Queen Nzinga Research Paper

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When the topic ‘women influencers’ is brought to light, people often think of Michelle Obama, Malala, Rosa Parks and many others. Usually, Queen Nzinga does not come to mind. Queen Ana Nzinga was a ruler in Angola, Africa that led her people to rebel against the slave trade and European temptations. She prevented invasion from the Portuguese by forming alliances with the Dutch army and fought for her country until the day she died. She was said to be an effective negotiator, highly educated, and also a bit violent and cruel. Forming alliances with other cultural groups and having a strong army caused a decrease in slave trade in the region of Angola, Africa. The African Slave Trade became very popular in the 16th and 17th centuries. Portuguese men infiltrated parts of Africa, kidnapping slaves and selling them for profit. After failing to find slaves in North Africa, they moved down to South Africa, specifically the region of Angola. Ana Nzinga was born in …show more content…

She organized an army that was made up of mercenaries and Africans that were trained by the Portuguese (Anna). Her people still respected her even though she was forbidden from her original country of Mbundu. She had certain soldiers pretend to be traitors and invade the Portuguese territory. Once she had a small group of people secured in Portuguese ranks, they attacked. Black troops under Portuguese rule were intimidated by the control Nzinga had on her army and retreated to Matamba to be part of it. By 1635, Queen Nzinga had reinforced a union against the Portuguese which kept the Europeans away from them for at least 30 years. She would not let the Portuguese have access to slave trade routes and redirected the slaves looking for safety to Matamba. There, she would train them to be part of her army against the Portuguese. She fought with the Portuguese and led armies herself until she has in her