Ndlovukati

Ndlovukati of Eswatini
Ndlovukati of Eswatini
	Arms of Her Majesty the Ndlovukati of Eswatini
Incumbent
	Ntfombi; since 25 April 1986
Details
Style	Her Majesty
First monarch	LaYaka Ndwandwe
Formation	1745
Residence	Ludzidzini Royal Village, Lobamba

Ndlovukati (lit. 'She-Elephant', pl. tiNdlovukati; also spelled Indlovukazi) is the siSwati title for the female monarch of Eswatini. The title is given preferentially to the mother of the reigning king (styled the Ngwenyama, "Lion of Swaziland"), or to another female royal of high status if the king's mother has died. The title is roughly equivalent to a queen mother, though she is jointly head of state, ruling alongside the Ngwenyama. The title can also mean doctor. When there is no king, the Ndlovukati rules as queen regent. The current Ndlovukati is Queen Ntfombi Tfwala, the mother of Ngwenyama Mswati III and wife of Sobhuza II. She was also queen regent from 1983 until 1986 when Mswati became king. The most notable queen regent was Ndlovukati Labotsibeni Mdluli who ruled Swaziland from 1899 until 1921 when she abdicated for Sobhuza II.

Origins

The Ndlovukati is traditionally joint monarch of Eswatini with the king. The king is seen as the administrative head of state, while the Ndlovukati is seen as the spiritual and national head of state. During the reign of Sobhuza II the title became more ceremonial.^[1] Several of the Ndlovukati's functions are to control important ritual substances (sometimes called medicines) and knowledge necessary for inaugurating of the rule of a Ngwenyama, rainmaking, and the annual renewal of national and kingly strength in the incwala rites.^[2] The Ndlovukati also leads the nation as queen regent following a king's death and during the youth of the crown prince. Other notable Tindlovukati are Tsandzile Ndwandwe, Lojiba Simelane, Tibati Nkambule, and Labotsibeni Mdluli from nineteenth century Swaziland.

History

Historically, there have been a number of Ndlovukati with great substantial power as well as influence, especially (though not exclusively) in periods of regency. The power of the Ndlovukati was explicitly understood as a counterweight to that of the Ngwenyama and also to potentially rival royal princes. This was the case especially during the reign of Mswati II and Tsandzile Ndwandwe. Like royal governors who were not from the royal House of Dlamini, the Ndlovukati could not accede to the throne, thus offering an alternative source of power to rein in overweaning Tingwenyama who could not challenge directly to be the Ngwenyama.

During the long reign of Sobhuza II (1899–1982), his grandmother Ndlovukati Labotsibeni Mdluli (also known as "Gwamile") was the last great bearer of the title, being the primary Swazi political power from Sobhuza's accession as an infant in 1899 until his accession to full power in 1922. However, over the following 60 years the practical power and influence of the office of ndlovukati became greatly overshadowed, in part because the British chose to recognize the powers of the king (whom they called the "Paramount Chief") over those of the senior, in part because of the force of Sobhuza's personality in contrast to the tindlovukati who succeeded his own mother after she died in 1938, and in part because of conservative aristocratic Swazi male reactions to colonialism, which created a new and more rigid form of patriarchy now called and argued by some to be mischaracterised as "traditional". The office of Ndlovukati suffered a further blow after the death of Sobhuza II, when a holder of the office was implicated in the political machinations of Prince Mfanasibili aimed at usurping the kingship. Thus the political-cultural ideals and historical meanings of the office expressed above do not really characterise the Ndlovukati today, whose position has become much weaker than that of the Ngwenyama.

At any time where there is both an Ingwenyama and a Ndlovukati, which is most of the time, there are two royal villages. Even during a regency when the king is a minor, a proto-form of his headquarters is prepared. The King's headquarters is where he carries out his administrative duties; the Ndlovukati's, which is called umphakatsi, (meaning "the inside," and a term also applied to the royal insiders and close allies as a group) is the national capital and spiritual and ceremonial home of the nation. The king resides at his own royal village or kraal called lilawu. The present umphakatsi is at Ludzidzini Royal Kraal and lilawu is at Ngabezweni Royal Kraal.

