Succession to the Swazi throne

Last updated

King of Eswatini
Coat of arms of Eswatini.svg
Arms of His Majesty the King of Eswatini
Incumbent
King Mswati III 2014.jpg
Mswati III
Details
Style His Majesty
Heir apparent None
First monarch Ngwane III
Formation1750s

In Eswatini, no king can appoint his successor. Instead, the Liqoqo, an independent traditional council, decides which of the wives shall be "Great Wife" and "Indlovukazi" (She-Elephant / Queen Mother / Doctor). The son[ further explanation needed ] of this "Great Wife" will automatically become the next king. [1]

The "Great Wife" is chosen after the death of the king and must be of good character. Her character affects her child's chances of ascending to the status of king. According to Swazi culture, a son cannot be the heir if his mother is not of good standing. She must not bear the maiden name of Nkhosi-Dlamini as Dlamini is the name of the Royal House of Eswatini[ further explanation needed ] and she must not be a ritual wife (see next paragraph). [2]

The king currently has 11 wives, (2 have permanently left him and 2 are deceased) 39 children and 13 grandchildren. [3] A Swazi king's first two wives are chosen for him by the national councillors. These two have special functions in rituals and their sons can never become kings. The first wife must be a member of the Matsebula clan, the second of the Motsa clan. These wives are known as tesulamsiti.

A royal fiancée is called liphovela, or "bride". They graduate from being fiancées to full wives as soon as they fall pregnant, when the king customarily marries them. However, the traditional marriage, known as “Ludvendve” (marriage to the king) only follows later. [4]

In traditional Swazi culture, the king is expected to marry a woman from every clan in order to cement relationships with each part of Eswatini. This means that the king must have many wives. [2]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Inkhosikati LaMbikiza Inkhosikati La Mbikiza.jpg
Inkhosikati LaMbikiza
Sikhanyiso Dlamini at the 2006 Umhlanga Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini-001.jpg
Sikhanyiso Dlamini at the 2006 Umhlanga

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Eswatini</span>

Eswatini is an absolute monarchy with constitutional provisions and Swazi law and Custom. The head of state is the king or Ngwenyama, currently King Mswati III, who ascended to the throne in 1986 after the death of his father King Sobhuza II in 1982 and a period of regency. According to the constitution of Eswatini, the king and Ingwenyama is a symbol of unity and the eternity of the Swazi nation. By tradition, the king reigns along with his mother or a ritual substitute, the Ndlovukati. The former was viewed as the administrative head of state and the latter as a spiritual and national head of state, with real power counterbalancing that of the king, but during the long reign of Sobhuza II the role of the Ndlovukati became more symbolic. The king appoints the prime minister from the legislature and also appoints a minority of legislators to both chambers of Libandla (parliament), with help from an advisory council. The king is allowed by the constitution to appoint some members to parliament for special interests. These special interests are citizens who might have been left out by the electorate during the course of elections or did not enter as candidates. This is done to balance views in parliament. Special interests could be people of gender, race, disability, business community, civic society, scholars, chiefs and so on. The Senate consists of 30 members, of which some are appointed by the king on recommendation of the advisory council and others elected by the lower house. The House of Assembly has 65 seats, of which 55 are occupied by elected representatives from the 55 constituencies around the country, and 10 are appointed by the king on recommendation of the advisory council. The attorney general is the ex-officio member. Elections are held every five years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mswati III</span> King of Eswatini since 1986

Mswati III is Ngwenyama (King) of Eswatini and head of the Swazi royal family. He heads Africa’s last absolute monarchy, as he has veto power over all branches of government and is constitutionally immune from prosecution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goodwill Zwelithini</span> King of the Zulu nation from 1968 to 2021

Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu was the King of the Zulu nation from 1968 to his death in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swazi people</span> Bantu ethnic group of Southern Africa

The Swazi or Swati are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, inhabiting Eswatini, a sovereign kingdom in Southern Africa, and South Africa's Mpumalanga province. EmaSwati are part of the Nguni-language speaking peoples whose origins can be traced through archaeology to East Africa where similar traditions, beliefs and cultural practices are found.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sobhuza II</span> King of Swaziland from 1899 to 1982

Sobhuza II,, was Ngwenyama (King) of Swaziland for 82 years and 254 days, the longest verifiable reign of any monarch in recorded history.

King Mswati II, also known as Mswati and Mavuso III, was the king of Eswatini between 1840 and 1868. He was also the eponym of Eswatini. Mswati is considered to be one of the greatest fighting kings of Eswatini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ndlovukati</span> Title of the female monarch of Eswatini

Ndlovukati is the siSwati title for the female monarch of Eswatini. The title is given preferentially to the mother of the reigning king, 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.

Sobhuza I (1788–1850) was king of Eswatini, from 1815 to 1850. Born around the year 1788, his father was King Ndvungunye, and his mother was Somnjalose Simelane. He was called Somhlolo, meaning "Mysterious man", upon his birth because his father, Ndvungunye, was struck by lightning. When Sobhuza was king, Lojiba Simelane, instead of his mother, Somnjalose was Queen Mother because Somnjalose was an inhlanti or support bride to Lojiba. Somhlolo is a greatly revered king of Eswatini. He had his first royal capital or kraal at Zombodze in the Shiselweni region, but moved it north to new Zombodze in central Eswatini. Swazis celebrate Somhlolo Day every September 6 as their Independence Day and the national stadium is named Somhlolo stadium. Sobhuza was succeeded by his son Mswati II and his wife Tsandzile Ndwandwe as Queen Mother after a short regency by Queen Lojiba Simelane. Sobhuza by the time of his death had conquered a country claimed to reach to modern day Barberton in the north, Carolina in the west, Pongola River in the south and Lubombo Mountains in the east.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini</span> Swazi politician

Prince Barnabas Sibusiso Dlamini was a Swazi politician who served as Prime Minister of Eswatini, from 1996 to 2003 and again from October 2008 to September 2018.

