"Count Your Blessings. It's A Simple Way To Infuse Your Weekend And Daily Life With More Joy, Hope And Happiness." Sending Love, Light, Peace & Prayers. Patty Ann
Born Nzinga Mbemba, King Alfonso I was the leader of the Kongolese people in the early part of the 16th Century. Mbemba developed a strong trade relationship with the Portuguese and adopted Catholicism as a result of this relationship. The influence of the Catholic faith reached every aspect of the King’s life, from his name which was changed to Alfonso upon his acceptance of Catholicism, to his understanding of governmental organization.
The relationship between the Portuguese and the Kongo was based in trade. Alfonso adopted the Portuguese court system, and aspired to educate his elite in order to compete in international trade.
This atmosphere changed when the Portuguese demanded slaves in return for their trade goods. Although King Alfonso was outspokenly opposed to slavery and initially fought the Portuguese demand for human beings, he eventually relented in order to sustain the economy of the Kongo. Initially Alfonso sent war captives and criminals to be sold as slaves to the Portuguese. Eventually Portuguese demand for slaves exceeded the country’s potential supply prompting their search for slaves from neighboring regions. Ultimately the demand for slaves destabilized the Kongo and its neighbors as all of the states in the region initiated wars to gain captives for sale to the Portuguese. King Alfonso died in 1543. I’m speechless this Saturday my friend….
“Christopher Columbus introduced two phenomena that revolutionized race relations and transformed the modern world: the taking of land, wealth, and labor from indigenous people in the Western Hemisphere, leading to their near extermination, and the transatlantic slave trade, which created a racial underclass”. —-James W. Loewen
Cetshwayo was a son of Zulu king Mpande and Queen Ngqumbazi, half-nephew of Zulu king Shaka and grandson of Senzangakhona kaJama. In 1856 he defeated and killed in battle his younger brother Mbuyazi, Mpande's favorite, at the battle of Ndondakusuka and became the effective ruler of the Zulu people. He did not ascend to the throne, however, as his father was still alive. Stories from that time regarding his size vary, saying he stood at least between 6 ft 6 in - 6 ft 8 in and weighed close to 350 lb. Cetshwayo is remembered by historians as being the last king of an independent Zulu nation. Friday family fatality, Cetshwzyo had his brothers on the run after killing one…. TGIF enjoy your weekend friend.
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