Rozvi Empire

Rozvi Empire was an empire in Zambezi and Zimbabwe Plateau (Central and Southern Africa) that lasted from c. 1660 to 1866 CE, about 206 years. Its people spoke Bantu languages (Kongo, Shona, Zulu, Swahili, Luba, Ganda).

Changamire Dombo built the state from the 1660s, took Butua and drove the Portuguese from the plateau in the 1690s. Nguni invasions in the 1830s and the arrival of the Ndebele broke its power.

See Rozvi Empire on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 1660 to 1866 CE

Duration

206 years

Type

Empire

Region

Zambezi and Zimbabwe Plateau, Central and Southern Africa

Language family

Bantu

Capital

Danangombe

Came from

• Kingdom of Butua c. 1450 to 1683 CE

Became

• Ndebele Kingdom (Mthwakazi) 1823 to 1894 CE

Events in Central and Southern Africa during its time

• 1665 Battle of Mbwila
• 1698 Omanis take Fort Jesus
• 1816 Shaka becomes Zulu king
• 1836 The Great Trek begins

Neighbours in Central and Southern Africa

• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE
• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE
• Zulu Kingdom 1816 to 1897 CE
• Kingdom of Buganda c. 1300 to 1966 CE
• Bunyoro-Kitara c. 1400 to 1899 CE
• Portuguese Mozambique 1505 to 1975 CE
• Portuguese Angola 1575 to 1975 CE
• Mutapa Empire c. 1430 to 1760 CE
• Luba Empire c. 1585 to 1889 CE
• Kingdom of Imerina c. 1540 to 1817 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Mali Empire c. 1235 to 1670 CE, North and West Africa
• Ayutthaya Kingdom 1351 to 1767 CE, Southeast Asia
• Mughal Empire 1526 to 1857 CE, South Asia
• Portuguese Brazil 1500 to 1815 CE, South America

Questions