A comprehensive history of the Kingdom of Kongo from the Bantu migration to Grande Inga.

[D'arguini]

The air was humid, the sun harsh, the river sounded like thunder during a heavy storm as an enormous crowd cheered on. Everyone wants to witness these mad men take on the river that devours all others. The Mbanda Mbanda and the Mwene Kongo looked on in enjoyment.

He closes his eyes, this had been his dream since he was a little boy living in Inga. To descend the great rapids of the Congo. Beatriz looks at him "I love you" she says. Pedro is visibly nervous "I love you too", there is a weird tension in the air. "Please be careful, I need you", she grabs his hand and brings it to her belly, "we need you". He smiles and closes his eyes again, he does not want to think about that right now. If you ask him the only father that was worth something is in heaven, he wonders, does he even know how to be a father? His mind wanders again thinking about his youth living in Inga with his father.

Inga was a workers town, it had attracted thousands of workers from several surrounding and far away countries. It's population was made up of Kongolese, Congolese, Chinese, Angolans, Brazillians, Cape Verdeans and Cubans. And had been known for alcoholism, prostitution, poverty and the Catholic church. The people of Inga were described as either devout catholics who looked down on any and everything or daily consumers of the many bars and brothels. Pedro's father had been both. He always kept up the appearance of a good catholic family. But developed a love for women and sugar cane wine. His father had left their village in search of job opportunities. Pedro's mother had send him away with his father. To learn how to provide, work hard and be a man. Since that day Pedro had hated his mother. When they arrived in Inga he was shocked.
This place of poverty and depravity next to the nations crown jewel.

What he hated most was the noise, in Inga you would always hear the sounds of construction throughout the day and partying at night. Even at home or in church his father was loud when drunk and the local preachers were just as loud when preaching. But the thunderous rapids always managed to drown out the noise of Inga. The noise of his father, the noise of the poor, the noise of the preachers, the noise of...

Pedrooo Pedrooo pequino N'Kosi everyone is waiting are we doing this or what, said João one of his best friends. He puts on his wetsuit. This is the last time he can drown out the noise. His heartbeat speeds up and his mind starts racing. The Mbanda Mbanda told him Grande Inga will turn the noise into prosperity. He puts on his helmet. João gives him a reassuring look "this is it Pedro". He gets in his kayak. The sound of the rapids is deafening. The feeling of fear starts to take over his mind. He proceeds to pray "Ave Maria Uafulukua ye nsambu O, Amen". When he opens his eyes again João has disappeared. He pushes his paddle off the platform. God bless Kongo and may God save my soul.

Excerpt of the biography about famous whitewater kayaker Pedro Mvimba da Silva and his descend of the lower Congo rapids. A man of baKongo heritage his story of hardship, faith and hope. Is one of many that exemplify the early modern history of Kongo. This book will take us from the great migration of the Bantu all the way to the modern time and the eventual completion of Grande Inga.

A comprehensive history of the Kingdom of Kongo from the Bantu migration to Grande Inga.

Front Cover

Back Cover

 

[Leonidas]

Interested to see where this goes!

 

[Diego]

I'm watching you

 

[galik]

Watching good start

 

[Sceonn]

Interesting, if a tad bit image heavy.

 

[Xenophonte]

Watched and followed with great interest.

 

[Jonathan Edelstein]

You've got my attention.

 

[AHFan]

Definitely watching. I believe I will learn quite a bit in this discussion.

 

[D'arguini]

The Great Migration

An old man watches as the forest around him burns to ashes. Hunters prowl along the edge of the burning forest looking to catch any animals fleeing the flames. Life has been good to them, the rains haven't been too heavy and the harvest was fine. But there was still something heavy bearing on his mind. He won't be able to support all of his sons, their wives and their children for much longer. There is not enough land for all of them and one day the harvest will fail and what then? He walks up the hill back to his wife Nsayi, wise beyond her years and a good mother. She is pounding yam, their newborn baby wrapped around her back. He looks at them with a smile. The words of the chief ego in his mind "You have overextended your blessings". He shakes his head, he can't just leave his family. His mind is made up "Nsayi we're leaving". Leaving where she asks confused and covered in sweat. To the forest, the old man says. She stares blankly at the old man before a determined smile betrays her thoughts " I'll follow you anywhere my love".
The next month the old man gathered all his belongings, his wives, his sons and their wives, his daughters and their husbands, all of his many grandchildren, some other extended families and left the village in search for a place they could call home. The chief looked on wondering where they would go.

