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Great Zimbabwe's Last Queen: The Female Mambo Who Defied the Portuguese
When the Portuguese arrived on the Zimbabwe Plateau in the 16th century, they encountered a powerful female ruler known to traders as Queen Barwa. This episode explores the life and reign of this mysterious Mambo, who commanded armies, controlled gold trade routes, and defied Portuguese attempts at conquest. We discuss how she rose to power in a patriarchal Shona society, her military strategies against the Portuguese, and the legends that surround her disappearance. Drawing on oral traditions, Portuguese records, and archaeological evidence, we uncover the story of a woman who ruled one of…
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