João II of Lemba

João II Nzuzi a Ntamba was a ruler of Lemba and was one of the main Kinlaza claimants to the throne of the Kingdom of Kongo during its civil war, the other being the King of Kibangu. He ruled the Kingdom of Lemba from 1680 to 1716.^[1]

Rule

After the assassination of Pedro III by the King of Mbamba Lovata, Manuel de Nóbrega, João was the next in line, as his younger brother. Once he ascended to the throne of Lemba, João worked tirelessly to try and bring the other Kinlaza stronghold kingdom of Kibangu under his rule as well, but never this was never achieved.^[2] After the members of the Antonianism religious sect were defeated in the Battle of São Salvador, they fled to Lemba and attempted to gain the support of João. As Pedro IV had recently re-established himself as the King of Kongo by conquering São Salvador, João declined to recognise him and continued his claim to the kingdom and decided to march his armies down to face King Pedro. This culminated in the Battle of Mbula on October 4, 1709 ending in a victory for Pedro. João retreated back to Lemba after the battle and this left Pedro as the de facto Manikongo, despite João never dropping his claim until his death in 1716, when the Kingdom of Lemba came back into Kongo.^[3]

Preceded by Pedro III	Awenekongo of Lemba 1680—1716	Succeeded by N/A

Preceded by Pedro III	Manikongo (Lemba Claimant) 1680—1716	Succeeded by Pedro IV

References

↑ http://www.historyfiles.co.uk/KingListsAfrica/AfricaAngola.htm
↑ Thornton, John K: "The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684-1706", page 20. Cambridge University, 1998
↑ Thornton, John K: "The Kongolese Saint Anthonty: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684-1706", page 200. Cambridge University, 1998

Rulers of the Kingdom of Kongo

Awenekongo of the Kilukeni kanda (1390–1567)	Lukeni lua Nimi Nanga of Kongo Nlaza of Kongo Nkuwu a Ntinu of Kongo João I of Kongo Afonso I of Kongo Pedro I of Kongo Diogo I Nkumbi a Mpudi Afonso II of Kongo Bernardo I of Kongo Henrique I of Kongo

Awenekongo of the Kwilu kanda (1567–1622)	Álvaro I of Kongo Álvaro II of Kongo Bernardo II of Kongo Álvaro III of Kongo

Awenekongo of the Nkanga a Mvika kanda (1622–1626)	Pedro II of Kongo Garcia I of Kongo

Mwenekongo of the Kwilu kanda (1626–1636)	Ambrósio I of Kongo Álvaro IV of Kongo

Awenekongo of the Kimpanzu kanda (1636)	Álvaro V of Kongo

Awenekongo of the Kinlaza kanda (1636–1665)	Álvaro VI of Kongo Garcia II of Kongo António I of Kongo

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 Daniel I of Kongo

Post-Civil War states	Kibangu (1669–1709) Garcia III of Kibangu André I of Kibangu Manuel I 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" 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 II of Kongo Garcia V of Kongo André II of Kongo André III of Kongo Álvaro XIII of Kongo Pedro V of Kongo

Awenekongo after 1881 vassalage treaty with Portugal (1891–1914)	Álvaro XIV of Kongo Henrique III of Kongo Pedro VI of Kongo Manuel Nkomba of Kongo Manuel III of Kongo

Pretenders to the Kongo throne since 1914	Alvaro XV of Kongo Pedro VII of Kongo António III of Kongo Isabel Maria da Gama, Q of Kongo (regent) Pedro VIII of Kongo Isabel Maria da Gama of Kongo (regent)