Afonso I of Kongo

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Afonso I (often spelled "Affonso" as he did in his own letters, translated in English as Alphonzo or Alphonse) Mvemba a Nzinga of Kongo (c. 1456 - 1542 or 1543), who reigned from 1509 to late 1542 or 1543, was the son of king Nzinga a Nkuwu, who was ruling in 1483 when the Portuguese arrived, and was baptized by them as João I in 1491. Afonso was probably baptized at about the same time. Afonso was assigned to rule Kongo's northern province of Nsundi, and was accompanied there by a number of Portuguese priests. He was successful in his rule there, extending Nsundi's borders probably north of the Congo River. According to Afonso's account of events his father lost his interest in Christianity toward the end of his reign, but Afonso became a devout Christian. Intrigues at court, caused João to doubt his son, and he was deprived of his province, but eventually Afonso exonerated himself and was returned to the province.

Around 1509 João died, and potential rivals lined up to take over the kingdom, as it was an elective rather than a hereditary monarchy. Afonso was assisted in his attempt by his mother, who kept news of João's death and gave Afonso time to return to the capital city of Mbanza Kongo and gather followers. Thus when the death of the king was announced Afonso was already in the city. The strongest opposition came from his half brother Mpanzu a Kitima (or Mpanzu a Nzinga). Mpanzu raised an army in the provinces and, according to Afonso's testimony, renounced Christianity and opposed the conversion of the country. However, in the battle that followed as Mpanzu's followers tried to storm the city, he was defeated, according to Afonso, when his men saw an apparition of Saint James the Great and the Holy Ghost in the sky and fled in panic. This miracle, which Afonso described in a letter of 1509 (now lost) became the basis for a coat of arms that Kongo used for the next three centuries (until 1860).

Virtually all that is known about Kongo in the time of Afonso's reign is known from his long series of letters, written in Portuguese primarily to the kings Manuel I and João III of Portugal. The letters are often very long and give many details about the administration of the country. Many of the letters complain about the behavior of several Portuguese officials, and these letters have given rise to an interpretation of Afonso's reign as one in which Portuguese interests submerged Afonso's ambitions.

Afonso is best known for his vigorous attempt to convert Kongo to a Christian country, by establishing the Catholic Church in Kongo, providing for its financing from tax revenues, and creating schools. By 1516 there were over 1000 students in the royal school, and other schools were located in the provinces, eventually resulting in the development of a fully literate noble class (schools were not built for ordinary people). Afonso also sought to develop an appropriate theology to merge the religious traditions of his own country with that of Christianity. He studied theologcial textbooks, falling asleep over them, according to Rui d'Aguiar (the Portuguese royal chaplain who was sent to assist him). To aid in this task, Afonso sent various of his children and nobles to Europe to study, including his son Henrique Kinu a Mvemba, who was elevated to the status of bishop in 1518. He was given the bishopric of Utica (in North Africa) by the Vatican, but actually served in Kongo from his return there in the early 1520s until his death in 1531.

In 1526 Afonso wrote a series of letters complaining about the behavior of the Portuguese in his country and their role in the developing slave trade. At one point he accused them of assisting brigands in his own country and illegally purchasing as slaves free people. He also threatened to close of the trade altogether. However, in the end, Afonso established an examination committee to determine the legality of all enslaved persons presented for sale.

Afonso was a determined soldier and extended Kongo's effective control to the south, especially. His letter of 5 October 1514 reveals the connections between Afonso's men, Portuguese mercenaries in Kongo's service (who he denounced as lazy and cowardly) and the capture and sale of slaves by his forces.

Toward the end of his life, Afonso's children and grandchildren began maneuvering for the succession, and in 1540 plotters that included Portuguese residents in the country made an unsuccessful attempt on his life. He died toward the end of 1542 or perhaps at the very beginning of 1543, leaving his son Pedro to succeed him. Although his son was soon overthrown by his grandson Diogo (in 1545) and had to take refuge in a church, the grandchildren and later descendants of three of his daughters provided many later kings.

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Afonso's letters are all published, along with most of the documents relating to his reign in: António Brásio, Monumenta Missionaria Africana (1st series, 15 volumes, Lisbon: Agência Geral do Ultramar, 1952-88), vols. 1, 2 and 4.

A separate publication of just his letters and allied documents in French translation is in Louis Jadin and Mirelle Dicorati, La correspondence du roi Afonso I de Congo (Brussels, 1978).