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Kongo Civil War (1670s)
After the Battle of Mbwila in 1665, the Kingdom of Kongo fell into a prolonged succession struggle centered on the Kinlaza and Kimpanzu families;…
Timeline
- 1671–1674Mbanza Kongo · Kingdom of KongoAfter António I fell in battle, the Kinlaza and Kimpanzu factions continued to contest the succession, with the capital Mbanza Kongo becoming the center of the struggle for symbolic royal authority.
- 1675–1678Kongo Kingdom hinterland · Congo BasinProvincial lords carved out their own domains and sought support from the Portuguese colonial authorities and local allies respectively, turning the dynastic succession dispute into regional armed conflict.
- 1679–1680Kingdom of Kongo · Congo BasinBy the 1680s Kongo had still not restored unified royal authority, with nominal kings coexisting with de facto local powers and the kingdom's central governing capacity continuing to decline.
Sources
- The Kingdom of Kongo: Civil War and Transition, 1641-1718 — John K. Thornton (1983)
- Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World, 1400-1800 — John Thornton (1998)