List of kings of Burundi
{{Short description|None}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox monarchy
| royal_title = Mwami
| realm = Burundi
| native_name =
| border =
| coatofarms = Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Burundi.svg
| coatofarmssize = 150px
| coatofarmscaption = Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Burundi,
with the royal karyenda drum surmounted on the top
| coatofarms_article =
| coatofarms_link =
| type = Majesty
| his/her = His
| image = Ntare V.png
| caption = Last to reign
Ntare V Ndizeye
8 July – 28 November 1966
| incumbent =
| incumbentsince =
| other =
| image2 =
| caption2 =
| incumbent2 =
| incumbent2since =
| other2 =
| heir_apparent =
| heir_presumptive =
| first_monarch = Ntare III Rushatsi
| last_monarch = Ntare V Ndizeye
| formation = {{circa}} 1680
| abolition = 28 November 1966
| residence = Gitega and Bujumbura, Burundi
| appointer = Hereditary
| pretender = Princess Rosa Paula Iribagiza
| website =
}}
This article contains two versions of the list of kings of Burundi, the traditional version before 1680 and the modern genealogy. The Kingdom of Burundi was ruled by sovereigns, titled mwami (plural abami), whose regnal names followed a cycle: Ntare (meaning 'lion'), Mwezi (meaning 'moon'), Mutaga, and Mwambutsa. Traditionally, it was thought that there had been four complete cycles but the modern genealogy indicates that there were only two complete cycles, starting with Ntare III Rushatsi.
In the 16th century, Burundi was a kingdom characterized by a hierarchical political authority and tributary economic exchange. A mwami headed a princely aristocracy (ganwa) which owned most of the land governing its subjects with superiority and required a tribute, or tax, from local farmers and herders who lived in forests. The Tutsi monarchy ruled the nation for centuries, but became largely ceremonial with the colonization of the nation by the German Empire in 1899. The kings continued to nominally rule through German and Belgian colonial periods, and the monarchy continued after the nation gained independence from Belgium in 1962. Burundi ceased to be a monarchy when King Ntare V Ndizeye was deposed by Prime Minister and Chief of Staff, Colonel Michel Micombero, who abolished the monarchy and declared a republic following the November 1966 coup d'état.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1966/11/29/archives/burundi-premier-sets-up-republic-micombero-asserts-he-has.html|title=BURUNDI PREMIER SETS UP REPUBLIC; Micombero Asserts He Has Overthrown the King|date=1966-11-29|work=The New York Times|access-date=18 January 2021}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/07/18/obituaries/michel-micombero-43-dies-former-president-of-burundi.html|title=MICHEL MICOMBERO, 43, DIES; FORMER PRESIDENT OF BURUNDI|date=1983-07-18|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=24 April 2020}}
Kings of Burundi
=Traditional list=
The dates before 1900 are estimates.
- Ntare I Rushatsi Cambarantama: {{circa}} 1530–{{circa}} 1550
- Mwezi I Baridamunka: {{circa}} 1550–{{circa}} 1580
- Mutaga I Mutabazi: {{circa}} 1580–{{circa}} 1600
- Mwambutsa I Nkomati: {{circa}} 1600–{{circa}} 1620
- Ntare II Kibogora: {{circa}} 1620–{{circa}} 1650
- Mwezi II Nyaburunga: {{circa}} 1650–{{circa}} 1680
- Mutaga II Senyamwiza Mutamo: {{circa}} 1680–{{circa}} 1700
- Mwambutsa II Nyarushamba: {{circa}} 1700–{{circa}} 1720
- Ntare III Kivimira Semuganzashamba: {{circa}} 1720–{{circa}} 1750
- Mwezi III Kavuyimbo (Ndagushimiye): {{circa}} 1750–{{circa}} 1780
- Mutaga III Sebitungwa: {{circa}} 1780–{{circa}} 1800
- Mwambutsa III Mbonyuburundi (Mbariza): {{circa}} 1800–{{circa}} 1830
- Ntare IV Runzi (Rutaganzwa Rugamba): {{circa}} 1830–{{circa}} 1850