Why some of the earliest Bantu decided to leave their homeland is as of yet unknown. The border region of Nigeria and Cameroon is one of the most favorable regions in Africa. The abundance of rivers, highlands, lack of diseases, a cool climate and fertile soils would have felt like the Garden of Eden. It is therefore likely that overpopulation might have played a factor in encouraging some of it's people to search for greener pastures elsewhere. And this decision to search for a land just as good as their homeland, would alter African history forever.

Most don't appreciate just how incredible the Bantu Migration was. Within a thousand years they managed to travel a distance of more than 4000 km and spread over the majority of the African continent south of the Sahara. They travelled and settled in rainforests, savannas and highlands. And each time were able to adapt to the environment. They outcompeted hunter gatherers and pastoralists in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa to become one of the largest language groups in the world. The only slightly comparable movement of people is the initial settlement of the Americas by humans.

The first migrations out of the Cameroonian highlands were slow. It took about a thousand years to reach south of the present day city of Yaoundé. But after around 1500 bc the migration sped up substantially. At this point in time Bantu speakers were not full farmers or workers of iron. But farmer-foragers that made extensive use of the natural environment around them. Oil crops such as the palm oil and the African elemi were incredibly important to the early Bantu migrants. The general lack of protein outside of the occasional pygmy goat, fish or wild game made these crops indispensable. The staple crops were domesticated and wild Yam species. Only later on during the early iron age did they adopt iron and crops like groundnuts, banana and pearl millet.

About 2500 years ago Bantu speakers had reached the inner Congo basin, Southern West Central Africa and the Great Lakes region almost simultaneously. In this story we will focus on the peoples that migrated across Central Africa until they finally reached south of the rainforest. The environment here was a lot more favorable to the development of civilization than the rainforests to the north. It's therefore not surprising that the descendants of these early migrants would go on to create one of the most unique civilizations on earth.

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

It's rare seeing a Africa focused TL, it's even rarer seeing one that isn't about North Africa or Ethiopia, so for that alone I'm already subscribed and looking on with interest. But if you don't mind me asking, what's the pod of this TL?

 

[D'arguini]

It's rare seeing a Africa focused TL, it's even rarer seeing one that isn't about North Africa or Ethiopia, so for that alone I'm already subscribed and looking on with interest. But if you don't mind me asking, what's the pod of this TL?

Thank you very much for subscribing it's my first story ever so I'm still figuring things out. The main pod will be around the Kongo civil war around 1665. But because African history is so misunderstood and badly known I felt like it was necessary to start at the beginning. So the readers can have a basic understanding of West Central African history and it's people. The next few chapters will be about the ancestors of the baKongo, the early stages of the Kongo kingdom, their early interactions with the Portuguese up to the civil war and from there on how they could have developed if the civil war did not pretty much destroy the kingdom.

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

Thank you very much for subscribing it's my first story ever so I'm still figuring things out. The main pod will be around the Kongo civil war around 1665. But because African history is so misunderstood and badly known I felt like it was necessary to start at the beginning. So the readers can have a basic understanding of West Central African history and it's people. The next few chapters will be about the ancestors of the baKongo, the early stages of the Kongo kingdom, their early interactions with the Portuguese up to the civil war and from there on how they could have developed if the civil war did not pretty much destroy the kingdom.

This sounds super interesting! Looking very forward to seeing how this kingdom will develop and interact with others.

 

[D'arguini]

The origins of the Kongo Kingdom

The story of how the Kongo kingdom came to be is one of many myths and legends. The most accepted is the story of Lukini lua Nimi, the first king of Kongo. The son of the king of Vunda, a kingdom north of the Congo river, and Mbata which was in the east. When Lukini became of age he enrolled as many people as he could and left his father's capital in search for more. Thus he crossed the Congo river and ruled over a vassal state of his father's kingdom called Mpemba Kasi. Through failure and fortune he was able to conquer the surrounding countryside. Not secure of his position in the land. He fortified himself and his followers in a rocky area through which all trade had to pass. Lukini and his followers became the scourge of entire kingdoms. He was so ruthless in taxing those who passed by, that at one point he killed his pregnant aunt because she wouldn't pay the toll. This act instead of turning people away gave him more power and influence among the people. He wanted more power and made an alliance with the Mbata kingdom to conquer more land. The two allies conquered south into the kingdom of Mpemba. After much fighting Lukini settled once again now on a hilltop next to a stream this was around the end of the fourteenth century. This hilltop settlement was favorably situated between the trade routes from the salt producing coast, the cloth producing east and the copper producing north and south. Lukini's hilltop settlement was named Mbanza Kongo and would become the capital of an empire.

