Located in the highlands of Zimbabwe, the Rozvi Empire was founded by Changamire Dombo and lasted for about 2 centuries. Its population is Karanga (South Shona) with Danangombe as its capital.
Foundation of the Empire
The creation of Rozvi is the result of the decline of the Monomotapa empire, which was also located in the territory that corresponds to present-day Zimbabwe. The decline of this empire began towards the end of the 17th century. Changamire Dombo, then leader of Monomotapa, creates a military stronghold and begins the conquest of the northeast of the country. In the peak of the 1680s, he led his army in a southwesterly direction. There, he starts a bloody battle against the Portuguese in June 1684, the battle of Maungwe. He emerged victorious and drove the Portuguese out of his territory. At the same time, he seizes the Butua kingdom. From 1684 to 1692 he annexed the regions surrounding the former Butua kingdom. His son, Changamire II began in 1693, the annexation of northeastern Zimbabwe. There too, he drove the Portuguese out. This is how the Rozvi Empire was founded and consolidated, which extended over all present-day Zimbabwe, the west of present-day Botswana and the north of present-day South Africa.
Heyday of the Rozvi Empire
In addition to its powerful army, the Rozvi developed an economic system that relied on agriculture. It grew millet, sorghum and maize in addition to fruits and vegetables such as figs, pineapples, guavas, papayas, oranges, lemons, melons, rice, yams, cucumbers, sweet potatoes etc. If the vast majority of production is intended for local consumption, a part is however intended for trade, in particular with the Portuguese in the region of Sofala. Added to these agricultural prouess, the empire produced salt in large quantities and reinforced its weight on the commercial chessboard of the time. Cattle are also raised and some men practice hunting.
The area is also an important bastion of gold. The gold mines are unknown to Europeans and the rulers of Rozvi have exclusive rights over its production, albeit on a seasonal basis. The traders with the Rozvi empire were first the Swahilis then the Portuguese who supplanted them in the 16th century.
Decline of the Empire
The 1800s marked the beginning of the fall of this empire. In 1820 precisely, the Ngwato and the Tsongas, populations from Botswana, attacked the north of the empire. Subsequently, turf wars break out within the empire. Especially between the Sotho and the Ngunis. These wars end up partially dislocating the empire. In 1840, Mzilikali, chief of the Ndebele, a tribe that came from South Africa, in his flight from the Zulus, annexed the region and established a new kingdom called Matabele. The then Rozvi king, Changamire Tohwechipi, retreats to the mountains and continues his resistance there. But, in 1866, weary and abandoned, he laid down his arms and submitted to Mzilikali. This date marks the end of the Rozvi Empire as well as the reign of the Changamire.
