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QUEEN NZINGA:
THE UNCONQUERABLE
Queen Nzinga’s greatest act, however, probably the one that makes her one of the greatest women in history, was in 1624 when she declared all territory in Angola over which she control as free country, all slaves reaching it from whatever quarter were forever free. She went further. Since it was clear to her that white power in Africa rested squarely on the use of black troops against black people, she understood the first and only carefully organized effort to undermine and destroy the effective employment and use of black soldiers by whites- the first and only black leader in history who was ever known to undertake such a task. she had carefully selected groups of her own soldiers to infiltrate the Portuguese black armies, first separating and spreading out individually into Portuguese held territory and allowing themselves to be “induced” by Portuguese recruiting agents to join their forces. The quiet and effective work of Nzinga’s agents among the black troops of Portugal was one of the most glorious, yet unsung, pages in African history. For whole companies rebelled and deserted to the colors of the black queen, taking with them the much needed guns and ammunition which she had been unable to secure except by swiftly moving surprise attacks on enemy units. The Queen’s armies were further strengthened by the runaway slaves who streamed into the only certain haven for the free on the whole continent of Africa.By Chancellor Williams