List of tiNdlovukati

LaYaka Ndwandwe, 1745–1780 (Regent 1780)
Lomvula Mndzebele, 1780–1815 (Regent 1815)
Lojiba Simelane, 1815–1840 (Regent 1836–1840)
Tsandzile Ndwandwe (LaZidze), 1840–1875 (Regent 1868–1875)
Sisile Khumalo (Lamgangeni), 1875
Tibati Nkambule (Madvolomafisha), 1875–1894 (Regent 1889–1894)
Labotsibeni Mdluli (Gwamile, Lamvelase), 1894–1925 (Regent 1899–1921)
Lomawa Ndwandwe, 1925–1938
Nukwase Ndwandwe, 1938–1957
Zihlathi Ndwandwe/Mkhatjwa, 1957–1975
Seneleleni Ndwandwe, 1975–1980
Dzeliwe Shongwe, 1982–1983 (Regent 1982–1983)
Ntfombi Tfwala, 1986–present (Regent 1983–1986)

Royal standard

Queen Mother Standard of Ntfombi Tfwala.

References

^ "Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini of Eswatini is looking to the future while embracing her roots". ABC News. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
^ Kuper, Hilda (1985). The Swazi, a South African Kingdom. Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology (2nd ed.). Holt Rinehart & Winston. ISBN 0030702399.

[1] "Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini of Eswatini is looking to the future while embracing her roots". ABC News. Retrieved 22 February 2022.

[2] Kuper, Hilda (1985). The Swazi, a South African Kingdom. Case Studies in Cultural Anthropology (2nd ed.). Holt Rinehart & Winston. ISBN 0030702399.

[1]

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v t e Monarchs of Eswatini (Swaziland)
Pre-modern Swaziland (until 1745)	Mkhulunkosi Qomizitha Sukuta Madlasomo Ndlovu Ngwekati Mawawa/Kuwawa Sidvwabasilutfuli Gebase Kunene Nkabingwe Madlabane Hhili Dulunga Dondobola Sihuba Mlangeni Msimudze Mbhondlo/Mbhondlo/Mbhoholo Tembe Sikhulumaloyo Langa Samuketi Nkomo Khabako Nkosi I: (1355–1400) Ngwane I: 1400–1435 Dlamini I (Matalatala): 1435–1465 Mswati I: 1480–1520 Ngwane II: 1520–1550 Dlamini II: 1555–1600 Nkosi II: 1600–1640 Mavuso I: 1645–1680 Magudulela: 1685–1685 Ludvonga: 1685–1715 Dlamini III: 1720–1744
Modern Swaziland (1745–1906)	Ngwane III: 1745–1780 (the first King of modern Swaziland) LaYaka Ndwandwe (Queen Regent): 1780 Ndvungunye (Zikodze, Mavuso II): 1780–1815 Lomvula Mndzebele (Queen Regent): 1815 Sobhuza I (Somhlolo): 1815–1839 Lojiba Simelane (Queen Regent): 1836–1840 Mswati II (Mavuso III): 1840–1868 Tsandzile Ndwandwe (Queen Regent): July 1868 – June 1875 Crown Prince Ludvonga II (Macaleni) – never became King Dlamini IV (Mbandzeni): 1875–1889 Tibati Nkambule (Queen Regent): 7 April 1889 – 1894 Ngwane V (Mahlokohla): January 1895 – 10 December 1899 Labotsibeni Gwamile Mdluli (Queen Regent): 10 December 1899 – 31 March 1906
Paramount Chiefs under British rule (1906–1968)	Labotsibeni Gwamile Mdluli (Queen Regent): 31 March 1906 – 22 December 1921 Sobhuza II: 22 December 1921 – 2 September 1968
Kings of Swaziland (1968–2018)	Sobhuza II (1968–1982) Queen Dzeliwe (regent): 21 August 1982 – 9 August 1983 Prince Sozisa Dlamini (acting regent): 9 August 1983 – 18 August 1983 Queen Ntfombi (regent): 18 August 1983 – 25 April 1986 Mswati III (1986–present)
Kings of Eswatini (2018–present)	Mswati III (1986–present)
tiNdlovukati (Queen Mother/Doctor)	LaYaka Ndwandwe, 1745–1780 (Regent 1780) Lomvula Mndzebele, 1780–1815 (Regent 1815) Lojiba Simelane, 1815–1840 (Regent 1836–1840) Tsandzile Ndwandwe (LaZidze), 1840–1875 (Regent 1868–1875) Sisile Khumalo (Lamgangeni), 1875 Tibati Nkambule (Madvolomafisha), 1875–1894 (Regent 1889–1894) Labotsibeni Mdluli (Gwamile, Lamvelase), 1894–1925 (Regent 1899–1921) Lomawa Ndwandwe, 1925–1938 Nukwase Ndwandwe, 1938–1957 Zihlathi Ndwandwe/Mkhatjwa, 1957–1975 Seneleleni Ndwandwe, 1975–1982 Dzeliwe Shongwe (Regent 1982–1983) Ntfombi Tfwala, 1983–present (Regent 1983–1986)