ROZVISTATE.

ORI GINS
-Itisbel ievedt hatt hest ategr ewoutofsev eral Shonady nastiest hatwer eunited
undert heChangami reDy nast y.Theyal lshar edt heMoy ot otem whi cht heybeliev ed
wasgi v
ent ot hem byt hei rancest or s.
-Somehi storiansbel i
ev et hat ,thepeopl eor iginat edf rom anar eabet weenMut apa
stat eandTor wast ate.Thesepeopl ewer eoncepay ingt ributet oMut apaki ngs.
-Theot herv i
ewont heor iginsoft heRozv istat esuggest sthatt hestatewasan
offshootofMut apast ate.Thef ounderoft heRozv istatewasDomboChangami re
whor oset opowerbet ween1648and1695.Or al tr
adi t
ionhasi tthathewasoncea
cat tl
eher deroft heMut apaki ngs.Hebecamer ichbecauseofcat t
leandl andgi ven
tohi m asanappr eciationf orhi sloy al servicet ot heMut apaki ngs.
-Hegat heredf oll
ower sar oundhi msel f.Accor dingt oor al t
radition,Domboat tracted
al otoff ol l
owi ngbecauseofhi schar ismat i
cchar acteranduni quemagi calpower s.
Itiscl aimedt hathecoul dchanget hecol ourofl ivest ockandt hismadehi ma
respect abl eandf earsomef igur e.
-TheRozv iconquer edMany ikaandUt evei nt heeastandal sodr ovethePor tuguese
from f eirasofDambar ar e,Tet e,andMany i
ka. Thest at eext endedasf arasBocha,
Buher a,Dumaandt hesout heast ernhi ghlands.Theconquer edpeopl ewer eforced
topayt ribut et otheRozv i
.
-Het ookov ertheEast ernPl at eaui nt he17thcent uryaf t
erher ebel l
edagai nst
Mut apaMukombwewhowasweakenedbyci vilwar sandwar swi t
hthePor t
uguese.
-Asar esult, Dombot ookasout h-westdi rect i
onandconquer edt heTor waand
Kal anga.Heest ablishedhi scapi tal atDanan’ ombewhi chwasl atermov edt o
Many anga.

N.
BItmustbenotedthatther
ei sli
tt
lewrit
teninfor
mationontheRozvibecauset
hey
di
dnotal
l
owthePortugueseintotheinter
ior.Hence,mostoft
heinfor
mat i
onwas
pr
ovi
dedbyor
alt
radit
ionandar chaeology
.

Rozvicapit
als/
towns
Danan’
ombe, Manyanga,
Khami
,Chi
padze,
Nal
etal
e,Dhl
odhl
o,Mat
ender
e,Nhav
a
yaTumbare.

SomeoftheRozviKi
ngs
Chi
ri
samhuru1,Chi
risamhur
u2,Changamir
eDombo,
Gumbor
eshumba,
Gomoremvur
a,Rupandamanhanga,
Nechagadzi
ke

Changami
re’
sdut
ies

 Changami rewast heheadofst at

e,
 distr
ibutedland,
 waschi efjudge,
 selectedvassal chiefs,
 receivedandhandl edreportsfrom var
iouspartsoftheki
ngdom,
 appoi nt
edt heCounci lofAdv i
sors,
 sanct i
onedr i
tualceremoni es,
 reli
giousleader,
 Commanderi nChiefoft heRozv iar
my (l
eaderofthearmy)
,

1
 ROZVISTATE.
 appoint
edarmygenerals,
 Dist
ri
butedf
oodintimesofdrought,
 contr
oll
edtr
ade,
 decl
arewar,
 cust
odianofcapti
vesorwarprisoner
s
 hadpowertorel
iev
ehi sappoi
nteesofthei
rdut
ies
 Custodi
anofZunderaMambo

Usesofcat
tleintheRozvist
ate
Paymentoftri
but e
Assymbolofweal th
UsedinKuronzera(cat
tl
eloani
ng)
Usedtogetfoodsuchasmi lkandmeat
Usedintr
ade
Usedinri
tualceremoni
es
Usedtopaylobola
Ski
nswereusedt omakeshiel
ds,
drumsandmat
s

