Kingdom of Butua

Kingdom of Butua Butua
c. 1425–c. 1683
Capital	Khami
Common languages	iKalanga
Religion	Belief in Mwari
Government	Monarchy
Mambo
• c. 1425-?	Madabhale
• ?-c. 1683	Madhladhla
History
• Established	c. 1425
• Conquest by Rozwi Empire	c. 1683
Preceded by Succeeded by Leopard's Kopje Kingdom of Zimbabwe Rozwi Empire

Part of a series on the
History of Zimbabwe
Ancient history Leopard's Kopje c. 650 – c. 1075 Mapungubwe Kingdom c. 1220 – c. 1300 Zimbabwe Kingdom c. 1300 – c. 1450 Mutapa Kingdom c. 1430–1760 Butua Kingdom c. 1450–1683
White settlement pre-1923 Rozvi Empire c. 1660–1866 Mthwakazi 1840–1893 Rudd Concession 1888 BSA Company rule 1890–1923 First Matabele War 1893–1894 Second Matabele War 1896–1897 World War I involvement 1914–1918 Colony of Southern Rhodesia 1923–1965 World War II involvement 1939–1945 Malayan Emergency involvement 1948–1960 Federation with Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland 1953–1963 Rhodesian Bush War 1964–1979 Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) 1965 Rhodesia 1965–1979 Zimbabwe-Rhodesia June–December 1979 Lancaster House Agreement December 1979 British Dependency 1979–1980 Zimbabwe 1980–present Gukurahundi 1982–1987 Second Congo War 1998–2003 Coup d'état 2017
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The Kingdom of Butua or Butwa (c. 1425–c. 1683) was a Bakalanga (western Shona) kingdom located in what is now southwestern Zimbabwe. Butua was renowned as the source of gold for Arab and Portuguese traders. The first written record of the kingdom came from Ahmad ibn Majid in 1502.

The kingdom was governed by the Torwa dynasty until 1683 from its capital at Khami. In 1683, the kingdom was conquered by the Rozwi Empire.

The foundations of the Khami Ruins show a striking resemblance to the pattern of masonry at the base of the Zimbabwe Ruins.

Khami was originally a Leopard's Kopje site, whose inhabitants are thought to be the ancestors of the Kalanga (southwestern Shona). During the time of Great Zimbabwe's dominance over the region, various offshoots split from it to form various states, one such state being the Mutapa Empire.^[a] In the early 15th century Angoche traders opened a new route along the Zambezi via the nascent Mutapa Empire and Ingombe Ilede to reach the goldfields west of Great Zimbabwe, bypassing it. Close to the goldfields, a local Leopard's Kopje chiefdom centred on Khami rose to prominence, contributing to Great Zimbabwe's decline. This was the Kingdom of Butua, with its first mambo (king) Madabhale of the Torwa dynasty, who had the praise name Chibundule (meaning "sounding of the war horn"). Kalanga oral traditions collected in 1922 compress the history of the Torwa dynasty into that of one ruler called Chibundule, such that the story of Chibundule represents that of Butua.^{[b][c][1]: 50–1}

Butua rapidly grew in size and wealth, and came to border the Mutapa Empire along the Sanyati River.^[d][3] There appear to have been intermarriages between the Torwa dynasty and the Nembire dynasty of Mutapa. Changamire I, who rebelled against and ruled Mutapa from 1490-1494, was likely a member of both dynasties,^[2] and was possibly supported by the Torwa, with his descendants founding the Rozvi Empire. In 1493, the mambo gifted the Mwenemutapa (Mutapa king) 4000 cows and copious amounts of gold. The first written record of Butua came from Ahmad ibn Majid in 1502, who mentioned "Munhu Butua" ("King of Butua"). Due to tales such as that already mentioned, the Portuguese referred to Butua as the "Mother of Gold". The Portuguese traded far into the interior via African merchants, who were noted for their honesty. The Kalanga of Butua were reportedly not war-like (said to rely more on faith in Mwari), and the mambo only mobilised his army in times of war. Women accompanied the army and cooked for them.^{[1]: 49, 53–4}

In the 1640s, a dispute between the mambo and his brother escalated. The brother had married into a powerful family of Shona-speaking Muslim traders (called Mwenye), and with the Mwenye's support he forced the mambo into exile in Manyika. With the support of a Portuguese prazo-holder and his army, the mambo returned in 1644 and was reinstated. The prazo-holder left soldiers behind in the capital, however he was killed on the way to Manyika, after which the soldiers withdrew. Historian Malyin Newitt writes that Butua was too remote for Portuguese influence to last,^[3] however the episode bolstered Portuguese confidence that they could expand into the interior and conquer Mutapa.^[1]: 54

