Title: The Brass Crown: The Queen Nzinga Story Kingdom of Ndongo and Matamba – 1620s. The Portuguese came with steel, muskets, and chains. They burned villages. They stole children. They demanded human lives in exchange for peace. But Queen Nzinga Mbande was no woman to kneel. Born in 1583, Nzinga was sharp-tongued and sharper-willed. Her father taught her statecraft and swordplay—a rare gift for a girl in the royal household. When he died, chaos tore through the kingdom. Her brother ruled weakly, making concessions to the Portuguese slavers who thirsted for Angola’s people. Nzinga would not watch her nation die. In 1622, she marched into a Portuguese governor’s hall to negotiate a treaty. When they offered her no chair, hoping to humiliate her, Nzinga commanded one of her attendants to kneel. She sat on his back, regal and unbroken. The message was clear: “I bow to no one.” For 40 years, Nzinga fought. She mastered diplomacy and war. She led armies into battle in crimson armor, wielding both spear and strategy. When defeat loomed, she vanished into the jungle, creating fortified cities where no European dared tread. She welcomed runaway slaves and trained women warriors who swore eternal loyalty. Her alliances stretched across Africa, and for decades, she resisted the full weight of European conquest. She outlived kings, governors, and mercenaries. She ruled until her death at 81—undaunted, undefeated in spirit. Today, her name lives in Angolan songs, statues, and the bloodline of every woman who refuses to bow. #historical #blackhistory #blackwomen