Rozvicapit
als
Danangombe
Naletal
e
Dhlodhlo
Many anga
Kame
Tsindi
Ntabazikhamambo

TheNgunigr
oupswhi
chat
tackedt
heRozv
ist
ate
Maseko
Kol
olo
Ngoni
Ndebel
e
Ngwane
MseneNgoni
Jer
eNgoni

Economi cactiv
iti
esintheRozv
ist
ate
Cat tl
er eari
ng
Cropcul ti
vati
on
Trade
Tribut e
Mi ning
Rai ding
Hunt i
ngandgat heri
ng
Blacksmi t
hing
Pot teryandweav ing
Fishingandbasket r
y

Duti
esoftheRozviar
my
Expandi
ngthefr
onti
ersoft
heRozv
ist
ate
2
 ROZVISTATE.
Defendi ngthestate
Ensur et hatthesubjectsobeytheking
Forr aiding
Attacki ngtheinvaderse.g.t
hePortuguesein1693
Protect ingtherefugeeswhof l
edfrom thePor
tuguese
Mai ntainpeaceandor der

Reasonsf orthecol l
apseoft heRozvi
Successivedr oughts
Successiondi sputes
Disagreementbet weenpol i
ti
call
eader
sandrel
i
giousl
eader
s
Exhaustionordepl etionofresour
ces
Thev astnessoft heEmpi re
Rozv if
ail
ureini ncorporat
ingsomeChi ef
doms
Disrupti
onoft radebyt hePor t
uguese
Civi
lwar s
Nguniincursions

Soci al organizat ionoft heRozv iState

TheRozv ibelongedt otheMoy ototem andwer eapat ri
linealsoci ety.Rozv i
mar r
iageswer eexogamous( marriedoutsidet hei rclanort ribe).Thus, peopleoft he
samet otem wer enotsupposedt omar ryoneanot herbecausei twasat aboo.Thei r
homest eadswer emadeupofl i
neages.Thosewhoownedl ar geher dsofcat tl
ewer e
highl yr espect edandt heyacquiredahi ghsoci al status.TheRozv ipracticedr i
tual,
reli
gi ousandr ainmaki ngceremoni es.Theybel iev edint heexi st
enceoft heSupr eme
Bei ngandspi rits.TheRozv iancest or
swer ehighl yr egardedandt heKi ngcoul d
presi deov eral lnationalcer
emoni es.Religionandpol i
ti
csi ntheRozv istatewer e
i
nt erwov enandt heMambowasr egardedasademi god.TheRozv iwer e
poly gamous, weal thymencoul dmar rymanywi ves.Lobol awaspai dinform ofcat tl
e
andev eni ront ools.Thewear ingofgl assbeadswasr egardedasst atussy mbol .The
Kur onzer asy stem wascar r
iedoutbyt heKi ngt ohel phissubj ects.TheRozv i
enjoy edt hev ener ati
onofspi r
itsthrought hecer emoni escal ledBi ra.Religious
aut hor i
tyr eli
edont hesuppor toft hemi l
it
ar yleadercal l
edTumbar e,whost oodin
thepl aceoft hemamboaf t
erhisdeat hunt i
l anewmambowasi nstall
ed.

Rel
i
gion:

