Great Wife
Great Wife, otherwise appearing in West Africa as Senior Wife, is an honorific applied to contemporary royal and aristocratic consorts in states throughout modern Africa (e.g., Mantfombi Dlamini of Swaziland, chief consort of the Zulu King).
History
In ancient Egypt, the pharaoh's principal consort was known as the great royal wife. She presided over her husband's harem, and served a variety of priestly functions in the kingdom.
In Kush and the other African states of the pre-colonial period, the chief royal consorts often functioned in much the same fashion.
Today
The practice of creating great wives, with the most senior polygynous spouses of contemporary African royals and aristocrats often being referred to as their Great Wives, has continued to the present. In addition to the queen of the Zulus, contemporary holders of the title include the numerous bearers of the Olori Agba attribute of Yorubaland and the principal consort of the Ingwenyama of Swaziland.
List
| Dynasty | Name | Husband | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| House of Dlamini | LaMatsebule | Mswati III | Queen of Swaziland |
| House of Zulu | Mantfombi Dlamini | Goodwill Zwelithini | Queen of the Zulu people, a condition for her marriage was that one of her sons would be chosen as her husband's successor |
| House of Oranyan | Abibat Adeyemi | Lamidi Adeyemi | Queen of the Oyo clan of the Yoruba people |