Shambaa Kingdom
The Shambaa Kingdom Uflame wa Usambara (Swahili) | |||||||||||
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| c.1730s–December 1962 | |||||||||||
Location of Shambaa Kingdom c.1897 | |||||||||||
Map of Usambara from 1910 | |||||||||||
| Capital | Vugha | ||||||||||
| Official languages | Shambaa | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Shambaa, Ngulu, Bondei, Zigua, Digo, Pare & Swahili | ||||||||||
| Religion | African traditional religions & Sunni Islam | ||||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Sambaan | ||||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||||
| Mwene (King) | |||||||||||
• First | Mwene Mbegha (c.1730s-1790s) | ||||||||||
• Last | Mwene Kimweri Mputa Magogo (1947-1962) | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | c.1730s | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | December 1962 | ||||||||||
| Currency | None (barter) | ||||||||||
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| Today part of | Tanzania | ||||||||||
| Person | Msambaa |
|---|---|
| People | Wasambaa |
| Language | Kisambaa |
| Country | Usambara Kingdom |
The Shambaa Kingdom or Usambara Kingdom also historically referred to as The Kingdom of Usambara ( Umweri ye Shambaai in Shambaa; Ufalme wa Usambara, in Swahili) was a pre-colonial Bantu sovereign kingdom of the Shambaa people on the Usambara mountains in modern-day northern Tanga Region of Tanzania. The Kilindi dynasty ruled the kingdom for more than 232 years, enduring the slave trade, German invasion, and British occupation until the Tanganyikan government disbanded it in 1962.