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The Mutapa State was formed around 1400 AD by Nyatsumba Mutota. The Great Zimbabwe state, Bambandyanalo, and Mapungubwe combined were the direct ancestor of the Mutapa state and the foundation on which it was built. The rise of the Mutapa state can be attributed to several factors, including:
1. Military conquest: Nyatsumba Mutota is believed to have conquered neighboring states and expanded his territory through military conquest.
2. Control of trade: The Mutapa state controlled important trade routes that passed through its territory, allowing it to accumulate wealth and resources.
3. Centralized government: The Mutapa state had a centralized government with a strong monarchy at its head, which helped to maintain political stability and control over its subjects.
4. Religious authority: The rulers of the Mutapa state were also important religious leaders who held significant power over their subjects.
The role of trade in the development of the Mutapa state cannot be overstated. According to page 35 of the Study Pack, trade was a major source of wealth for the Mutapa rulers, who controlled important trade routes that passed through their territory. They traded in gold, ivory, copper, salt, and other valuable commodities with merchants from as far away as Arabia and India.
However, despite its initial success, several factors contributed to the decline and eventual fall of the Mutapa state. These included external pressures from European powers such as Portugal, internal power struggles among ruling elites, environmental degradation due to overuse of natural resources such as timber and water, and declining agricultural productivity due to soil exhaustion.