The later Mwene Kongo or kings of Kongo would go on to conquer a vast area spanning from the Congo estuary, south to Luanda island and all the way to the Kwango river in the east. First conquering the rich cloth producing regions of Nsundi and Mpangu. The Mwene Kongo went on to conquer the coastal regions of Soyo, Mbamba and the nzimbo shell "mines" on Luanda island. The kingdom was in the middle of this process of expansion when in 1483 foreigners from another world visited the coastal province of Soyo.

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

Good chapter if a bit small, I think things are gonna get really interested now with the Portuguese arriving, hopefully they can avoid the devasting effects of slavery will have on their population and create a area on influence in the region.

 

[PecuTheGreat]

The air was humid, the sun harsh, the river sounded like thunder during a heavy storm as an enormous crowd cheered on. Everyone wants to witness these mad men take on the river that devours all others. The Mbanda Mbanda and the Mwene Kongo looked on in enjoyment.
View attachment 780189
He closes his eyes, this had been his dream since he was a little boy living in Inga. To descend the great rapids of the Congo. Beatriz looks at him "I love you" she says. Pedro is visibly nervous "I love you too", there is a weird tension in the air. "Please be careful, I need you", she grabs his hand and brings it to her belly, "we need you". He smiles and closes his eyes again, he does not want to think about that right now. If you ask him the only father that was worth something is in heaven, he wonders, does he even know how to be a father? His mind wanders again thinking about his youth living in Inga with his father.
View attachment 780190
Inga was a workers town, it had attracted thousands of workers from several surrounding and far away countries. It's population was made up of Kongolese, Congolese, Chinese, Angolans, Brazillians, Cape Verdeans and Cubans. And had been known for alcoholism, prostitution, poverty and the Catholic church. The people of Inga were described as either devout catholics who looked down on any and everything or daily consumers of the many bars and brothels. Pedro's father had been both. He always kept up the appearance of a good catholic family. But developed a love for women and sugar cane wine. His father had left their village in search of job opportunities. Pedro's mother had send him away with his father. To learn how to provide, work hard and be a man. Since that day Pedro had hated his mother. When they arrived in Inga he was shocked.
This place of poverty and depravity next to the nations crown jewel.

What he hated most was the noise, in Inga you would always hear the sounds of construction throughout the day and partying at night. Even at home or in church his father was loud when drunk and the local preachers were just as loud when preaching. But the thunderous rapids always managed to drown out the noise of Inga. The noise of his father, the noise of the poor, the noise of the preachers, the noise of...
View attachment 780191
Pedrooo Pedrooo pequino N'Kosi everyone is waiting are we doing this or what, said João one of his best friends. He puts on his wetsuit. This is the last time he can drown out the noise. His heartbeat speeds up and his mind starts racing. The Mbanda Mbanda told him Grande Inga will turn the noise into prosperity. He puts on his helmet. João gives him a reassuring look "this is it Pedro". He gets in his kayak. The sound of the rapids is deafening. The feeling of fear starts to take over his mind. He proceeds to pray "Ave Maria Uafulukua ye nsambu O, Amen". When he opens his eyes again João has disappeared. He pushes his paddle off the platform. God bless Kongo and may God save my soul.

Excerpt of the biography about famous whitewater kayaker Pedro Mvimba da Silva and his descend of the lower Congo rapids. A man of baKongo heritage his story of hardship, faith and hope. Is one of many that exemplify the early modern history of Kongo. This book will take us from the great migration of the Bantu all the way to the modern time and the eventual completion of Grande Inga.

A comprehensive history of the Kingdom of Kongo from the Bantu migration to Grande Inga.

Front Cover
View attachment 780188

Back Cover
View attachment 780192

Reading that after watching a man swimming in the Congo close to it's mouth.

I assumed it'll be some local extreme sports competition of swimming through the deadly waters of rapids and fast streams of the Kongo river.

 

[D'arguini]

The early interactions between the Kongo kingdom and the Portuguese

The first official contact between the Portuguese and the Kongolese was in 1483 between captain Diogo Cão and the ruler of Soyo. After the initial encounter the Portuguese took several Kongolese nobles back to Lisbon.

The Portuguese crown wanted to make alliances with the most powerful African kingdoms. To make sure the Kongolese nobles spoke highly of Portugal they taught them Portuguese, literacy and Catholicism. Portugal also encouraged the Kongo kingdom to send their diplomats to Portugal. So in 1487 the first diplomatic mission from the Kongo kingdom led by the high ranking noble Kala ka Mfusu arrived in Lisbon. Other than the usual tasks associated with diplomatic missions. These early diplomats, together with the priest Vicente dos Anjos, were pivotal in the creation of Kongo Christianity. In 1490 the diplomatic mission accompanied by the now kikongo speaking priest dos Anjos returned to Kongo. Along with the Kongo nobles and the priest a sort of cultural sample of Portugal was send back to Kongo. This included people such as bread bakers, masons, farmers and soldiers.

The mission was a success and within a year the ruler of Soyo was baptized as Manuel and the reigning king Nzinga a Nkuwu was baptized as João. Even though João was the first Christian king of Kongo, his son Afonso was the one that would transform Kongo into an actual Christian kingdom. But first he had to fight of an anti Christian faction in the east after his father's death. During his reign small groups of Portuguese started settling in the port city of Mpinda and the capital Mbanza Kongo.

Reign of Afonso

But the Kingdom of Kongo was not only going through the change the adoption of Christianity as state religion brought to the land. They were also in the middle of several wars of territorial expansion. At first they believed the Portuguese would be a deciding factor in their wars. To his disappointment the results of using Portuguese weapons and soldiers was lackluster. Their weapons such as muskets were not that useful in Central African warfare. And he found their soldiers cowardly, at some point losing slaves they were ordered to transport. These slaves went on to ravage the countryside while he was away, forcing the queen to deal with it personally. Because of this the demand for Portuguese assistance stopped for almost half a century. At last mostly without the help of the Portuguese, Afonso would go on to make the Kingdom of Kongo one of the largest states in Africa.

Afonso is also credited for sending Kongolese nobles to Portugal to get educated. When these nobles returned they were encouraged to open schools to educate the next generation. The schools were focussed on teaching literacy and Christianity. This unique system of native schools and teachers made sure that Christianity in Kongo was a synthesis of Christian and Kongolese beliefs. The Kongolese incorporated Christianity into their native religion instead of the other way around. For the Kongo elites Christianity was also a way to interact with a wider world. And at some point the Kongo kingdom had diplomats in Portugal, Rome, Sao Tome and Brazil.

Trade was another important part of the relationship between Kongo and the Portuguese. Early trade was centered around ivory, furs , cloth and slaves. In the Kongo kingdom there was a strong dichotomy between baKongo and what they called foreigners. baKongo could in no circumstance be exported. The people that were conquered during the eastern and southern campaigns in comparison, were allowed to be enslaved and exported. But even for this group there was a ban on selling female slaves. All slaves headed for export were obligated to pass through the port of Mpinda. This was done to ensure no female or baKongo slaves left the country. The kings of Kongo believed that wealth is in people not necessarily the land. Thus explaining their tendency to prefer to retain as many people as they could.

The strict laws regarding the slave trade caused disagreements between the Kongo kingdom and the Portuguese. Portugal needed copious amounts of slaves to work on the lucrative plantations in Sao Tome and Brazil. They soon realized that the laws of Kongo almost directly undermined this objective. So some Portuguese took the initiative and looked for the slaves themselves. This why they continuously attempted to undermine the Kongolese authority and trade with vassal states to attain slaves. The Kongolese king Afonso wrote his famous letters to the Portuguese complaining about the conduct of Portuguese traders. But to his dismay the Portuguese did not respect his wishes. And in 1542 Afonso now in his eighties, died as one of the greatest kings the kingdom had ever seen.

Succession disputes and Portuguese settlement of Angola

Afonso's death revealed one of the weaknesses of the kingdom, it's tendency to fall into civil war everytime the ruler died. The Kongo kings were elected from a pool of possible successors related to the former king. This was done by a group of nobles most notable among them the Mwene Soyo and Mwene Mbata, the rulers of Soyo and Mbata respectively. One of the main issues was that every province was able to raise up its own army. Thus encouraging civil war each time there were competing claims for the throne. This also happened after the death of Afonso. His son Pedro was the first to claim the throne. Within a short time he was replaced by Afonso's grandson Diogo. Pedro took sanctuary in a church and started plotting to rule the kingdom once again. And although he tried for years to return to the throne, he could not overthrow Diogo. After dealing with the rebels and treats to his kingship he openly opposed any communication between Portugal and one of Kongo's vassals Ndongo. Sadly his rule was relatively short and after his death in 1561, there was another succession dispute. This one was won within a few days by his son Bernardo after dethroning his "illegitimate brother. Bernardo continued the policies of his father. He warned the ruler of the Ndongo kingdom not to deal with Portugal directly and then proceeded to expand the kingdom even further into the rich cloth producing regions in the northeast and east. In hindsight Bernardo's decision to continue expanding the kingdom into the east, was a foolish one. Which would almost cause the destruction of the entire kingdom.