Around 1683 Butua was conquered by Changamire Dombo, who is thought to have either been head of the Mwenemutapa's royal cattle herd, which he used to gain influence, or the leader of Mutapa's army, dispatched to Rozvi^[e] territory (the northeast) where he became leader of the Rozvi and rebelled. In the northeast, a European-introduced epidemic and famine had swept through the region, and there was likely anger about the Mwenemutapa selling gold-producing land to the Portuguese as prazos, dispossessing Karanga families. The Portuguese also dealt directly with chiefs' subjects, disrupting the hierarchical system, with this all propelling Rozvi out-migration. The Portuguese's withdrawal from Butua had likely left the Torwa mambo with little support, possibly compounded by his failure to bring rain amid a drought.^{[1]: 54–6}

Rozvi traditions mention two rulers or royal lineages in Butua, Chibundule and Tumbare, while Kalanga traditions' only mention of Tumbare is as Chief Councillor for Changamire, however say Tumbare's father tried to take control of Butua three times. Catharina Van Waarden considers the Tumbare lineage to have aided Changamire in his conquest. Kalanga traditions detail a large battle taking place, ending in Chibundule's defeat, after which he is said to have left for the Matombo a Bhuba mountains and disappeared. Certainly by his death in 1696, Changamire controlled all of Butua's territory.^{[1]: 54–8} Changamire founded the Rozvi Empire with its capital at Dhlo-Dhlo, and used Butua as his base to expand into Manyika and Uteve in the 1680s, defeating the Portuguese and expelling Portuguese traders.^[4]: 657He also attacked Mutapa in 1693, leading to the overthrow of its ruler. Some of the original inhabitants of Butua (now called the Lilima, a Kalanga sub-group) migrated into north-eastern Botswana.^{[1]: 60–1, 68}

Changamire's dynasty continued to rule in Butua, until it was destroyed during the 1830s amid the Ngoni invasions.^[3]

The mambo had various Councillors (bakadzaxa or makulukota, one of which was head of the royal herds of cattle), minor councillors (basungwaxa), and royal advisors (machinda). He also had a Great Diviner (ng'anga), one of their tasks was rainmaking. Roles were likely hereditary. The mambo had multiple residences for security reasons, with oral traditions mentioning five in and around the Matopos Hills. Cattle played an important role in politics, and the mambo owned many. The government's tribute was collected by sub-chiefs from their people, and gifts were likely distributed, often in the form of loans of cattle.^[1]: 52

According to Rozvi traditions the Torwa dynasty had the totem of the monkey. Traditions collected in 1922 claim the kingdom covered the territory from Great Zimbabwe to the Makgadikgadi Pan, south to the Crocodile River, and north to the Zambezi, however other traditions say the mambo ruled from Gweru to the Motloutse River.^[1]: 51

Ceremonies were held at Khami where people prayed to Mwari for rain. Men sought to marry many wives and have as many children as possible. Produce, skins, and copper could be used to buy cattle and goats, which could then be used to acquire wives. Women sewed skins and furs into blankets, and copper was mined to make jewellery. Gold was mined in people's spare time, usually before planting season. Having a large amount of cattle symbolised high status, and were sought after in order to enlarge one's family.^{[1]: 53–4}

Khami features monumental stone structures, which likely symbolised prestige, with reports that the stones were brought to Khami and laboured on as tribute (a service called zhunde). Khami's royal palace resembles Leopard's Kopje architecture (specifically Woolandale).^{[1]: 50, 54}

After Changamire's conquest of Butua, the Rozvi did not allow the Portuguese to enter its territory, however they allowed African merchants hired by the Portuguese, termed mussambazes, to trade in Butua.^[3]

Cattle were abundant in Butua, and were an important component of its economy. Cattle were also likely used for loans (a practice called kusaidza). The person who received the loan (kuronzera) could use the cattle as they saw fit and sell its produce, however they could not dispose of them without the owner's permission. The relationship between owner and kuronzera resembled one of vassalage, and served to distribute food and wealth, with the mambo owning most cattle. Despite Butua's fame for gold, Portuguese reports say that its people had little interest in gold mining, and focussed primarily on cattle.^[1]: 53

• 
  The ruins of Khami, capital of the Butua Kingdom.
• 
  Steps leading into the ancient city of Khami
• 
  The outer wall of Khami

• Torwa dynasty
• Rozwi Empire
• Naletale

• Gwinn, Robert; Norton, Peter; Goetz, Philip (1989). The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 2. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. p. 689. ISBN 0-85229-493-X.
• Shillington, Kevin (2004). Encyclopedia of African History, Vol. 1. London: Routledge. pp. 1912 Pages. ISBN 1-57958-245-1.