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Kingdom of KongoKongo dia Ntotila

AfricaHeartland today: Angola and Congo - Kinshasa

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A kingdom in west-central Africa with its capital at Mbanza Kongo, in today's northern Angola. Its elected kings, the Mani Kongo, met Portuguese envoys in 1483 and accepted Christianity. Slave raiding and the defeat at Mbwila in 1665 broke its power. Portugal ended the kingship in 1914.

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Key events

  1. Kongo is founded around Mbanza Kongo, traditionally by Lukeni lua Nimi, uniting the Mpemba Kasi and Mbata peoplesDisputed

    The date and the story are traditional. SAHO and Wikipedia describe a political marriage between the Mpemba Kasi and Mbata ruling houses; The Collector credits Lukeni lua Nimi with the founding.

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  2. Portuguese sailors under Diogo Cão reach Kongo and meet its king, Nzinga a NkuwuDisputed

    SAHO gives 1482, Wikipedia 1483 and The Collector 1482-3 for the first meeting.

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  3. Portuguese missionaries arrive and King Nzinga a Nkuwu is baptised as João IDisputed

    SAHO places the baptism in 1490; Wikipedia gives 3 May 1491, the year World History Encyclopedia gives for the missionaries' arrival.

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  4. – Afonso I (Nzinga Mbemba) becomes king and rules until about 1543, promoting Christianity across the kingdomDisputed

    World History Encyclopedia and SAHO give 1506 for his accession; Wikipedia gives 1509. His death is dated 1542 or 1543.

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  5. Afonso I writes to King João III of Portugal that traders are seizing his people, even nobles' sons, and asks him to end the slave trade in Kongo

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  6. A Portuguese army defeats Kongo at Mbwila (Ambuila) and King António I is killed; civil war follows

    The battle took place on 29 October 1665.

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  7. After a failed revolt, Portugal abolishes the Kongo kingship and rules the territory as part of Angola