Njinga: Fashionista Conqueror Who Drank Blood

Conqueror. Drinker of blood. 17th century fashionista. Queen Njinga of Ndongo-Matamaba displayed unmatched ferocity as she fought the slave-trading Portuguese for control of modern Angola. One of the few women war leaders who was unafraid to get her hands really dirty, she arranged a "Red Wedding" and led men and women through arrow storms and musket fire over ravines, rivers, and fortress walls. Using religion to meld a coalition of Catholics, cannibals and ancestor-worshiping pagans, she built an army of 80,000 men and drove the Portuguese conquistadors to the brink of ruin.  Actor Nathalie Emmanuel joins father-daughter history team Jon & Emily Jordan to tell the story of Queen Njinga of Ndongo-Matamaba. Find us on social: @warqueenspodcast Learn more about War Queens: diversionaudio.com/podcast/war-queens Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices