The Kalonga Kingdom: Origin and History

In this post we shall discuss the origin, expansion and decline of the Kalonga kingdom

Origin of The Kalonga Kingdom

• The founders of the Malawi Kingdom of Kalonga were led from the Luba Empire by Mazizi Kalonga in the 13 th century.
• Mazizi Kalonga died on the way and his successors took on the title of Kalonga.
• These migrants entered the area around Lake Malawi and settled alongside the Chewa hunter – gatherers and subsistence cultivators who had occupied the area earlier.
• They later formed the many different groups of the Malawi people namely the Chikunda, Chipeta, Mang’anja. Mbo, Ntumbu, Nyanja, Nyasa, Nsenga and Zimba.
• Apart from the Nsenga, the Malawi people all spoke Nyanja, the language of the lake.
• Kalonga’s people established themselves as rules over the Chewa people and introduced a good political system.
• In 1580, Lundu broke away and established the Kingdom of Bororo to the South of
• Kalonga.

Expansion of The Kalonga Kingdom

During the late 16th century, the power of the Kalonga family began to increase and they began to create a unified chiefdom.

The most powerful of their rulers was Kalonga Masura, who ruled from 1600 – 1650 and made an alliance with the Portuguese.

In 1608, he sent 4000 Malawi soldiers to help the Portuguese defeat Mwenemutapa Gatsi Rusere.

In return, the Portuguese helped Masura to conquer his rival Lundu.

Kalonga Masura then tried to take control of the gold and ivory trade in Mwenemutapa’s Kingdom but in vain.

The Kingdom expanded through conquests. Masura built a powerful army of about 10 000 Malawi soldiers which he used to conquer the Chipeta, Mbo, Zimba and Chewa.

The conquered tribes were made to pay tribute to Kalonga, which he used in the long distance trade.

Masura sold ivory and slaves and obtained guns, gunpowder, beads, cloth and other luxurious goods. Control of trade to the north of the Kingdom helped him to expand his Kingdom.

He used his wealth to reward his warriors and sub-chiefs while guns strengthened the military position of the Kingdom.

Kalonga used his wealth to win the loyalty of his sub – chiefs and subjects. He distributed his wealth among his sub-chiefs who in turn redistributed them to their people.

The religious factor was also important in the development of Kalonga kingdom. The Kalonga family was considered to be semi-divine and was believed to possess rain making powers.

Decline of The Kalonga Kingdom

A number of factors have been attributed to the collapse of the Kalonga Kingdom. These
includes:

• Kalonga failed to build a highly centralized political state, unlike most of the Luba- Lunda counterpart. The subordinate chiefs were given so much autonomy that they were able to command a following of their own.
• After the death of Masura, Undi broke away following a succession dispute and took with him close members of the Kalonga which left the ruling Kalonga with no apparent hair to the throne.
• Another contributing factor was the failure of the royal Mbona rain-cult to create unity among various Chewa people which led to further break away groups.
• Externally the kingdom suffered from Yao attacks.
• The Yao traders also traded directly with the lesser chiefs. Thus they stopped fearing Kalonga as they no longer depended on him.
• The kingdom continued to decline until the killing of the last Kalonga by the Yao in the 1860s.