 Theybeliev edinli
feaf t
erdeat h
 Worshipped‘ Mwar i
/Musi kav anhu/Ny adenga’,theSupremeBei ngandCr eator
ofeveryt
hi ngonear th.
 Beli
evedinnat ionalorr egional spir
it
s( mhondor o)
 PrayedtoNy adengat hroughancest ralspir
its
 Beli
evedt hatlargerpool s,forests,andmount ai
nshar bouredspir
it
s
 Bui l
tstoneencl osuresf orr eli
giouspur poses
 Hel drainmaki ngcer emoni es
 Brewedbeerandsl aught eredcat tl
eatcer emoni escall
ed‘bir
a’.
 Thekingwast her el
igiousl eaderwhol edtradit
ionalceremonies.Hisposit
ion
andauthor itywassanct ionedbyt heancest ors.Therefore,hi
spowerwas
3
 ROZVISTATE.
sacredandcoul dnotbechal lenged
 Theyal sobel iev edi nwi tchcraf t
.Problems, badl uckandsi cknesswer e
causedbywi tches.
 Economi cst r
uct ur eoft heRozv i
1.Cropcultivationwast heback-boneoft heRozv ieconomy .Theygr ewcr opssuch
assorghum, mi l
letandRapoko.Pr oducef r
om agr i
culturecoul dbet radedorusedt o
paytri
buteorf orconsumpt i
on.Thepr oducef rom t heki ng’sf i
eldcoul dbe
di
stri
butedt ot hesubj ect sdur i
ngdr oughtoruseddur ingnat i
onal cer emoni es.
2.Catt
lerear ingconst itutedt hebasi sofRozv ieconomy .Cat tl
ewer eusedt opay
l
obola,topr ov i
demeatandmi l
kaswel lastopayt ributet ot heMambo.Theki ng
usedcat t
letomaket heKur onzer asy stem effect ual.Cat tl
ewer eal ivingbankoft he
Rozvipeople.Thel argesther dbel ongedt otheki ng.
3.TheRozv i peopl ewer ei nvolvedinbot hinternal andext ernaltrade.I nexter nal
tr
adeitemssuchasi v or yandgol dcoul dbeexchangedwi thexot icgoodssuchas
beadsandcl othes.Tr adei ntheRozv istatewasconduct edt hrought he
Vashambadzi .
4.Tri
butepay mentwasanot hereconomi cactivityint heRozv iStat e.Thesubj ects
coul
dpayt r
ibut etot heKi ngi nf or
m ofcat tl
e,beads, bangl es,goldandgr ains.The
paymentoft ri
but etot heKi ngwasasi gnofloy alty.Thosewhor efusedt opayt ribute
weresubject edt oraidi ng.
5.Miningandhunt i
ngwer epr act i
cedbyt hepeopl eoft heRozv ist ate.Gol dmi ning
wasdoneaf terhar vest .Gol dcoul dbeusedi nt r
adeandt opayt ribut e.Elephant
hunti
ngwasconduct edt ogeti v ory.Ivorywasal soi mpor tantint radeandt ribute
payment .

N.
B.ot
hereconomi
cact
ivi
ti
eswer
ethesameast
hoseofGr
eatZi
mbabwe.

Polit
icalorgani zationoft heRozv i
Themambowast heheadoft hest ateandwasaher edit
aryr ul
er.Hewasov er al
lin
chargeofmi l
i
tary,social,economi c,r el
igiousandpol i
ti
calpower .TheChangami re
(ki
ng)r uledwi t
ht heassi stanceoft hedar e,whi chcompr i
sedofpr iests,mi lit
ary
l
eader sandpr ovi
ncialgov er nors.Prov i
ncialchi efsandsubchi efswer eappoi nt edby
theKi ngt obei nchar geofpr ovincesandchi efdoms.Theheadmenpl ay edan
i
mpor t
antr oleint heRozv ipoliti
cs.TheKi ngwast hedi stributorofl andandt he
holderofot herpr opertyi nt rustoft hest at e.Loy altytot hemambowasshown
thr
ought hepay mentoft ribute.Religiousl eader swer ei nvol
v edint hei nstal
lationof
thenewmambo.Abov eal l,ther oyalfir
esi gni f
iedl oyaltyandr espect .Ev eryv assal
chi
efwasexpect edt ol ighthi sf i
reannual lyf rom t her oyalf i
rewhi chwaskept
burningint her oyalcour t.TheMambohadsev eralwi veswhopl ayedani mpor t
ant
rol
einadv isinghi m.Thewi vesplayedaspynet wor kinformingt heKi ngoni mpor t
ant
mat t
erswhi chcoul dt hreat ent hest ate.Thear mycommanderwasTumbar eor
Mut i
nhima,whowaspur elychosenbyt heKi ngonmat tersofbr av eryandcoul dact
asar egentki ngaf t
ert hedeat hoft heMambo.TheMav hudziwer etheVazukur u
who pl ay ed an i mpor tant r olei n adv i
sing t he Changami re.They wer et he
ambassador swhocoul dbesentoni mpor tantst ateassi gnment s.

