This article contains a list of kings of Rwanda. The Kingdom of Rwanda was ruled by sovereigns titled ''

mwami ''Mwami'' () is an honorific title common in parts of Central and East Africa. The title means ''chief'' or ''tribal chief'' in several Bantu languages. It was historically used by kings in several African nations, and is still used for traditi ...

'' (plural ''abami''), and was one of the oldest and the most centralized kingdoms in the history of Central and East Africa. Its state and affairs before King Gihanga is largely unconfirmed and highly shrouded in mythical tales.

Kings of Rwanda

;Abami b'imishumi (descendants of Ibimanuka gods) – B.C.E * Gihanga I * Kanyarwanda I Gahima I * Ndahiro I Bamara (Wamala) * Ruganzu I * Nyarume * Ntarama * Rubanda (Lugalbanda) * Rumeza I * Yuhi I Musindi * Rumeza IILeon Delmas * Ndahiro II Ruyange * Ndahiro III Ndoba * Ndahiro IV Samembe * Nsoro I Samukondo * Nsoro II Byinshi * Ruganzu II Bwimba * Cyilima I Rugwe ;1st Abami Bibitekerezo (1st Common Era Kings) *

Kigeli I Mukobanya Kigeli I Mukobanya was Mwami of the Kingdom of Rwanda from 1378 C.E to 1418 C.E. His reign was characterized by the infiltration and surprise attack near his Kigali hill palace by the army of King ''Cwamali'' of Bunyoro in Uganda. Kigeli I togethe ...

Mibambwe I Sekarongoro I Mutabazi Mibambwe I Sekarongoro I Mutabazi was Mwami of the Kingdom of Rwanda The Kingdom of Rwanda was a kingdom in East Africa which grew to be ruled by a Tutsi monarchy. It was later annexed under German and Belgian colonial rule while retaining ...

Yuhi II Gahima II Yuhi wa II Gahima II was Mwami of the Kingdom of Rwanda The Kingdom of Rwanda was a kingdom in East Africa which grew to be ruled by a Tutsi monarchy. It was later annexed under German and Belgian colonial rule while retaining some of its ...

* Ndahiro V Cyamatare ;2nd Abami Bibitekerezo (2nd Common Era Kings) Tutsi king Mutara

* Ruganzu III Ndoli * Kalemera Rwaka * Mutara I Nsoro III Semugeshi * Kigeli II Nyamuheshera (1576–1609) * Mibamwe II Sekarongoro II Gisanura (1609–1642) * Yuhi III Mazimpaka (1642–1675) * Cyilima II Rujugira (1675–1708) * Kigeli III Ndabarasa (1708–1741) * Mibambwe III Mutabazi II Sentabyo (1741–1746) * Yuhi IV Gahindiro (1746–1802) * Mutara II Rwogera (1802–1853) *

Kigeli IV Rwabugiri Kigeli IV Rwabugiri (1840? - November 1895) was the king ('' mwami'') of the Kingdom of Rwanda in the mid-nineteenth century. He was among the last Nyiginya kings in a ruling dynasty that had traced their lineage back four centuries to Gihanga, ...

(1853 – November 1895) * Mibambwe IV Rutarindwa (November 1895 – December 1896) * Yuhi V Musinga (1883 – 13 January 1944; ) *

Mutara III Rudahigwa Mutara III Rudahigwa (March 1911 – 25 July 1959) was King ('' umwami'') of Rwanda between 1931 and 1959. He was the first Rwandan king to be baptised, and Roman Catholicism took hold in Rwanda during his reign. His Christian names were C ...

(March 1911 – 25 July 1959; ) *

Kigeli V Ndahindurwa Kigeli V Ndahindurwa (born Jean-Baptiste Ndahindurwa; 29 June 1936 – 16 October 2016) was the last ruling King ('' Mwami'') of Rwanda, from 28 July 1959 until the end of the UN-mandate with Belgian administration and the declaration of an indepe ...

(29 June 1936 – 16 October 2016; )

Reigning in exile since 1961

On 28 January 1961, during the

Rwandan Revolution The Rwandan Revolution, also known as the Hutu Revolution, Social Revolution, or Wind of Destruction ( rw, muyaga), was a period of ethnic violence in Rwanda from 1959 to 1961 between the Hutu and the Tutsi, two of the three ethnic groups in R ...

, the country abolished its monarchy and became a republic (retroactively approved by a

referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

held on 25 September of the same year). Afterwards, Kigeli V Ndahindurwa continued to maintain his claim to the throne until his death on 16 October 2016 in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

On 9 January 2017, the Royal Council of

Abiru The Abiru (Kinyarwanda: ''royal ritualists'') are the members of the privy council of the monarchy of Rwanda. They emanate from the earliest pre-colonial Rwandan traditions, and are tied to the monarchy's mythic origins. Due to the mythopoetic ...

announced Prince

Emmanuel Bushayija Emmanuel Bushayija (born 20 December 1960) is the titular King of Rwanda. He was proclaimed the ceremonial successor to the royal title ('' Mwami'') on 9 January 2017 under the reign name Yuhi VI. He succeeded his late uncle King Kigeli V and is ...

as the new heir to the throne. Prince Emmanuel adopted the

regnal name A regnal name, or regnant name or reign name, is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and, subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they ...

Yuhi VI.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Kings Of Rwanda Rwanda Rwandan monarchy Kings Kings

Kings of Rwanda

Reigning in exile since 1961

See also

References