Queen Njinga of the West African kingdom of Ndongo kept a large male harem and dressed them in drag!

[**The following is in regards to the now Queen Njinga of the West African kingdom of Ndongo in the 17th century.**] >With [Njinga](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/Ann_Zingha%2C_queen_of_Matamba.jpg)’s tenuous grasp on the throne as the backdrop, some of her stranger actions as ruler make more sense – especially what she did to cast herself as the *king* of the Mbundu-speaking people. For one thing, she took several husbands at a time, as many as 50 or 60, and called them “concubines.” They were forced to wear women’s clothing and sleep in the same room as her ladies-in-waiting, though if they touched the women with any sexual intent, they were immediately executed. This unusual situation likely engendered the Marquis de Sade’s claim that Njinga immolated her lovers after spending one night with them, a practice that seems spectacularly wasteful. ___________________________ **Source:** McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “Njinga of Ndongo, The Princess Who Kept Male Concubines in Drag.” *Princesses Behaving Badly: Real Stories From History-- Without the Fairy-Tale Endings*. MJF Books, 2013. 70. Print. ___________________________ **Further Reading:** [Queen Ana Nzinga, also known as Njinga Mbande or Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nzinga_of_Ndongo_and_Matamba) ___________________________ **If you enjoy this type of content, please consider donating to my [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/HistoryLockeBox)!**