Study History notes on Downfall of the Mutapa State for Secondary. Useful for revision, homework, and exam preparation in Zimbabwe.
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*DOWNFALL OF THE MUTAPA STATE*
- The mutapa state collapsed as a result of a combination of both internal and external factors.
* INTERNAL FACTORS *
${ }^{*}$ 1. Succession disputes ${ }^{*}$
- Ambitious rulers within the Mutapa State started to fight amongst themselves and this led to disunity within the Mutapa State.
- Chief Nyahuma was killed by his vasal chiefs Changa and Togwa. Changa went on to kill Togwa.
- Changa was later on killed by Chikuyochisamarenqu who became the next ruler of the Mutapa State after Nyahuma.
- These succession disputes were rampantly won by puppet rulers who were installed by the Portuquese.
-These succession disputes weakened the Mutapa State and this led to its downfall.
${ }^{\star}$ 2. Civil wars ${ }^{*}$
- Local people started to fight each other because of scarcity of resources.
- There was shortage of land and other resources and this led to disunity within the Mutapa State.
- A number of people abandoned the Mutapa State in search of greener pastures hence the downfall of the Mutapa State.
${ }^{*}$ 3. Decline in Trade *
- Trade declined because the Portuquese monopolized it.
- The mines which belonged to the local people were exhausted.
- The Portuquese took some of the mines which the local people had not explored.
- This monopoly by the Portuguese led to the shortage of minerals such as Gold and copper on the side of the Mutapa people.
- Mutapa State depended on Trade hence the decline in trade led to the downfall of the Mutapa State.