Kwilu

For the Zairean province, see Kwilu Province.

Kwilu, also known as the House of Kwilu (Portuguese: Coulo), was a kanda or royal lineage of the Kingdom of Kongo.

Contents

Origins

Prior to the rise fo the Kwilu kanda, the Kilukeni kanda or House of Lukeni had ruled Kongo since its inception around the end of the 14th century.[1] After the death of King Henrique I, power passed into the hands of Álvaro I. Álvaro I was Henrique I's stepson, which probably explains why a new kanda was formed when he managed to inherit the throne.[2] He came to power in 1567 and named his royal house for the small district in which he was born north of the capital.[3]

Reign

With the exception of the Jaga invasion during the first years of Álvaro I's reign, the House of Kwilu ruled the kingdom without interruption until 4 May 1622. It was then that that Álvaro III died leaving a son that was too old to be elected. The Kinkanga kanda took over from then but was ousted and replaced with Ambrósio I putting the Kwilu kanda back in power. King Ambrósio was killed during a massive revolt and succeeded by the child Álvaro IV, the last king from the House of Kwilu. No members of the Kwilu gained the throne after 1636, and Kongo was dominated by warring houses claiming descent from Afonso I or his relatives.

References

  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ Thornton, John: "Elite Women in the Kingdom of Kongo: Historical Perspectives on Women's Political Power", page 446. The Journal of African History, Vol. 47, 2006
  3. ^ Thornton, John: "Elite Women in the Kingdom of Kongo: Historical Perspectives on Women's Political Power", page 449. 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