Politics


 * __ Politics in the Kingdom of Kongo __**

Politics played as one of the largest factors in Kongo ,being only second to religion, thus contributing vastly to the power structure in the kingdom of Kongo which all citizens played a role in before slavery.

(The people of the Kingdom of Kongo looked up to King's. King were looked upon as wise and noble also being that family was a vital part of Kongo society the royal families were honored as well.)

Who ruled?
-Despite numerous clans, royal families and appointive positions the state dominated giving them more power than kin ships. -Kings such as King Alfonso I, ruling from 1509-1542 -Villages had political overseers, who were chosen by those above them, who held leadership positions according to the population of the villages. -Paternal succession

How did they rule?
-Use of taxes -Trade was very important. Goods of the land were traded along trade routes while "corporate groups intended to insure security and gather capital" (Thornton) -Power was in the hands of whoever dominated the majority of trade.

What did this mean for the people?
-Fictitious kin-ships were innovated in order to link trade routes to increase trade -They would follow the order as a mean of tradition -They lived in provinces ruled by nobles

*After the activities of the European slave trade political life in the Kingdom of Kongo became weak during civil war diminishing kings and giving clans more control of over the lands. <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">"The rise of appears to have destroyed the king-list traditions" (Thornton)

=__**SOURCES:**__= K. Thornton John. The Kingdom of Kongo, ca. 1390-1678. The Development of an African Social Formation. In: //Cahiers d'études africaines//. Vol. 22 N°87-88. . systèmes étatiques africains. pp. 89-120.