Former kingdom of the Garanganze people in Katanga, DR Congo
Yeke Kingdom
1856–1891
South-central Africa in 1880 showing the central position of Msiri’s Kingdom and the principal trade routes, with the approximate territories of Msiri’s main allies (names in yellow) and the European powers (names in orange) before borders were settled by the Berlin Conference. The east coast trade was controlled by the Sultan of Zanzibar. Areas of influence of other tribes and of France and Germany not shown
Capital
Bunkeya
Government
Monarchy
• 1856–1891
Msiri
Historical era
Scramble for Africa
• Msiri's rise to power
1856
• Msiri's death
20 December 1891
Succeeded by
Congo Free State
Main article: Msiri
The Yeke Kingdom (also called the Garanganze or Garenganze kingdom) of the Garanganze people in Katanga, DR Congo, was short-lived, existing from about 1856 to 1891 under one king, Msiri, but it became for a while the most powerful state in south-central Africa, controlling a territory of about half a million square kilometres. The Yeke Kingdom also controlled the only trade route across the continent from east to west, since the Kalahari Desert and Lozi Kingdom in the south and the Congo rainforest in the north blocked alternative routes. It achieved this control through natural resources and force of arms—Msiri traded Katanga's copper principally, but also slaves and ivory, for gunpowder and firearms—and by alliances through marriage. The most important alliances were with Portuguese–Angolans in the Benguela area, with Tippu Tip in the north and with Nyamwezi and Swahili traders in the east, and indirectly with the Sultan of Zanzibar who controlled the east coast traders.[1]
Msiri was in fact a Nyamwezi (also known as 'Yeke' or 'Bayeke') from Tabora in Tanzania who got himself appointed as successor to a Wasanga chief west of the Luapula River by defeating the chief's Lunda enemies. Once installed he conquered the neighbouring tribes and expanded the chieftainship into a kingdom.
From its capital at Bunkeya, the Yeke Kingdom took over the western territory of Mwata Kazembe, stopped the southwards expansion of the Luba Empire and subjugated tribes in the southwest, on the trading route to Angola.
When King Leopold II of Belgium was told that the Yeke Kingdom controlled east-west trade and was rich in copper and possibly gold, he sent expeditions to try to obtain a treaty for the kingdom to join his Congo Free State (CFS). Cecil Rhodes also sent expeditions to sign up the kingdom to his British South Africa Company's chartered territories. The 'scramble for Katanga' was won by Leopold's Stairs Expedition, which ended the kingdom by killing Msiri, and took over the territory for the CFS, but with its own administration until it was more closely incorporated into the Belgian Congo.[1]
Captain Stairs, the expedition's leader, installed one of Msiri's adopted sons, Mukanda-Bantu, as his successor but of a vastly reduced area with a radius of only 20 km from Bunkeya, and with the status of a chief.[1] The chieftainship continues to this day under the title Mwata Msiri.[2]
^ abcJoseph A. Moloney: With Captain Stairs to Katanga. S. Low, Marston & Company, London, 1893.
^http://www.kingmsiri.com/index2.htm "Mwami Msiri, King of Garanganze". Website accessed 8 February 2007.
The YekeKingdom (also called the Garanganze or Garenganze kingdom) of the Garanganze people in Katanga, DR Congo, was short-lived, existing from about...
dictionary. Yeke may refer to: YekeKingdom (1856–1891), in Katanga, DR Congo Yeke people, or Garanganze people, in Katanga, DR Congo Yeke Juu League,...
settled in the area in the 14th century CE. The YekeKingdom (also called the Garanganze or Garenganze kingdom) of the Garanganze people in Katanga, DR Congo...
powerful but short-lived YekeKingdom. Msiri's home district was called Garanganza, a name which came to be used for the YekeKingdom as well. Msiri married...
The Garanganze, Yeke or Bayeke are a people of Katanga, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They established the YekeKingdom under the warrior-king Msiri...
The Kingdom of Kongo (Kongo: Kongo dya Ntotila or Wene wa Kongo; Portuguese: Reino do Congo) was a kingdom in Central Africa. It was located in present-day...
The Kingdom of Luba or Luba Empire (1585–1889) was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in...
language-speaking state. It is unclear, though, how much of the traditions of the kingdom before Nawej are historically accurate. Nawej is said by tradition to have...
The Kuba Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Bakuba or Bushongo, is a traditional kingdom in Central Africa. The Kuba Kingdom flourished between...
Azande Kingdom and which were independent sultans at one point) Dar al Kuti Sultanate (1830–1911 AD) (NSM in Central African Republic) YekeKingdom (1856–1891...
Company's expansion into the southern Congo Basin—was addressed. The distant YekeKingdom, in Katanga on the upper Lualaba River, had signed no treaties, was known...
– December 20, 1891) founded and ruled the YekeKingdom (also called the Garanganze or Garenganze kingdom) in south-east Katanga (now in DR Congo) from...
land where their expansions would meet, was Katanga, the site of the YekeKingdom of Msiri. Msiri was the most militarily powerful ruler in the area and...
pre–1876 Kingdom of Kongo 1390–1914 Kingdom of Luba 1585–1889 Kingdom of Lunda 1600–1887 Kuba Kingdom 1625–1884 Kingdom of Chokwe 1800–1891 YekeKingdom 1856–1891...
Stairs Expedition (1891–1892) Congo Free State YekeKingdom Victory Msiri killed, end of the YekeKingdom Leopold II of Belgium Congo–Arab War (1892–1894)...
display the Khmer text in this article correctly. Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Mainland Southeast Asia, spanning an area...
connection with wars and rebellions. Native states, notably Msiri's YekeKingdom, the Zande Federation, and Swahili-speaking territory in the eastern...
display the Thai text in this article correctly. Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939)...
Kongo (1390–1914) Kuba Kingdom (1625–1884) Kingdom of Luba (1585–1889) Kingdom of Lunda (c. 1600–1887) YekeKingdom (1856–1891) Kingdom of Ndongo (16th century–1671)...
pre–1876 Kingdom of Kongo 1390–1914 Kingdom of Luba 1585–1889 Kingdom of Lunda 1600–1887 Kuba Kingdom 1625–1884 Kingdom of Chokwe 1800–1891 YekeKingdom 1856–1891...
independent Congo should be run by the Bakongo as inheritors of the pre-colonial Kingdom of the Kongo. The Confédération des Associations Tribales du Katanga (CONAKAT)...
copper mining region of the DRC was controlled by the YekeKingdom headed by Msiri. The kingdom had an already well-established trade network in resources...
on 15 November 1908 the Belgian Congo became a colony of the Belgian Kingdom. This was after King Leopold II had given up any hope of excluding a vast...
pre–1876 Kingdom of Kongo 1390–1914 Kingdom of Luba 1585–1889 Kingdom of Lunda 1600–1887 Kuba Kingdom 1625–1884 Kingdom of Chokwe 1800–1891 YekeKingdom 1856–1891...
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