Question

Describe very briefly Nzinga Mbemba attitude toward the Atlantic slave trade.

a. Was he always for the Atlantic slave trade? Was he against some part of it?
b. Was he an outright opponent of the Atlantic slave trade?

Answer 1

Mvemba a Nzinga was also called Afonso First. He was son of first christian king of Congo, he along with his father were baptised by the Portuguese priests in 1491. He defeated his half brother in a battle sometime between 1506-1509 and became sixth king of Congo. He improved relations with Portugal and signed agreement with Manuel First of Portugal and agreed to supply slaves to traders and provided extra territorial rights to the Portuguese. In 1526 after observing illegal sale of slaves by the Portuguese, he established and administrative system to supervise the slave trade, slave trade flourished during his reign.

Answer 2

Nzinga Mbemba ruled the kingdom of Congo and converted to Christianity under Portuguese influence in 1491. He called the Portuguese emperor his half brother. Although initially discontented about the illegal enslaved person Portuguese merchants purchasing and selling, he later came in agreement with Portuguese to give them extraterritorial rights to Portuguese in exchange for the supply of rifles.