Ankole Kingdom Map

Ankole was a traditional Bantu kingdom in Uganda and lasted from the 15th century until 1967. The kingdom was located in south-western Uganda, east of Lake Edward.

Geography

The kingdom of Ankole is located in the South-Western region of Uganda bordering Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Ankole is Home to some of the most favorable grazing lands in Africa:

History

Under the Empire of Kitara

Before the collapse of the Empire of Kitara, Ankole was a small and remote area on the edges of the empire.

Founding

According to legend, the first (and semi-legendary) king of Ankole, Ruhinda Rwa Njunaki, was born as the illegitimate son of Wamara (or Ndahura), the last emperor of the Empire of Kitara. His mother was known as Njunaki and was a servant in the king's palace. The Hinda clan later took adopted Hima identity for itself in order to gain more support from the hima pastoralists.

Colonial and post-colonial periods

On 25 October 1901, the Kingdom of Nkore was incorporated into the British Protectorate of Uganda by the signing of the Ankole agreement.

The kingdom was formally abolished in 1967 by the government of President Milton Obote, and since then, the kingdom has not been restored officially.

Because of the reorganisation of the country by Idi Amin, Ankole no longer exists as an administrative unit. It is divided into ten districts, namely: Bushenyi District, Buhweju District, Mitooma District, Rubirizi District, Sheema District, Ntungamo District, Mbarara District, Kiruhura District, Ibanda District, and Isingiro District.

Culture and society

Organization

Ankole society evolved into a system of ranked statuses, where even among the cattle-owning elite, patron-client ties were important in maintaining social order. Men gave cattle to the king (mugabe) to demonstrate their loyalty and to mark life-cycle changes or victories in cattle raiding. This loyalty was often tested by the king's demands for cattle or for military service. In return for homage and military service, a man received protection from the king, both from external enemies and from factional disputes with other cattle owners.

The Emitwe leaders (commanders of the basic military units) were the second most powerful group after the Mugabe in Ankole. They spent most of their time in court when not fighting. They had their encampments (amacumbi) near the palace but not in it. The Emitwe leaders were also the top regional administrators. Their chief duties were to mobilize their warriors in times of war and to lead them in the actual fighting and also to carry out the duties of civil administration during times of peace. Their official positions and personal standing made them the most influential single group in court since their advice was sought on most matters of public policy. The leaders of the emitwe could be either Iru or Hima.

The reign of Ntare V is full of examples of famous Bairu emitwe leaders, such as Ruhara, who was also a regional chief. Ruharu was a close friend of King Ntare V. He gained great fame and renown because of the leading part he played in conquering large parts of Rwampara County, which was previously part of the Mpororo kingdom. Ruhara, together with other Iru such as Koyokoma and Rwankwiiziire, played the leading role in traveling across Ankole to stop the flow of people fleeing Ankole after the death of Ntare V, showing their great influence and personal standing in the society.

Iru and Hima relations

In Ankole society composed of the Iru (pl. Bairu) and Hima (pl. Bahima. The Iru were cultivators who had some cattle while the Hima were those engaged almost exclusively in pastoralism (often having herds in the many dozens or even hundreds). The Bairu and Bahima did not have many opportunities to mix much due to the simple fact that they had different lifestyles which did not give them much time left for communal leisure gatherings. The Bairu engaged in the cultivation of finger millet like, the building of homesteads, brewing beer, and the hunting of wild game for meat, which the Bahima (except for beer drinking did not engage in. The Hima settled a specific region of marshlands which was mostly devoid of population, with only a few scattered agriculturalists living there. There were virtually no contacts between the two groups.

In Ankole, it was believed that that "obwiru" he state of being a Mwiruwas poverty; he who was poor was a Mwiru; he who was rich was a Muhima. Marko Kiiza of the Kingdom of Igara says:

A number of social pressures worked to destroy Hima domination of Ankole. Miscegenation took place despite prohibitions on intermarriage, and children of these unions (abambari) often demanded their rights as cattle owners, leading to feuding and cattle-raiding. From what is present-day Rwanda groups launched repeated attacks against the Hima during the nineteenth century. To counteract these pressures, several Hima warlords recruited Bantu men into their armies to protect the southern borders of Ankole.

