Ntombi of Swaziland
Encyclopedia
Ntombi, Indlovukazi of Swaziland (born c. 1950), has been the Indlovukazi (Great She-Elephant) and Joint Head of State
of Swaziland since 1986. She was also regent
of Swaziland from 1983 to 1986. She was born Ntombi laTwala. She is the mother of King Mswati III
.
Two years prior to the death in 1982 of Ntombi's husband, King Sobhuza II
, he had designated another of his wives, Queen Dzeliwe
, as the Indlovukazi, to reign as joint sovereign with his future successor. But instead of recognizing one of her sons as his heir apparent
, he indicated to his Loqoqo
that he wanted his son by Ntombi, Prince Makhosetive Dlamini
, to succeed him on the throne. In June 1982 he also extended the authority of the Loqoqo, empowering it to act as a "Supreme Council of State", free to appoint an "Authorized Person" to exercise the royal prerogative
if a regent was deemed unable to do so properly. In the power vacuum
that resulted from his death, Indlovukasi Dzeliwe became Queen Regent during the minority
of the designated heir to the throne, but the Loqoqo, consisting mostly of King Sobhuza's senior relatives, chiefs and advisors, usurped her authority and sacked Sobhuza's prime minister, Prince Mabandla Dlamini
, whom Loqoqo members apparently feared would strip them of their new role. Once Prince Makhosetive Dlamini
attained his majority and officially became king, his mother would then be expected to be designated as the new Indlovukazi.
However, Queen Dzeliwe was placed under house arrest in 1983. Following a 9-day period during which Swaziland was ruled by Prince Sozisa Dlamini
, Ntombi was selected as queen regent.
In 1986, when he turned 18, Makhosetive was crowned
King Mswati III. Upon becoming king, as was the custom, he declared his mother to be the Indlovukazi (a title roughly corresponding to Queen Mother
, literally translated as Great She-Elephant) and, as such, Joint Head of State. As Queen Mother, Ntombi is seen as the spiritual and national head of state, while her son is considered the administrative head of state.
Ntombi laTwala's image has been widely disseminated in the West
since her inclusion in Andy Warhol
's portrait series during her exercise of the regency for her son, as one of four Reigning Queens, along with Queens Beatrix of the Netherlands
, Margrethe II of Denmark
and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Swaziland since 1986. She was also regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Swaziland from 1983 to 1986. She was born Ntombi laTwala. She is the mother of King Mswati III
Mswati III of Swaziland
Mswati III is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. In 1986, he succeeded his father Sobhuza II as ruler of the southern African kingdom...
.
Two years prior to the death in 1982 of Ntombi's husband, King Sobhuza II
Sobhuza II of Swaziland
Ngwenyama Sobhuza II was the Paramount Chief and later King of Swaziland. He was the son of Ngwane V.-Biography:...
, he had designated another of his wives, Queen Dzeliwe
Dzeliwe of Swaziland
Inkhosikati LaShongwe, , was Queen Regent of Swaziland between 21 September 1982 and 9 August 1983.She was a wife of king Sobhuza II of Swaziland, and with him had one child, Prince Khuzulwandie Dlamini....
, as the Indlovukazi, to reign as joint sovereign with his future successor. But instead of recognizing one of her sons as his heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, he indicated to his Loqoqo
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
that he wanted his son by Ntombi, Prince Makhosetive Dlamini
Mswati III of Swaziland
Mswati III is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. In 1986, he succeeded his father Sobhuza II as ruler of the southern African kingdom...
, to succeed him on the throne. In June 1982 he also extended the authority of the Loqoqo, empowering it to act as a "Supreme Council of State", free to appoint an "Authorized Person" to exercise the royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
if a regent was deemed unable to do so properly. In the power vacuum
Power vacuum
A power vacuum is, in its broadest sense, an expression for a condition that exists when someone has lost control of something and no one has replaced them. It is usually used to refer to a political situation that can occur when a government has no identifiable central authority...
that resulted from his death, Indlovukasi Dzeliwe became Queen Regent during the minority
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
of the designated heir to the throne, but the Loqoqo, consisting mostly of King Sobhuza's senior relatives, chiefs and advisors, usurped her authority and sacked Sobhuza's prime minister, Prince Mabandla Dlamini
Mabandla Dlamini
Prince Mabandla Ndawombili Fred Dlamini was Prime Minister of Swaziland from 23 November 1979 to 25 March 1983.- References :...
, whom Loqoqo members apparently feared would strip them of their new role. Once Prince Makhosetive Dlamini
Mswati III of Swaziland
Mswati III is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. In 1986, he succeeded his father Sobhuza II as ruler of the southern African kingdom...
attained his majority and officially became king, his mother would then be expected to be designated as the new Indlovukazi.
However, Queen Dzeliwe was placed under house arrest in 1983. Following a 9-day period during which Swaziland was ruled by Prince Sozisa Dlamini
Prince Sozisa Dlamini
Prince Sozisa Dlamini of Swaziland , was Chief of Gundvwini. He became the Authorized Person of Swaziland from 1982 to 1985 after the death of King Sobhuza II, and in 1983 was briefly the acting Regent of the country, after he deposed Queen Dzeliwe. From 1983 he was Authorized Person to the new...
, Ntombi was selected as queen regent.
In 1986, when he turned 18, Makhosetive was crowned
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
King Mswati III. Upon becoming king, as was the custom, he declared his mother to be the Indlovukazi (a title roughly corresponding to Queen Mother
Queen mother
Queen Mother is a title or position reserved for a widowed queen consort whose son or daughter from that marriage is the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since at least 1577...
, literally translated as Great She-Elephant) and, as such, Joint Head of State. As Queen Mother, Ntombi is seen as the spiritual and national head of state, while her son is considered the administrative head of state.
Ntombi laTwala's image has been widely disseminated in the West
West
West is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography.West is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of east and is perpendicular to north and south.By convention, the left side of a map is west....
since her inclusion in Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
's portrait series during her exercise of the regency for her son, as one of four Reigning Queens, along with Queens Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
, Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II of Denmark
Margrethe II is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of Denmark. In 1972 she became the first female monarch of Denmark since Margaret I, ruler of the Scandinavian countries in 1375-1412 during the Kalmar Union.-Early life:...
and Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
.