Kongo fingertip knowledge Flashcards
When did the Portuguese arrive in Kongo? Led by who?
1482, Diogo Cao
What was the capital of of Kongo?
Mbanza Kongo
What was the main form of currency?
Nzimbu shells
What was the ruling clan in Kongo?
The Mwissikongo
Where did the Mwissikongo migrate to?
They had migrated south of the Congo river and made relationships with provincial rulers.
What was the king figure that held all the different clans together called?
Manikongo
What is a kanda?
A family clan.
How did kanda’s form alliances?
Through marriage.
What was descent like in Kongo?
Matrilineal
How big was the kingdom when Portugal arrived?
By the time Portugal arrived, the kingdom stretched from Loango in the north to Ndongo in the South.
What was the ruling class in Kongo?
Mwissikongo
What was there tension between in C16 and C17?
Centralisation and traditional lineage structure.
What is the quote about lineage by Goncalves?
“lineage against the state”
Where was the royal palace?
Mbanza Kongo
When did Afonso I take power and why?
1509, after winning a civil war against his brother.
Who sent stone masons to Kongo?
King Manuel of Portugal
When did Jesuit missionaries begin to arrive in Kongo?
1548
How many provinces was Kongo divided into and what were they called?
- Mbamba, Nsoyo, Nsundi, Mpanga, Mbata and Mpemba.
What province was Mbanza Kongo in?
Mbata
Who ruled each province?
A governor
Where was tribute paid to and from?
Paid by the provinces to Mbanza Kongo.
Where was the trade pool and what was traded there?
Malebo pool - copper and slaves
Where were slaves sold to in relation to the Portuguese?
Sao Tome sugar plantations.
Who did slavery increase the power of?
The mwissikongo.