Kilukeni

The Kilukeni were members of the Lukeni kanda or House of Kilukeni, the ruling dynasty of the Kingdom of Kongo from its inception in the late 14th century until the 1567 with the rise of the House of Kwilu.[1] The Kilukeni were springboard for most of the major factions that battled for control of Kongo during its civil war.

Contents

Etymology

In KiKongo the language of the kingdom of Kongo, the name of the kanda is Lukeni. It is taken from the first name of the founder of the kingdom, Lukeni lua Nimi.[1] Lukeni lua Nimi ruled around the 1390s before the throne was handed down to his cousins.

History

Beginning with the reign of Nkuwu a Ntinu, a son of Lukeni and the last non-Catholic mwenekongo, the throne passed from father to son. Occasionally there were usurpations, but the crown stayed within the lineage of the founder until 1567 when a king from the region of Kwilu, Alvaro I ascended after the last of the Kilukeni died in battle against the Anziku Kingdom.

References

  1. ^ a b Thornton, John: "Elite Women in the Kingdom of Kongo: Historical Perspectives on Women's Political Power", page 445. The Journal of African History, Vol. 47, 2006

See also

Awenekongo of the Kilukeni kanda (1390–1567)
Awenekongo of the Kwilu kanda (1567–1622)
Awenekongo of the Nkanga a Mvika kanda (1622–1626)
Mwenekongo of the Kwilu kanda (1626–1636)
Awenekongo of the Kimpanzu kanda (1636)
Awenekongo of the Kinlaza kanda (1636–1665)
Civil War Awenekongo (1665–1678)
Afonso II of Kongo and Nkondo  · Álvaro VII of Kongo  · Álvaro VIII of Kongo  · Pedro III of Kongo  · Álvaro IX of Kongo  · Rafael I of Kongo  · Afonso III of Kongo
Post-Civil War states

Kibangu (1669–1709): Garcia III of Kibangu  · André I of Kibangu  · Manuel Afonso of Kibangu  · Álvaro X of Kibangu  · Pedro IV of Kongo

Lemba(1669–1716): Pedro III of Kongo  · João II of Lemba

Mbamba Lovata (1678–1715): Manuel of Lovata
Awenekongo after
the recapture of São Salvador (1709–1891)
Pedro IV of Kongo  · Manuel II of Kongo  · Garcia IV of Kongo  · Manuel II of Kongo  · Garcia IV of Kongo  · Nicolau I of Kongo  · Afonso IV of Kongo  · António II of Kongo  · Sebastião I of Kongo  · Pedro V of Kongo  · Álvaro XI of Kongo  · José I of Kongo  · Afonso V of Kongo  · Álvaro XII of Kongo  · Alexio I of Kongo  · Joaquim I of Kongo  · Henrique I of Kongo  · Garcia V of Kongo  · André II of Kongo  · Henrique II of Kongo  · Álvaro XII of Kongo  · Pedro VI of Kongo
Awenekongo after
1881 vassalage treaty with Portugal (1891–1914)
Álvaro XIV of Kongo  · Henrique III of Kongo  · Pedro VII of Kongo  · Manuel Nkomba of Kongo  · Manuel III of Kongo