Meanwhile Portugal continued to attempt trade relations with the increasingly independent Ndongo kingdom. They first tried converting the people of Ndongo but this attempt failed. Realizing the potential wealth they could extract, this did not stop the Portuguese from trading with the kingdom. The slave trade in Ndongo far exceeded the trade in slaves from Kongo. Sensing an opportunity Portuguese merchants began settling in the Ndongo kingdom. Which at that time was better known by the Portuguese name for the land ruled by the ngola, Reino do Angola.

 

[PecuTheGreat]

The early interactions between the Kongo kingdom and the Portuguese
View attachment 782079
The first official contact between the Portuguese and the Kongolese was in 1483 between captain Diogo Cão and the ruler of Soyo. After the initial encounter the Portuguese took several Kongolese nobles back to Lisbon.

The Portuguese crown wanted to make alliances with the most powerful African kingdoms. To make sure the Kongolese nobles spoke highly of Portugal they taught them Portuguese, literacy and Catholicism. Portugal also encouraged the Kongo kingdom to send their diplomats to Portugal. So in 1487 the first diplomatic mission from the Kongo kingdom led by the high ranking noble Kala ka Mfusu arrived in Lisbon. Other than the usual tasks associated with diplomatic missions. These early diplomats, together with the priest Vicente dos Anjos, were pivotal in the creation of Kongo Christianity. In 1490 the diplomatic mission accompanied by the now kikongo speaking priest dos Anjos returned to Kongo. Along with the Kongo nobles and the priest a sort of cultural sample of Portugal was send back to Kongo. This included people such as bread bakers, masons, farmers and soldiers.

The mission was a success and within a year the ruler of Soyo was baptized as Manuel and the reigning king Nzinga a Nkuwu was baptized as João. Even though João was the first Christian king of Kongo, his son Afonso was the one that would transform Kongo into an actual Christian kingdom. But first he had to fight of an anti Christian faction in the east after his father's death. During his reign small groups of Portuguese started settling in the port city of Mpinda and the capital Mbanza Kongo.

Reign of Afonso
View attachment 782089
But the Kingdom of Kongo was not only going through the change the adoption of Christianity as state religion brought to the land. They were also in the middle of several wars of territorial expansion. At first they believed the Portuguese would be a deciding factor in their wars. To his disappointment the results of using Portuguese weapons and soldiers was lackluster. Their weapons such as muskets were not that useful in Central African warfare. And he found their soldiers cowardly, at some point losing slaves they were ordered to transport. These slaves went on to ravage the countryside while he was away, forcing the queen to deal with it personally. Because of this the demand for Portuguese assistance stopped for almost half a century. At last mostly without the help of the Portuguese, Afonso would go on to make the Kingdom of Kongo one of the largest states in Africa.

Afonso is also credited for sending Kongolese nobles to Portugal to get educated. When these nobles returned they were encouraged to open schools to educate the next generation. The schools were focussed on teaching literacy and Christianity. This unique system of native schools and teachers made sure that Christianity in Kongo was a synthesis of Christian and Kongolese beliefs. The Kongolese incorporated Christianity into their native religion instead of the other way around. For the Kongo elites Christianity was also a way to interact with a wider world. And at some point the Kongo kingdom had diplomats in Portugal, Rome, Sao Tome and Brazil.

Trade was another important part of the relationship between Kongo and the Portuguese. Early trade was centered around ivory, furs , cloth and slaves. In the Kongo kingdom there was a strong dichotomy between baKongo and what they called foreigners. baKongo could in no circumstance be exported. The people that were conquered during the eastern and southern campaigns in comparison, were allowed to be enslaved and exported. But even for this group there was a ban on selling female slaves. All slaves headed for export were obligated to pass through the port of Mpinda. This was done to ensure no female or baKongo slaves left the country. The kings of Kongo believed that wealth is in people not necessarily the land. Thus explaining their tendency to prefer to retain as many people as they could.

