Ntare Rushatsi

Ntare Rushatsi, also known as Ntare I, was the mwami (king) who founded the Kingdom of Burundi around the 16th century. He is credited with expanding the kingdom's rule from the central Nkoma region to surrounding areas like Bututsi, Kilimiro, and Buyenzi.12

The Kingdom of Burundi was established by the Tutsi people, who became dominant over the Hutu agriculturalists. The social structure included the Tutsi king (mwami) and a princely class (ganwa) who mediated between the king and the general population. While physical characteristics and traditional roles like cattle ownership (Tutsi) versus farming (Hutu) were distinguishing factors, social mobility and intermarriage meant that identities could be fluid. The kingdom's borders were not defined by European powers but by the monarchy's expansion.21