kingdom · Central and Southern Africa

Kingdom of Ndongo

1500 CE – 1671 CE (approx.) · capital Kabasa

The Mbundu kingdom of the Ngola, whose title gave Angola its name and whose queen Njinga fought the Portuguese for decades.

Origins

Ndongo was formed by Mbundu chiefdoms between the Kwanza and Lukala rivers in the late 15th century under a ruler titled the Ngola. Initially a tributary of the Kingdom of Kongo, it asserted independence in the 1550s, and a Portuguese embassy reached its capital Kabasa in 1560.

Rule and society

The Ngola ruled through regional lords (sobas) who paid tribute in cattle, salt, cloth and slaves. From 1575, when Paulo Dias de Novais founded Luanda, Ndongo faced constant war with Portuguese Angola and its Imbangala allies, who sought slaves for the Atlantic trade. Njinga Mbande, who became ruler in 1624, negotiated, converted, fought and allied with the Dutch, later ruling from the Kingdom of Matamba.

Decline and legacy

Ndongo was split between Njinga's party and a Portuguese-backed puppet king, Ngola Hari. When his successor rebelled, the Portuguese stormed the fortress of Pungo Andongo in 1671, ending the kingdom. The Ngola title gave Angola its name, and Njinga is a national heroine.

Connections (4)

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Ndongo. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-ndongo
MLA
“Kingdom of Ndongo.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-ndongo. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Ndongo.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-ndongo.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Ndongo’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-ndongo (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