Southern Kingdoms - History Of Africa with Zeinab Badawi [Episode 13]

Published 2020-04-10
In this episode, Zeinab Badawi travels to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Zambia to find out about the powerful kingdoms of southern Africa and their rulers from 10th to 19th century, like the Mutapa kingdom that stretched across portions of eight modern-day southern African countries.

We hear about one military ruler who repeatedly saw off Portuguese invaders, and we admire the incredible ruins of Great Zimbabwe, the largest stone settlement in Africa south of the Sahara.

Foreign visitors could not believe that this towering civilisation dating from the 1100s was built by Africans. The reality is that Great Zimbabwe is the most striking example of the kingdoms that flourished in southern Africa.

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All Comments (21)
  • @jemilha7171
    I hope their are more enthusiastic Historians and anthropologist like you Zeinab for our future.
  • African history told by Africans, it can't be more beautiful than this. For us to move forward it's imperative we know our past, a past that is not obscured nor narrowed to a certain groups objectives. Please keep teaching us about our roots Zeinab Badawi, thank you.
  • @michamash
    I am a Rozvi. Today my Grandfather's farm is 60 miles from Great Zimbabwe Ruins. My grandfather also told us that we originally came from across the Limpopo, Mapungugwe. Rozvi people also built Khami Ruins and Dlodlo near Gweru. Everywhere they stopped they built Stone Houses.
  • @msoda8516
    Sadly too many people are ignorant to the history of Africa pre European colonialism. We need to teach more people this rich beautiful history
  • @user-rc9qi6yp6k
    So succession issues have plagued Zimbabwe for a long time. History does repeat itself.
  • I have never visited Zimbabwe but thanks to zeinab I have interest in coming to Zimbabwe cause it's really an interesting country!
  • Dear Mrs. Zeinab.... you have made a respectable landmark to the History of Africa documenting a great civilization being the cradle of humanity. The history will always remember your documentary being as great as the African civilization.
  • @jojo5818
    If indeed the great Zimbabwe was built by foreign civilization, don't you think, they will have it written somewhere or there will be some sort of writings or drawings on them. They were built by the locals. Most of the amazing buildings in Africa has been destroyed because they were built with mud. They didn't get lots of stones.
  • @matthewmann8969
    Not too long ago many people assumed that The Great Zimbabwe was either built by Muslim Middle Easterners or Christian Europeans sometimes both but nowadays those theories have been debunked as the people now recognized for those accomplishments of recognitions were Bantus
  • @Monaedeezy
    As an African American, 40:42 , I know this very feeling. Happy to binge watch these episodes. The cinematography is nice too.
  • My family clan/praise name include the Rozvi name, we call ourselves that everyday when we seek to show pride in ourselves. And I'm Venda speaking, from the north east of South Africa.
  • Some examples of such Bantu states include: in Central Africa, the Kingdom of Kongo, the Kuba Kingdom, the Lunda Empire, the Luba Empire, Tooro, Bunyoro, Buganda Kingdom of Uganda and Tanzania, Busoga, Rwanda, Burundi, Ankole and in Southern Africa, the Mutapa Empire, the Zulu Kingdom, Danamombe, Khami, and Naletale Kingdoms of Zimbabwe and Mozambique and the Rozvi Empires. All built by the Bantu during the Bantu migration.