You can probably name a few famous queens throughout history, but can you name this great queen? This queen was born to the king of the Ngondo people in Luanda in 1583. When her father died, her brother became king, but he was cruel. Soon, though, the new king needed her and her husband’s help fighting off Portuguese colonizers. She was a skilled negotiator, and was tasked with maintaining trade relations with Portugal while keeping them from kidnapping her people and selling them in the slave trade. She was able to make these negotiations, but they didn’t last long. When her brother died, she became queen of a people under attack. Forced out of her lands, she and those loyal to her were able to establish a new state that resisted Portuguese colonization and the slave trade. This is Queen Njinga (Nzinga) Mbandi. Her legacy as a negotiator and protector has cemented her as one of the greatest African queens in history.