Africa’s history is full of queens who led armies, defied empires and protected their people. Their names are too often missing from schoolbooks. Here are some of the greatest African queens in history, and how the ISOLELE Universe brings them back as heroines of Congolese comic books.
The Kandake of Kush, the queens who faced Rome
In the ancient Kingdom of Kush, in today’s Sudan, the royal title Kandake was carried by powerful queens. Around 25 BC, the Kandake Amanirenas led her armies against Rome in Egypt. Her warriors brought back a bronze head of the emperor Augustus and buried it under the steps of a temple in Meroë, so that every visitor would walk on Rome. Archaeologists found it in 1910.
Kimoya Kandake
In the ISOLELE Universe, Kimoya is the Kandake reborn, mother of Zaiire, the Prince of Kongo, and keeper of the Necklace of Destiny. Her story honors the queens of Kush.
Queen Nzinga of Ndongo and Matamba
In the 17th century, Queen Nzinga Mbande ruled Ndongo and Matamba, in today’s Angola, and resisted the Portuguese for decades with diplomacy and war. She is still one of Africa’s most celebrated leaders. In ISOLELE, Queen Nzinga is the wife of King Zola and the grandmother of Zaiire.
Kimpa Vita, the prophetess of Kongo
Born around 1684, Kimpa Vita, also called Dona Beatriz, preached the reunification of the Kingdom of Kongo, torn apart by civil war. She was burned in 1706. In the ISOLELE Universe, she returns as the Flame of the Forgotten Queens, carrying her golden lantern.
Makeda of Sheba and Nandi
Ethiopian tradition gives the name Makeda to the Queen of Sheba, the queen of wisdom of the Kebra Nagast. In the south, Nandi was the mother of Shaka, king of the Zulu, who raised him through exile and hardship. ISOLELE joins them in one young heroine: Makeda Nandi, a Durban student who carries the memory of both queens.
Pauline Opango, the queen of grief
Not every queen wore a crown. When Patrice Lumumba was killed in 1961, his wife Pauline Opango walked through Léopoldville in mourning to demand the truth. In ISOLELE she becomes Tata Opango Lumumba, the Red Panther.
Why these queens matter
Every girl deserves to know that African women ruled kingdoms, led armies and changed history. ISOLELE builds its universe around them, so that the next generation of little queens can see themselves in the past and in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the Kandake?
Kandake was the title of the queens of the ancient Kingdom of Kush. The Kandake Amanirenas fought Rome around 25 BC.
Who was Queen Nzinga?
Queen Nzinga Mbande ruled Ndongo and Matamba, in today’s Angola, in the 17th century, and resisted Portuguese colonization for decades.
Are there comic books about African queens?
Yes. The ISOLELE Universe features African queens of history and legend, including Kimoya Kandake, Queen Nzinga, Kimpa Vita and the Red Panther.
Meet the queens
