The Kingdom of Butua or Butwa (c. 1450–1683) was a pre-colonial African state located in what is now southwestern

Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Moz ...

. Butua was renowned as the source of

gold Gold is a chemical element with the Symbol (chemistry), symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a Brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, s ...

for

Arab The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...

and Portuguese traders. The region was first mentioned in Portuguese records in 1512. The kingdom was governed by the Torwa dynasty until 1683 from its capital at Khami. Its people were ancestors of the Shona/Bakalanga. In 1683, the kingdom was conquered by the Rozwi Empire. The foundations of the Khami Ruins show a striking resemblance to the pattern of masonry at the base of the Zimbabwe Ruins. Hence the Kalanga are thought to have built Khami, Lusvingo, Mapungugwe and other ruins scattered across western Zimbabwe and east Botswana.

Gallery

File:Khamiruins1.jpg, The ruins of Khami, capital of the Butua Kingdom. File:Khamiruins2.jpg, Steps leading into the ancient city of Khami File:Khamiruins3.jpg, The outer wall of Khami

References

* * History of Zimbabwe States and territories disestablished in 1683 Former monarchies of Africa {{Zimbabwe-hist-stub

Gallery

See also

References