The strict laws regarding the slave trade caused disagreements between the Kongo kingdom and the Portuguese. Portugal needed copious amounts of slaves to work on the lucrative plantations in Sao Tome and Brazil. They soon realized that the laws of Kongo almost directly undermined this objective. So some Portuguese took the initiative and looked for the slaves themselves. This why they continuously attempted to undermine the Kongolese authority and trade with vassal states to attain slaves. The Kongolese king Afonso wrote his famous letters to the Portuguese complaining about the conduct of Portuguese traders. But to his dismay the Portuguese did not respect his wishes. And in 1542 Afonso now in his eighties, died as one of the greatest kings the kingdom had ever seen.

Succession disputes and Portuguese settlement of Angola

Afonso's death revealed one of the weaknesses of the kingdom, it's tendency to fall into civil war everytime the ruler died. The Kongo kings were elected from a pool of possible successors related to the former king. This was done by a group of nobles most notable among them the Mwene Soyo and Mwene Mbata, the rulers of Soyo and Mbata respectively. One of the main issues was that every province was able to raise up its own army. Thus encouraging civil war each time there were competing claims for the throne. This also happened after the death of Afonso. His son Pedro was the first to claim the throne. Within a short time he was replaced by Afonso's grandson Diogo. Pedro took sanctuary in a church and started plotting to rule the kingdom once again. And although he tried for years to return to the throne, he could not overthrow Diogo. After dealing with the rebels and treats to his kingship he openly opposed any communication between Portugal and one of Kongo's vassals Ndongo. Sadly his rule was relatively short and after his death in 1561, there was another succession dispute. This one was won within a few days by his son Bernardo after dethroning his "illegitimate brother. Bernardo continued the policies of his father. He warned the ruler of the Ndongo kingdom not to deal with Portugal directly and then proceeded to expand the kingdom even further into the rich cloth producing regions in the northeast and east. In hindsight Bernardo's decision to continue expanding the kingdom into the east, was a foolish one. Which would almost cause the destruction of the entire kingdom.

Meanwhile Portugal continued to attempt trade relations with the increasingly independent Ndongo kingdom. They first tried converting the people of Ndongo but this attempt failed. Realizing the potential wealth they could extract, this did not stop the Portuguese from trading with the kingdom. The slave trade in Ndongo far exceeded the trade in slaves from Kongo. Sensing an opportunity Portuguese merchants began settling in the Ndongo kingdom. Which at that time was better known by the Portuguese name for the land ruled by the ngola, Reino do Angola.

Am I to assume that this is still largely accurate to OTL?.

 

[Kurd Gossemer]

Oh you bless us with two chapters today. Damm those Portuguese, always bringing trouble to where they go, hopefully the Kingdom of Kongo can recover while still benefitting from trade with them, maybe a competitor like the Dutch can show up and give them a better deal?

Also I know this might be too early to ask, but could we see something like Kongo making contact with Ethiopia in the future? Could be good for them to have a good relationship between the two.

 

[D'arguini]

Am I to assume that this is still largely accurate to OTL?.

That's correct, I plan on posting one more informational chapter. After that we've reached the early 17th century where the main pod will take place.

Oh you bless us with two chapters today. Damm those Portuguese, always bringing trouble to where they go, hopefully the Kingdom of Kongo can recover while still benefitting from trade with them, maybe a competitor like the Dutch can show up and give them a better deal?

Also I know this might be too early to ask, but could we see something like Kongo making contact with Ethiopia in the future? Could be good for them to have a good relationship between the two.

Yes, I do plan on giving the Dutch an even bigger role than they played in the OTL. To your other question they will interact. Mostly in Rome but later on even a diplomatic mission.

Interesting tidbit the popular belief at the time was that Kongo and Ethiopia were a lot closer than they actually are. This stemmed from the belief that there was a great lake in Central Africa which was the source of the Nile, Zambezi and Congo rivers. A lot of missionaries explored into the interior expecting to meet Prester John.

 

[PecuTheGreat]

This stemmed from the belief that there was a great lake in Central Africa which was the source of the Nile, Zambezi and Congo rivers. A lot of missionaries explored into the interior expecting to meet Prester John.

I know of the whole Mountains of Kong and Mountains of the moon thing but in maps I always saw them as small lakes in West and East Africa respectively not some massive thing in the middle of central Africa, so i always assumed the assumption that Congo, Benin and Ethiopia were near each other to have been a massive underestimating of the size of the continent and over estimating of the size of the African states in question.

So is there any map that approximates exactly how big the Europeans though this lake was?.