Kinlaza

The Kinlaza were members of the Nlaza kanda or House of Kinlaza, one of the ruling houses of the Kingdom of Kongo during the 17th century. It was one of the main factions during the Kongo Civil War along with the Kimpanzu and Kinkanga a Mvika kandas.

Etymology

In KiKongo the language of the kingdom of Kongo, the name of the kanda is Nlaza. The class ki- /-i form, which often refers to membership in a category (and thus includes, for example, village names) is Kinlaza. Thus, the Portuguese reference to the faction as the "House of Kinlaza" can be understood as the "House of Nlaza".

History

The House of Kinlaza was formed from the dynasty started by King Álvaro VI. The Kinlaza came to power by overthrowing the House of Kimpanzu, which had occupied the throne from Garcia I's overthrow until Álvaro's ascension. The Kinlaza continued to rule Kongo until its civil war, when Kimpanzu and Kinlaza kings occupied or claimed the throne. After the restoration of the kingdom in 1709, and Pedro IV's power sharing scheme, the Kinlaza shared power with the other branches. Its northern branch, founded by João II at Mbula (or Lemba) made a claim on the throne, but the branch of this family that supported Pedro IV and opposed João's sister Elena in the 1710s eventually was able to become kings of Kongo when Garcia IV came to power in 1743. A southern branch, led by Ana Afonso de Leão did not hold power for a long time, and indeed, her home territory of Nkondo (Mucondo) was their primary base. However, in 1779, the southern Kinlazas came to power with the ascent of José I, and held power until when Afonso V succeeded his brother José in 1785. The crisis that followed Afonso's death in 1787 however, left the southern Kinlazas out.

The second king Pedro V (1856–85) may have had connections to the southern Kinlazas in the ninteeenth century, since his base at Mbembe was close to the lands of the Nkondo, though no clear connection has been established.

Sources

Graziano Saccardo, Congo e Angola con la storia della missione dei Cappuccini (3 vols, Venice, 1982–83).

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)

Kinlaza

Etymology

History

Sources

See also