Final answer:
Njinga ruled the Ndongo and Matamba during the early-mid 17th century and led resistance against Portuguese encroachment. She came to power in 1624 and allied with other African kingdoms and the Dutch to counter the Portuguese. Her legacy is marked by strategic diplomacy and military resistance until the eventual peace treaty with Portugal in 1656.
Step-by-step explanation:
Reign of Njinga of Ndongo and Matamba
The reign of Njinga, who was the ruler of the kingdoms of Ndongo and Matamba, began in 1624 following her brother's demise. Njinga, who was once an emissary, inherited leadership and fiercely resisted Portuguese encroachment in her territories, now modern-day Angola. During her reign, Njinga negotiated with the Portuguese, asserting that Ndongo would not pay tribute to the Portuguese king and at one point even converted to Christianity to maintain peaceful relations. However, the Portuguese, interested in the lucrative slave trade, eventually violated agreements leading to conflicts.
Njinga was supported by both the common people and lesser nobility of Ndongo but was opposed by the more powerful nobles who favored relations with the Portuguese. Her diplomacy extended to alliances with the nearby kingdom of Kongo and even cooperating with Dutch slave traders as a counter to Portuguese influence. After a peace treaty with the Dutch faltered, Njinga continued to prevent Portuguese expansion until finally signing a peace treaty with Portugal in 1656, ending hostilities.
The political backdrop of Njinga's time was characterized by structured social systems and trade networks in the various kingdoms of West Central Africa, including the Kongo. These kingdoms had a hierarchal social structure, with tribute and rewards flowing between the classes. The wealth and stability of these kingdoms, alongside their strategic resources and crafts, played a significant role in their interactions with European kingdoms seeking to exploit African resources and labor.