Água Rosada

Etymology

In Portuguese "Água Rosada" means ""Pink Water"", referring to the Congo River.

Origins

The House of Água Rosada was established by the three sons of King Sebastião I of Kongo, who was a member of the House of Kinlaza and his spouse was a member of the House of Kimpanzu, meaning that the House was born with the union of parts of the Houses of Kinzala and Kimpanzu. Ultimately this meant they had the same origin of the others and so the legitimacy to reign.

The three brothers were initially headquartered at the mountain fortress of Kibangu. During the Civil War all parties claimed kingship over Kongo (or what was left of it), but their power rarely spread outside their fortresses or the immediate surrounding areas.

The House came to predominance when Pedro IV of Kongo reunified the realm in 1709, putting an end to 44 years of Civil War. Later he declared a doctrine of shared power by which the throne would shift (in due time) from Kinlaza to the Kimpanzu and back, while the Água Rosada appear to have continued as neutral in Pedro's fortress of Kibangu.

The House of Água Rosada produced 8 Manikongos including the last 5.

References

Sources

• Fernando Campos « O rei D. Pedro IV Ne Nsamu a Mbemba. A unidade do Congo », dans Africa. Revista do centro de Estudos Africanos, USP S. Paulo 18-19 (1) 1995/1996 p. 159-199 & USP S. Paulo 20-21 1997/1998 p. 305-375.
• John K.. Thornton, The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684–1706, Cambridge University, 1998.

References

1. Thornton, John K: "The Kongolese Saint Anthonty: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684–1706", page 40. Cambridge University, 1998
2. Thornton, John: "Elite Women in the Kingdom of Kongo: Historical Perspectives on Women's Political Power", page 455. The Journal of African History, Vol. 47, 2006
3. Thornton, John K: "The Kongolese Saint Anthonty: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684–1706", page 201. Cambridge University, 1998