En Central Africa where the forest is thick, the village chiefs who sought to impose themselves had to fight against a hostile nature.
Prestigious rulers with sometimes tragic fates, they are called the blacksmith kings, masters in the manufacture of tools to clear the forest.
Trade with Portugal
The kingdom of Kongo flourished on both sides of the mouth of the Congo River thanks to Ntinu Wene, a man with an iron fist.
In contact with Portugal from the 15th century, Kongo quickly became the largest state in the region, thanks to its commercial exchanges: edible plants imported from America, local palm oil, ivory and cowries (currency of shells collected on the coast). It was while looking for a passage to enter the Indian Ocean that the Portuguese discovered it.
The first relations gave rise to exchanges of ambassadors between Lisbon and Mbanza-Kongo, the capital of the kingdom.
Young Mongolians even went to study in Europe, and in 1513, one of the then king's sons gave a speech in Latin to the Pope.
But due to the distance, communications between the two countries remained scarce. And the representatives of Portugal, the traders and the adventurers, ended up taking all the power. They watched over the kingdom from the offshore island of Sao Tome, which served them as a warehouse for slaves.
Under pressure from the Portuguese, Kongo eventually became a vassal of Portugal. He was even forced to deliver slaves, captured in neighboring countries.
But in 1665, when the Portuguese forced him to deliver Kongolese slaves and reveal the location of his mines, the ruler of Kongo, Antonio I, refused. His army was defeated and his head brought back to Loanda, the future Luanda, which also became a Portuguese counter.
Are you interested in this article and want to read it in full?
Access all Premium content. Over 2000 articles and ebooks
