Portuguese colonisation Angola

queen nzinga in peace negotiations portuguese governor in luanda, 1657.

portuguese explorer diogo cão reached area in 1484. previous year, portuguese had established relations kongo, stretched @ time modern gabon in north kwanza river in south. portuguese established primary trading post @ soyo, northernmost city in angola apart cabinda exclave. paulo dias de novais founded são paulo de loanda (luanda) in 1575 hundred families of settlers , 4 hundred soldiers. benguela fortified in 1587 , became township in 1617.

the portuguese established several other settlements, forts , trading posts along angolan coast, principally trading in angolan slaves brazilian plantations. local slave dealers provided large number of slaves portuguese empire, in exchange manufactured goods europe.

this part of atlantic slave trade continued until after brazil s independence in 1820s.

despite portugal s territorial claims in angola, control on of country s vast interior minimal. in 16th century portugal gained control of coast through series of treaties , wars. life european colonists difficult , progress slow. john iliffe notes portuguese records of angola 16th century show great famine occurred on average every seventy years; accompanied epidemic disease, might kill one-third or one-half of population, destroying demographic growth of generation , forcing colonists river valleys .

an illustration depicting portuguese encounter kongo royal family.

during portuguese restoration war, dutch west india company occupied principal settlement of luanda in 1641, using alliances local peoples carry out attacks against portuguese holdings elsewhere. fleet under salvador de sá retook luanda in 1648; reconquest of rest of territory completed 1650. new treaties kongo signed in 1649; others njinga s kingdom of matamba , ndongo followed in 1656. conquest of pungo andongo in 1671 last major portuguese expansion luanda, attempts invade kongo in 1670 , matamba in 1681 failed. colonial outposts expanded inward benguela, until late 19th century inroads luanda , benguela limited. hamstrung series of political upheavals in 1800s, portugal slow mount large scale annexation of angolan territory.

the slave trade abolished in angola in 1836, , in 1854 colonial government freed existing slaves. 4 years later, more progressive administration appointed lisbon abolished slavery altogether. however, these decrees remained largely unenforceable, , portuguese depended on assistance royal navy enforce ban on slave trade. coincided series of renewed military expeditions hinterland. mid-nineteenth century portugal had established dominion far east congo river , far south mossâmedes. until late 1880s, lisbon entertained proposals link angola colony in mozambique blocked british , belgian opposition. in period, portuguese came against different forms of armed resistance various peoples in angola.

the berlin conference in 1884-1885 set colony s borders, delineating boundaries of portuguese claims in angola, although many details unresolved until 1920s. trade between portugal , african territories rapidly increased result of protective tariffs, leading increased development, , wave of new portuguese immigrants.