Encyclopaedia Africana

Heroes and Heroines

  • 4 Min Read

Dom Henrique (circa 1495-circa 1526), the son of Mvemba Nzinga, the Mani Kongo, was the first bishop of the Kongo kingdom and probably the first...

  • 5 Min Read

Gandanda Gibanda (circa 1865-October 1931), a prominent Pende chief, was unjustly tortured and executed by colonial authorities following the famous Pende revolt of May and...

  • 5 Min Read

Eseko (187-1901) distinguished himself in a war of resistance he and other Budja chiefs waged against the militia of the Société Anversoise de Commerce au...

ARMAH
  • 3 Min Read

Armah (7th century AD), ruler of the Aksumite kingdom, was one of the wisest and most important rulers in the earlier history of Ethiopia. He...

  • 4 Min Read

Francis William Reitz (October 5, 1844-March 27, 1934) is not as well known a figure as Paul Kruger or M.T. Steyn. Reitz, nevertheless, made a...

STEYN MARTHINUS THEUNIS
  • 5 Min Read

Marthinus Theunis Steyn (October 2, 1857-November 28, 1916) was Chief Justice and last State President of the Orange Free State (O.F.S.). Born on the farm...

JC Smuts
  • 8 Min Read

Jan Christiaan Smuts (May 24, 1870-September 11, 1950), statesman, soldier and philosopher, was born at Bovenplaats, near Riebeek West in the Cape Colony. After graduating...

  • 3 Min Read

Pieter Retief (November 12, 1780-February 6, 1838), Voortrekker leader who negotiated with and was betrayed by Zulu King Dingane, was the second son of Jacobus...

  • 2 Min Read

Rarabe (circa 1722-1787), son of Xhosa Chief Phalo, was the first Paramount Chief of the Rarabe or Ngqika (Gaika) branch of the Xhosa (1775-87). The...

Gabriel Mikael
  • 2 Min Read

Abba Gabra Mikael (1791-August 28, 1855), a 19th-century Ethiopian ecclesiastic and scholar, became a convert to Catholicism, and was put to death for his faith...

Editor’s Note

This website features a collection of articles largely from previously published volumes of the Encyclopaedia Africana, specifically the Encyclopaedia Africana Dictionary of African Biography, which highlights notable individuals from various regions of Africa. Please note that in these volumes, some names of people, towns, and countries were spelled differently than they are today. We have retained these historical spellings to preserve the integrity of the original publications. In some instances, the current spellings are also provided for easy reference.
Please report errors to: info@encyclopaediaafricana.com / research@encyclopaediaafricana.com

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