Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba

Born with her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, a sign of a proud and haughty personality, Nzinga was the daughter of King Kiluanji and Kangela. Her father favored her and let her follow him both in war and in the governing of his kingdom. She was the envoy of her brother at a peace conference with the Portuguese governor João Correia de Sousa, and managed to persuade him to stop the marauding of Imbangala mercenaries in Portuguese service. During that meeting, the governor had placed a floor mat for her to sit on, which was appropriate only for servants according to Mbundu custom. Nzinga ordered one of her servants to get down on the ground and sat on the servant's back, which asserted equal status to the governor. It also proved her worth as a brave and confident individual. Although the negotiation succeeded, the treaty was never honored and Nzinga's brother committed suicide as he was convinced that he would never have been able to recover what he had lost. The country needs a strong monarch, and Nzinga has proved that she has the skill, the political power and the strength to assume the mantle.