Mbegha | |||||
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King of Usambara | |||||
Reign | c.1730s-1750s | ||||
Successor | Kimweri Bugha of Usambara | ||||
Born | c.1700s Nguru Mountains | ||||
Died | c.1750s Vugha, Shambaa Kingdom | ||||
Burial | |||||
Spouses |
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Issue (among others) |
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Dynasty | Kilindi | ||||
Religion | Traditional African religions |
Mbegha[1](c. 1700s – c.1750s), also known as Simbe Mwene, (Mwene Mbegha in Shambaa), (Mfalme Mbegha, in Swahili) was the first king also known the "Lion King" ( Simba Mwene in Kisambaa) of the Shambaa people of Shambaa Kingdom, in modern-day western Tanga Region in the Usambara Mountains of Tanzania. King Mbegha lived during the first half of the 18th century after his expulsion from the Nguru Mountains. While his existence is undisputed among historians, his biography is mainly based on oral traditions. Numerous legends have made him a mythic hero.[2][3]