Inkhosikati LaShongwe was Queen regent of Eswatini between 21 August 1982 and 9 August 1983. She was a wife of king Sobhuza II of Eswatini, and with him had one child, Prince Khuzulwandle Dlamini.

Mbandzeni was the King of Swaziland from 1872 until 1889. Ingwenyama Mbandzeni was the son of Mswati II and Nandzi Nkambule. His mother the wife of King Mswati had died when he was still very young.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Dlamini</span> Reigning dynasty in Eswatini

The House of Dlamini is the royal house of the Kingdom of Eswatini. Mswati III, as king and Ngwenyama of Eswatini, is the current head of the house of Dlamini. Swazi kings up to the present day are referred to as Ingwenyama and they rule together with the Queen Mother who is called Indlovukati. The Swazi kings, like other Nguni nations, practice polygamy and thus have many wives and children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sikhanyiso Dlamini</span> Minister of Information, Communication and Technology

Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini is a Swazi princess and politician. She is the eldest daughter of King Mswati III of Eswatini, and is the country's current Minister of Information and Communication Technology.

Dlamini is an African clan and surname, common in South Africa and Eswatini. It is the most common surname in South Africa. Most people whose surname is Dlamini are also members of the Dlamini clan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sibonelo Mngometulu</span> Eswatini royal consort

Sibonelo Mngometulu, known as Inkhosikati LaMbikiza, is the third and senior wife of King Mswati III of Eswatini. Sibonelo married Mswati III in 1986, becoming the first wife he personally chose to marry, following two ceremonious marriages. She is the mother of Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini and Prince Lindani Dlamini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tsandzile Dlamini</span> Princess and politician in Eswatini

Tsandzile Dlamini is a princess of Eswatini who served as Minister of Home Affairs from 2013 to 2018.

Nothando Dube, known as Inkhosikati LaDube, was a member of the House of Dlamini as the twelfth Inkhosikati and wife of King Mswati III of Eswatini.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nothando Hlophe</span> Swazi gospel singer

Nothando Hlophe is a Swazi gospel singer and royal. She was a member of the gospel and worship musical group Women in Praise until she broke out as a solo artist, releasing her debut solo album in 2016. In 2019, Hlophe won Female Artist of the Year, Best Gospel Artist, and Song of the Year at the 3rd Annual MTN SWAMA Awards. From 2019 to 2022, she took a hiatus from her music career. During her hiatus, she married Prince Majahonkhe Dlamini, a son of Mswati III, becoming a member of the Swazi royal family with the title Inkhosikati LaHlophe. Hlophe returned to performing in 2022 with the launch of a live album and a performance at The Great Revival in Mbabane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sindiswa Dlamini</span> Swazi royal and beauty pageant contestant

Sindiswa Dlamini is a Swazi beauty pageant winner. In 2016, she was crowned as Miss Cultural Heritage 2016–2017. Dlamini was selected as the wife of Mswati III, becoming a member of the Swazi royal family. She is the king's fourteenth wife and is known by the title Inkhosikati LaFogiyane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zena Mahlangu</span> Swazi royal (born 1984)

Zena Soraya Mahlangu is a Swazi royal and the tenth wife of Mswati III. In 2002, when she was eighteen years old, she was abducted by two of the king's men and taken to the Ludzidzini Royal Village to accept royal duties and prepare to become the next royal bride. Her abduction led to a court case and international scandal, with various trade unions, organizations, and public figures, including Amnesty International, condemning the king and royal family's actions. She officially married the king in 2010, taking the royal title Inkhosikati LaMahlangu.

References

  1. ↑ Kuper, Adam. "Rank and Preferential Marriage in Southern Africa: The Swazi". Man. Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 1: 567–579.
  2. 1 2 Wayua, Muli. "A king, his culture, his wives," Daily Nation (Nairobi, Kenya). December 7, 2002.
  3. 1 2 Sapa-AFP (September 17, 2013). "Swaziland's King Mswati takes pageant contestant as 15th wife". Times Live. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  4. 1 2 Swazi royal family thrown into sordid disarray IOL
  5. ↑ United Nations Development Programme: "UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Her Royal Highness Inkhosikati LaMotsa, speaks at the launch of the MDGs at Matsanjeni," Archived September 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine 2007.
  6. ↑ eSwatini King attends son’s graduation in Taiwan Taiwan News. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  7. ↑ Los Angeles Times
  8. 1 2 Ndiweni, Sikhumbuzo Ndiweni. "Swazi queens revolt," 24News.com. July 4, 2004.
  9. ↑ Swazi king’s wife took overdose News24
  10. ↑ Mswati’s 6th wife leaves palace IOL
  11. ↑ "Swazi King Mswati takes 12th wife". The Namibian. June 14, 2005. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved October 18, 2009.
  12. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/BuyazLbhX96/Instagram [ dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Swazi king picks young new wife". BBC News. September 26, 2005. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  14. ↑ Dlamini, Welcome (August 31, 2014). "King marries Liphovela lafogiyane". Swazi Observer. Swazi Observer. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.