Kongo

The Kongo Empire was an African kingdom locatedsouthwest Africawhatnow northern Angola, Cabinda, Republic ofCongo, andwestern portion ofDemocratic Republic ofCongo. At its greatest extent,reached fromAtlantic Ocean inwest toKwango River ineast,fromCongo River innorth toLoje River insouth. The empire consistedsix provinces ruled bymonarch,Manikongo ofBakongo people, but its sphereinfluence extended toneighboring states as well.

Beforearrival ofEuropeans,Kongo Empire washighly developed state atcenteran extensive trading network. Apart from natural resourcesivory,country manufacturedtraded copperware, raffia cloth,pottery.

In his travels alongAfrican coast in1480s, Portuguese navigator Diogo Cao first encountered stories ofgreat empire that controlled trade inregion. In 1483, he visited Manikongo Nzingahis capital, Mbanza,persuadedkingopen his country toPortuguese. Catholic missionaries arrived1490,ten years laterManikongo himself was baptizedassumedname Afonso. The king also sent his son AfonsoPortugalbe educated,onehis grandsons later becamefirst black African bishop inCatholic Church. The capital city was renamed Sao Salvador.

Infollowing decades,Kongo Empire becamemajor sourceslavestraders from Portugalother European countries. This began taking its toll onEmpire,in 1526,Manikongo wroteking JoćoPortugal, imploring himputstop topractice. His plea went unanswered,relations betweentwo countries soured. Severely weakened bylossmanpower andvictimincursions by other neighboring states,Kongo Empire went into decline. The Portuguese saw this as an opportunityincreasenumberslaves being taken fromregion. Under increasing pressure from withoutwithin, bylate sixteenth centurycountry had all but ceasedexist. In 1665,Portuguese defeatedKongo Empirewar. Nevertheless,country continuedexist, at leastname,over two centuries, untilrealm was divided among Portugal, Belgium,France atConferenceBerlin1884-1885.