Aili M. Tripp describes the role of women in the kingdom of Ankole:

Military

The Iru were able to join the army and even lead army units (emitwe). Bairu warriors were considered far superior to the ordinary Iru farmers and also to the ordinary Hima (who were derisively called tick eaters). Bairu leaders of the emitwe were as equal as the Bahima who held the same office and were of greater standing than those Bairu or Bahima who did not. Poems and songs of praise were sung about the exploits of Iru warriors against the rival Kingdom of Rwanda.

Kananura, a member of the Hororo people, speaks of the military organization of Ankole: "A war expedition without the Bairu could not be contemplated or be successful. The Omukama used to call out all his male subjects to fight if there was a war to be fought."

An Iru named katare (son of kobengo) was one of the most famous warrios during the reign of Ntare IV, was a Mwiru and his praises are still sung in Ankole today; You redeemed Nyinamashazi with your arrow when he was interned in Buganda. You are the Mwiru, the rest are pickers of weeds; You are the Musingo (by clan), the others are merely gatherers of ashes.You are the One whose weapon is the arrow, the others use wood (of which the arrow shafts were made) only to make fire".

List of Abagabe of Ankole

Names and Dates taken from John Stewart's ''African States and Rulers'' (1989).

* Ruhinda (c. 1430 – 1446)
* Nkuba (c. 1446 – 1475)
* Nyaika (c. 1475 – 1503)
* Nyabugaro Ntare I (c. 1503 – 1531)
* Rushango (c. 1531 – 1559)
* Ntare II Kagwejegyerera (c. 1559 – 1587)
* Ntare III Rugamaba (c. 1587 – 1615)
* Kasasira (c. 1615 – 1643)
* Kitera (c. 1643 – 1671) (joint ruler with Kumongye)
* Kumongye (c. 1643 – 1671) (joint ruler with Kitera)
* Mirindi (c. 1671 – 1699)
* Ntare IV Kitabanyoro (c. 1699 – 1727)
* Macwa (c. 1727 – 1755)
* Four joint rulers (c. 1755 – 1783)
** Rwabirere
** Karara I
** Karaiga
** Kahaya I
* Three joint rulers (c. 1783 – 1811)
** Nyakashaija
** Bwarenga
** Rwebishengye
* Kayunga (c. 1811 – 1839) (joint ruler with Gasyonga I)
* Gasyonga I (c. 1811 – 1839) (joint ruler with Kayunga)
* Mutambuka (c. 1839 – 1867)
* Ntare V (c. 1867 – 1895)
** Monarchy placed under the Uganda Protectorate in 1896.
* Kahaya II (1895 – 1944)
* Gasyonga II (1944 – 8 September 1967)
** Monarchy abolished in 1967.
* Ntare VI/John Barigye, 1993–2011 (Titular king)
* Charles Rwebishengye, 2011–present (Titular king/crown prince)

not needed. a link to the tribe is given already

Counties of Nkole (Amashaza)

Nkore Kingdom was divided into ten counties. These counties are now divided into various political constituencies. But the original ten counties of Nkore include:

* Kashari
* Isingiro
* Rwampara
* Nyabushozi
* Ibanda
* Sheema
* Kajjara
* Bunyaruguru
* Igara
* Buhweju

Nkole calendar

The Nkore calendar was divided into 12 months. They were named according to weather conditions and activities done in that period. They include:
* Biruuru
* Kaatambuga
* Katumba
* Nyeikoma
* Kyabahezi
* Kahingo
* Nyeirurwe
* Kamena
* Kicuransi
* Kashwa
* Museenene
* Muzimbezi

See also

* Ebyevugo, Ankole poetry form

References

External links

World Statesmen - Uganda



Historical map of Ankole

The Ankole Times

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Ugandan monarchies
Ethnic groups in Uganda
Bantu peoples
States and territories disestablished in 1967