TheDecl
i
neoft
heRozv
ist
ate
TheRozvi
statecol
l
apsedbecauseofacombi
nat
ionofpol
i
tical
,economi
cand
soci
alf
actor
s.

4
 ROZVISTATE.

EconomicFact ors
 Fallinmi ni
ng,
 Fallintrade,
 Seriousdr oughtsresulti
nginfamineorstarvati
on,
 Fallinelephantpopul ati
on
 Successi vedroughtsr esul
tedi
ndeplet
ionofcat tl
eherdsleadi
ngtothe
coll
apseoft hestate.Manypeoplestart
edt omi grat
einsearchofbett
er
grazinglands.
 Depl et
ionofr esourcessuchasgol dmadet hedecl i
neoft
heRozv ist
ate.
Exhaust i
onofgol df i
eldsmeantlossofforeigntrade,t
her
ebykil
li
ngtheli
fe
li
neexchangei nforeigngoods.

Soci
alFactor
s
 Spir
itmediumsbecametoostr
ong
 Fail
edtofull
yincor
por
atesomegr
oupsl
i
ket
heKal
anga

Pol
i
ticalFact or s
 Thef ail
ur eoft heRozv itoi ncorporatesomechi efdom l iket heKalangal edt o
thedecl ineoft hest ateast hesegr oupsf requent l
ythreat enedt hesov ereignty
oft heRozv ist ate.
 Cont inuedopposi ti
onf rom member soft heTor wawhodemandedspeci al
privil
egesandr esent edbei ngsubdued,
 Successi ondi sput esweakenedt hest ate.TheTumbar ewasmeantt o
saf eguar dt hi s.Howev er,insomei nst ancesi tdi dnotwor kbecauset he
Tumbar ecoul dbecomet ooambi t
iousandr efuset ohandov erpowert ot he
legiti
mat ehei r.Att i
messomemember soft her ul
ingf ami lywer eagai nstt he
Tumbar e, hencet heychal l
engedhi saut hority ,
 Ci vilwar sdi srupt edeconomi cactiv i
ties,
 Theki ngdom becamesol argesucht hatcont r
ol becamedi ffi
cult,
 Regi onal chief slikeBar weandChi kangar ebel ledagai nstMambo
Gomor emv ur a,
 Manychi ef domsst oppedpay ingtribut etoChangami r
e,
 Cl asheswi t
ht hePor tuguesel ef
ttheRozv ist ateweakened, .
 Successi ondi sput eshi nder edthesur v i
val oft heRozv i state.Thedi sputes
culmi nat edi nt oci vilwar s.Theci vi
l war soft hel ate18t hcent urybr ought
divisionsi nt hest at e.Ther ewer eser i
ousdi sagr eement sbet ween
Gomor emv ur aandhi ssonov ertheRozv iruler-shi p,andt hisdi v
isionl edt o
thecol l
apseoft heEmpi re.
 Di sagr eement sbet weent heRozv i rulersandt her eli
giousl eader sledt ot he
collapseoft heRozv istate.Or alt
radi t
ionsay st hesequar relsledtodr ought
whi chgr eat l
yaf f
ect edl ivestockproduct ionwhi chwast hebaseoft heRozv i
economy .
 Nguni –Sot hoat tacks: Thesewer epeopl efr om t heSout hr unningawayf rom
Mf ecane
 Suchgr oupsi ncluded:

Gr
oup Leader

Jer
e-Ngoni Zwangendaba

5
 ROZVISTATE.
Msene-
Ngoni Nxaba

Ngoni Ny
amazana

Shangane Soshangane

Khumal
o/Ndebel
e Mz
il
ikazi

 Zwangendabadest
royedChangamire’
sarmy .Nxabafoll
owedandbattered
theRozvi
.TheNgoniwomanGener alNyamazanaf i
nishedof
ftheRozvi.She
kil
l
edChangamireChi
risamhuruatManyanga.Final
lytheNdebelef
oundt he
Rozvist
atebr
okenanddi v
ided.Mzi
li
kaziconquredt
heRozv iandmarr
ied
Nyamazana.