seven matriarchs to bear this name, Cleopatra rose to the throne at seventeen. In a quest to elevate Egypt to world supremacy, she enlisted two Roman leaders—Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Neither fulfilled her dreams before their own deaths prompting Cleopatra to take her own life.
Ghana
Yaa Asantewa Queen of Ghana (1863-1923)
Artist: Barbara Higgins Bond
Queen Mother Yaa Asantewa led her nation in the last Ashanti war against the British. Her name will always be remembered because of her agitation, the return of Prempeh was converted into stirring demands for independence.
Mali
Mansa Kankan Musa King of Mali (1306-1337)
Artist: Barbara Higgins Bond
Mansa Musa distinguished himself as a man who did everything on a grand scale. He was a scholar and imported noteworthy artists to heighten the cultural awareness of his people. After leading a successful pilgrimage across the Sahara he won international prestige for Mali as one of the world’s largest and wealthiest empires.
Menkhoaneng (present-day Lesotho)
Moshoeshoe King of Batsutoland (circa 1786-1870)
Artist: Jerry Pinkney (1939-)
Moshoeshoe ruled the country he founded for half a century. He was a wise and just king brilliant in diplomacy and battle. He united many diverse groups into a stable society with law and order. He knew that peace made prosperity possible and often avoided conflict through skillful negotiations.
Sudan
Samory Toure The Black Napoleon of the Sudan (1830-1900)
Artist: Ezra Tucker
When Samory Toure’s native Bissandugu was attacked and his mother taken captive, he was allowed to take her place. He then escaped and joined the army of King Bitike Souane of Torona. He was soon made king and defied French expansionism in Africa, earning the name “The Black Napoleon of the Sudan.”
Zimbabwe
Nehanda of Zimbabwe (1862-1898)
Artist: Lydia Thompson (1960-)
Nehanda was one of Zimbabwe’s youngest and most influential religious leaders. She declared war when the English invaded their country. She was captured and executed for ordering the killing of a cruel Native Commander. She remains the single most important person in the modern history of Zimbabwe.
Zuruland
Nandi Queen of Zululand (1778-1826 AD)
Artist: HM Rahsaan Fort II (1950-)
Married to the King of Zululand, Nandi gave him a son, Shaka but was banished because the king’s other wives were jealous. Nandi made many sacrifices for her son and raised Shaka as royalty. He later became the greatest of all Zulu kings. Today Zulu people use her name to refer to a woman of high esteem.
Photos courtesy of Anheuser-Busch “Great Kings and Queens of Africa” Art Collection which has inspired the renowned brewing company to set up a scholarship and mentoring Program, that grants $150,000 in scholarships along with professional development to HBCU student leaders nationwide. More about the program on https://www.anheuser-busch.com
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