Kingdom of Kongo
Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1395–1888. Draft, not yet reviewed
The Kingdom of Kongo was a kingdom in Central Africa, ruled by the Manikongo. The kingdom was founded around 1390 through the political marriage between two KiKongo speaking peoples. In 1483 the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cão reached the coast of the Kongo Kingdom. In 1914, after suppressing a Kongo revolt, Portugal abolished the titular monarchy.
Seat of power: M'banza-Kongo
Rulers
João I of Kongo
Manikongo, 1470–1506
He was baptised on 3 May 1491 and took the Portuguese Christian name of João. Soon after, he abandoned the new faith in 1495, partly because the Catholic Church required monogamy.
Portrait of João I of Kongo: Pierre Duflos, Public domain, file
Afonso I of Kongo
Manikongo, 1509–1543
He centralised governmental power in his capital at Mbanza Kongo, curtailed the power of the Kongolese nobility and expanded the borders of the kingdom through war. He sent embassies to Lisbon and Rome.
Portrait of Afonso I of Kongo: Affricoll9, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Diogo I Nkumbi a Mpudi
Manikongo, 1545–1561
In 1555 he cut all ties with the Portuguese, whom he saw as meddlesome and a threat to the kingdom, and expelled all 70 Portuguese inhabitants. He ordered an inquest in 1550 into a plot by his predecessor, Dom Pedro Nkanga a Mvemba, to regain the throne.
Portrait of Diogo I Nkumbi a Mpudi: Affricoll9, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Álvaro I of Kongo
Manikongo, 1567–1587
When the Jagas invaded, Álvaro abandoned the capital of Mbanza Kongo, fled to an island in the Congo River and sought help from Portugal. He was the founder of the Kwilu dynasty.
Portrait of Álvaro I of Kongo: Unknown author, Public domain, file
Álvaro II of Kongo
Manikongo, 1587–1614
Both sides brought armies to M'banza-Kongo but agreed to single combat to avoid bloodshed, which Álvaro won. In 1596 the first bishop of the diocese of Portuguese Congo and Angola was appointed, with M'banza-Kongo as its capital.
Garcia II of Kongo
Manikongo, 1641–1660
He is sometimes considered the greatest king of Kongo for his religious piety and his near expulsion of the Portuguese from Angola. He also took part in the Atlantic slave trade.
João II of Lemba
Manikongo, 1680–1716
He was one of the main claimants to the throne of the Kingdom of Kongo during its civil war, and he ruled the Kingdom of Lemba from 1680 to 1716. He marched against King Pedro, and the Battle of Mbula on 4 October 1709 ended in a victory for Pedro.
Peter IV of Kongo
Manikongo, 1696–1718
He is noted for restoring the country and ending the civil war that had raged since 1666. The career of Beatriz Kimpa Vita, the prophetess claimed to be possessed by Saint Anthony, took place during his reign.
Manuel II du Kongo
Manikongo, 1718–1743
He ruled in a period of rotating lineages planned by his predecessor, and belonged to the Kimpanzu. He had once fought against Pedro during the recapture of São Salvador.
Portrait of Manuel II du Kongo: Affricoll9, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Garcia IV of Kongo
Manikongo, 1743–1752
He ruled in a period of rotating lineages, a plan reportedly devised by Pedro IV of Kongo. He had once been the Marquis of Matari.
Portrait of Garcia IV of Kongo: Affricoll9, CC BY-SA 4.0, file
Alvare XI du Kongo
Manikongo, 1764–1779
He overthrew Pedro V, who had opposed the rotational succession that Pedro IV had imposed.
Garcia V du Kongo
Manikongo, 1803–1830
He returned the Kingdom of Kongo to the rule of the Água Rosada dynasty, founded by Pedro IV, after a number of Kinlaza kings.
André II of Kongo
Manikongo, 1825–1842
He was eventually overthrown by Henrique III, though he survived but never regained the throne.
Henri III du Kongo
Manikongo, 1842–1857
He came to power when he overthrew his predecessor, André II, with the support of the elector Ntinu Nsaku. He appointed his older brother as governor of Mbamba province and gave his younger brother control of Wembo Province.
Pedro VI of Kongo
Manikongo, 1859–1891
To obtain Portuguese help, he swore vassalage to Portugal, the first Kongo king ever to do so. With Portuguese help he captured São Salvador after a long struggle.
Portrait of Pedro VI of Kongo: Cunha Moraes, Public domain, file
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Culture
- Afonso created a mixed version of Christianity that remained part of the culture of the kingdom for the rest of its independent existence.
- The Christian Bible became known as the nkanda ukisi, meaning holy book, and the church became known as the nzo a ukisi, meaning holy house.
- Afonso designed a coat of arms for Kongo that was used by all later kings on official documents until 1860.
- Slavery had existed in Kongo since its founding, and as the slave trade grew it came to erode royal power.
Picture
Mbanza Kongo was the capital of the Kingdom of Kongo from its foundation until the abolition of the kingdom in 1915.
Image: Thomas Astley, Public domain, file
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Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.