Succession to the Swazi throne

Common card · No. 297239

In Eswatini, no king (Ngwenyama, 'lion') can appoint his successor. Instead, on the demise of a king, the Liqoqo, an independent traditional council, decides which of his wives shall be "great wife" and Indlovukazi, 'She-Elephant'. The son of the chosen Indlovukazi will automatically become the next king. The Indlovukazi is chosen after the death of the king and must be of good character. Her character affects her child's chances of ascending to the status of king. According to Swazi culture, a son cannot be the heir if his mother is not of good standing. She must not bear the maiden name of Nkhosi-Dlamini, as Dlamini is the name of the royal house and she must not be a ritual wife (see next paragraph). The current king, Mswati III, has 11 wives (2 have permanently left him and 2 are deceased), 39 children and 13 grandchildren. The first two wives of a Swazi king are chosen for him by the national councillors. These two have special functions in rituals and their sons can never become kings...

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