- Mwezi IV Gisabo Bikata-Bijoga: {{circa}} 1850–1908
- Mutaga IV Mbikije: {{circa}} 1908–1915
- Mwambutsa IV Bangiricenge Rubangishamiheto: 1915–1966
- Ntare V Ndizeye: 1966
=Modern list=
- Ntare III Rushatsi: {{circa}} 1680–{{circa}} 1709
- Mwezi III Ndagushimiye: {{circa}} 1709–{{circa}} 1739
- Mutaga III Senyamwiza Mutamo: {{circa}} 1739–{{circa}} 1767
- Mwambutsa III Serushambo Butama: {{circa}} 1767–{{circa}} 1796 (also known as Mwambutsa III Mbariza)
- Ntare IV Rutaganzwa Rugamba: {{circa}} 1796–{{circa}} 1850
{{Succession table monarch
| name1 = Mwezi IV Gisabo
| nickname1 =
| native1 =
| life1 = {{circa}} 1840 – 21 August 1908
(aged {{circa}} 67–68)
| reignstart1 = {{circa}} 1850
| reignend1 = 21 August 1908
| notes1 = Son of Ntare IV Rutaganzwa Rugamba
| family1 = Abaganwa
| image1 =
| alt1 = Mwezi IV Gisabo of Burundi
| name2 = Mutaga IV Mbikije
| nickname2 =
| native2 =
| life2 = {{circa}} 1892 – 30 November 1915
(aged {{circa}} 22–23)
| reignstart2 = 21 August 1908
| reignend2 = 30 November 1915
| notes2 = Son of Mwezi IV Gisabo
| family2 = Abaganwa
| image2 =
| alt2 = Mutaga IV Mbikije of Burundi
| name3 = Mwambutsa IV Bangiriceng
| nickname3 =
| native3 =
| life3 = {{Birth date|1912|5|6|df=y}} – {{Death date and age|1977|3|26|1912|5|6|df=y}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/05/01/archives/exking-of-burundi-dies.html|title=Ex-King of Burundi Dies|date=1977-05-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=28 February 2024}}
| reignstart3 = 16 December 1915
| notes3 = Son of Mutaga IV Mbikije
| family3 = Ntwero
| image3 = Mwambutsa 1962.jpg
| alt3 = Mwambutsa IV Bangiriceng of Burundi
| name4 = Ntare V Ndizeye
| nickname4 =
| native4 =
| life4 = {{Birth date|1947|12|2|df=y}} – {{Death date and age|1972|4|29|1947|12|2|df=y}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/01/archives/burundi-says-exking-is-dead-as-coup-fails.html|title=Burundi Says Ex-King Is Dead as Coup Fails|date=1972-05-01|work=The New York Times|access-date=28 February 2024}}
| reignend4 = 28 November 1966
| notes4 = Son of Mwambutsa IV Bangiriceng
| family4 = Ntwero
| image4 = Ntare V.png
| alt4 = Ntare V Ndizeye of Burundi
}}
Timeline
(Based on the modern list)
{{#tag:timeline|
ImageSize = width:900 height:auto barincrement:35
PlotArea = top:20 bottom:30 right:150 left:30
AlignBars = justify
DateFormat = yyyy
Period = from:1680 till:1966
TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal
ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:20 start:1680
ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:5 start:1680
Colors =
id:canvas value:rgb(1,1,1)
id:m value:blue
id:r value:green
id:eon value:blue
Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas
BarData =
barset:Rulers
bar:eon
PlotData =
align:center textcolor:black fontsize:40 mark:(line,black) width:45 shift:(0,-5)
bar:eon color:eon
width:10 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till
barset:Rulers
from: 1680 till: 1709 color:m text:"Ntare III Rushatsi"
from: 1709 till: 1739 color:m text:"Mwezi III Ndagushimiye"
from: 1739 till: 1767 color:m text:"Mutaga III Senyamwiza Mutamo"
from: 1767 till: 1796 color:m text:"Mwambutsa III Serushambo Butama (Mwambutsa III Mbariza)"
from: 1796 till: 1850 color:m text:"Ntare IV Rutaganzwa Rugamba"
from: 1850 till: 1908 color:m text:"Mwezi IV Gisabo"
from: 1908 till: 1915 color:m text:"Mutaga IV Mbikije"
from: 1915 till: 1966 color:m text:"Mwambutsa IV Bangiriceng"
from: 1966 till: 1966 color:m text:"Ntare V Ndizeye"
}}
{{-}}
Royal Standard
File:Royal Standard of Burundi (1962–1966).svg|Royal Standard of Burundi (1962–1966).
See also
References
{{reflist}}
{{Monarchs of Burundi}}
{{Burundi topics}}
{{Heads of state and government of Africa}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of Kings Of Burundi}}