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The Fragmentary History of the Kongo
{http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lg4hc3eIAY1qgfbgio1_500.jpg} Capital City: Mbanza Kongo
The Kingdom of the Kongo is known for its fragmented history. It is as if the Kongo did not have a written or oral history before they made contact with the Portuguese in the 15th century. There are a list of different reasons why there is little known about the Kongo. Artifacts and documents in African were destroyed by "cannibals" and fires. Most sources that refer to the Kongo before it became a republic contradict each other. Finally, the descriptions of their history are very vague and contradictory.
Different sources from the Kongo's history include: contemporary European accounts, private letters, church correspondence, missionary memoirs, slavery propaganda, oral histories, ethnographic fieldwork, and few autobiographies. Many researchers have combined information about the Kongo from documents of the Vatican, Rome, Sao Tome and many other historic places. Anthropologists have sat down together, trying to explore through the many memories of this ethnic group. Despite their efforts, there is still little known about the Kongo before the transatlantic slave trade.

Contact with OutsidersUnlike many of the other African Ethnic groups. the kingdom of the Kongo made contact with Europeans prior to the beginning of the slave trade . The Portuguese first came in contact with the Kongo in the late 1400's. While exploring the African coast to find a sea route to Asia, Diogo Cao a Portuguese explorer discovered the Kingdom of the Kongo. There seemed to be a distinct relationship with the Portuguese and the Kongo. The Portuguese decided that the area where the Kingdom of the Kongo was located was a potential area for gold. This was when a Portuguese ship's crew kidnapped Africans and brought them to Europe to gain information that might facilitate their interaction with the kingdom. The crew brought the Kongolese to Portugal to teach them christianity as well. It is unknown which motive was more important to the Portuguese.
and religion.
FromIn doing this the nobility saw the benefits of literacy, and sent their sons to missionary schools.From this point powers. The Portuguese also had weird ideas about the Kongo. They believed that if they traveled too far inland, the moon's rays would swell their heads.
The fact that

{KongoKingdom_360.jpg} This is a picture of the Kongo people that where enslaved.
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{KongoKingdom_360.jpg} This is a picture of the Kongo people that where enslaved.

The Decline of the Kingdom with Little History
AlfonsoMvemba Nzinga
Mvemba Nzinga (Christian name:Alfonso I ) became the sweet time.

The Decline of the Kingdom with Little History
Alfonso I became the new Manikongo after Manikong Nzinga Nkuwu died. This was the late 15th century, early 16th century. Alfonso was raised as a Christian with Western ways because of European influence. He tried to convert the rest of the kingdom to this way of life, however Portugal was no longer interested in conversion. They were interested in gaining private fortunes(mostly through slave trade). As said before the Portuguese had established themselves in Kongo society, so because their efforts were no longer for the good of the Kongo, they aided in the decline of the kongo. After the rule of Alfonso, the Kingdom of the Kongo was weak and vulnerable to defeat. They experienced many civil wars, which ultimately weakend the power of the Manikongo. They even lost control of their capital city. The kingdom became so weak it was divided into smaller states, and was completely controlled by the Portuguese. Basically, from the time the Portuguse intially discovered the kingdom, they had planned on taking over the Kongo, which they did in their own sweet time.

Religion of the Kongo
with the Portugues,Portuguese, the Kongolese obtainment of ricesriches and importan
{religiousartifactsar3.jpg} Religious artifacts from the Kongo region, (From left to right: early 17th century, 16th century, 18th century, and 18th century pieces).