Yuhi III Mazimpaka

Yuhi III Mazimpaka (Scientific Orthography: Yuhi wa Gatatu Mazimpakâ) was the Mwami (King) of kingdom of Rwanda from 1642–1675.

Yuhi III Mazimpaka
Mwami (King)
Died	1675
Dynasty	Nyiginya dynasty (3rd)
Father	Mibamwe II Sekarongoro II Gisanura
Mother	Nyirayuhi III Nyamarembo

He is remembered as having been an exceptionally handsome young King. He was a highly intelligent and creative man.He is said to have been a painter with words (umusizi)/poet and a prophet. He revealed from his dreams the coming of a pale race of people in many years after his death that would lead to the downfall of his kingdom. King Yuhi III commissioned a construction of a three storeyed house made of tree trunks,reeds and grass straws at a place known as Kamonyi. It is thought to have been the first storeyed house ever built in Rwanda. He suffered occasional mental illness due to his combination of intensive meditations/envisioning and the daily running of the Kingdom. He died from a leg injury which he sustained from an attempt to dive from a high rock into a lake where he had gone to swim.[1]

References

1. Alexis Kagame. Un abrege de l'ethno histoire du Rwanda.