Characteristics of Kingdoms

1.    Most of them were organised  on large scale basis comprising  of several clans and at times even  including   others   from  the  neighbouring    communities.    Examples   are  Buganda, Bunyoro, Asante, Dahomey,   Zulu, Ndebele,  e.t.c
Note  should  however  be taken  that  there  were  also  some  smaller  kingdoms  but  with similar characteristics  as those of the first ones. They  included  those of the Atyak, Peijule and   Paimori  in Northern  Uganda.  Unfortunately  because  of their small size they are not known by many scholars.
2.        Ascendency  to power in Kingdoms  was on a hereditary  basis.  The successor were named by  the previous  king  or in some  cases  a council  of elders  would  decide  on one  of the king's  sons to succeed him in case he had not named any at the time of his death ..
3.      The  administrative   system  was highly  bureaucratic  with  the  king  as the final authority.
The king wielded a lot of power and was often autocratic /despotic.
4.    Kingdoms  were either centralised  or decentralised  in case the kingdom  was large, the king had chiefs with delegated powers.  However  in any case these  served at the pleasure of the king and his word was still final.
5.    Most  kingdoms  had  standing  armies  which  were used  in territorial   acquistion,territorial defence,  quelling  internal rebellions,  raiding  for trade items and protecting  trade caravans to and from the coast.  The most common  weapons  were  spears,  arrows,  clubs and a few obsolete guns acquired from the coast from Europeans and Arab traders.
6.        Judiciary:  There  was  a hierarchical   court  system  from  the village  level to the king who was usually  the highest judge.  His court  was the highest  court  of appeal  which resolved the most difficult  conflicts  and cases, he was the source  of justice  with power to save and kill. This serves  to negate  the Eurocentric  claim that pre-colonial   African  societies  were anarchical.
7.     Economically most kingdoms were self-sustaining  although  they sometimes  depended  on their   neighbours.    Most   kingdoms    depended   on agriculture     mainly   producing    for subsistance  i.e. not commercial  eg the Buganda had matooke  as the staple food, Dahomey
had  yams   and  Banyoro    had  millet.   However    some   societies    had  a  mixed   economy    eg Dahomey,    Baoyoro,    Baganda    and  the  Ndebele     they  reared   animals   and  grew   crops.   It should   however   be noted  that  some    centralised    societies   were  purely  pastoral   notable   of which  was Ankole.
8.       Fishing    was   also   commonly    practised    by  people   who   lived   near   Lakes.big    rivers   and
Islands  e.g  Ssese  and  Buvuma.   This  was  especially   so in the interlacustrine    states.
9.    The  king  was  the  source   of  wealth   for  all  his  subjects    . He  controlled    all  the  land  and foreign   trade;     this  made   him  the  richest   man   and  he  was  expected    to  treat   his  subjects with  generosity.
10.        The  king  levied  taxes  on his  subjects   and  all those  who  came  to his land  .He controlled   the use  of all the money  collected.
11.    Conquered    areas   were   forced   to  recogonise    the  authority    of  the  king  by  paying   tributes periodically    in form  of cattle  ,slaves,   ivory   and  other  valuable   Items.
12.    Wars  of conquest   and  raids  were  an important   source  of wealth:   during  these  wars  soldiers looted   a lot  of property   which   they  handed   over  to the  king,  in return  the  king  distributed the booty  to his faithful   servants   and  his hard  working   soldiers.
13.        Kingdoms    often   carried   out   local  trade  with  their  neighbours    especially    in  commodities they   were   in  short   supply   of  e.g  the  Banyoro    and  the  Baganda    exchanged     salt   for  bark cloth  and  agricultural    produce   respectively;    the  Banyoro   exchanged    salt  with   the  lteso  in exchange        with   iron   implements,     hides,   skins   etc.  At a later   stage   most   kingdoms     got involved    in Long distance   trade which   helped   them  to  become   even  greater    Empires   and
were even  able  to resist  European   penetration    notable   of which   was Bunyoro.
14.    Most   kingdoms    had  blacksmiths    who  could    make   arrows,   spears   and  hoes   which   were
    even   sold.     1:    follows:-      That    pre-colonial    African      societies      had    embarked       on
Industrialization contrary     to   the   Eurocentric       view    that  by  the dawn of   European colonization of Africa  the continent   was  purely   pre-industrial,
15    Hunting and  gathering   were  major   economic    activities  especially  in long  distance    trade era   Items     acquired through   such  activities    included   hides  and  skins,  Rhino  horns,   arrow head, poison etc.  This Implies   that  to  a large  extent  pre-colonial African   economies  were primitive
           It must be emphasized that per-colonial African economies depended mainly on raiding as a source of income. This was especially at the climax of long distance trade when the demand for slaves, rhino horns and ivory was at its climax.
NB
Production   in society was responsibility of both men and women, however agriculture  was mainly a womens activity as men were in most cases at the war frontlines either engaged in territorial acquisition, territorial defence, quelling rebellions etc
16.    Socially, most kingdoms were composed of clans and a clan was the basic unit of social. political    and economic  organization.   Members of each clan regarded themselves to be close relatives and couldn't  marry from each other  Each clan had a totem
17.    Intermarriages   among clan provided a bond of unity. In fact for this matter the king married from as many clans as possible.  Indeed   this increased    political stability in the kingdom.
18.    Socially. the king or Emperor was the social I head and presided over most important social state functions.
19.        Religiously.  most kingdoms  believed in African tradition religion recognizing  the creator and worshiping various  gods. The king was the religious leader as well
20.    Most kingdoms had annual celebrations that were also a source of unity and stability in the kingdom.    Such ceremonies   were initiation ceremonies.  harvest ceremonies    marriage ceremonies. mock battles, games and  sports   etc.  The Asante had Odwira festival. The Ndebele had inxwale