June
08
/ 2023
At the time when European explorers were first setting foot in Africa, the continent seemed to them a vast and enchanting realm with many unique cultures. They also encountered proper kingdoms that thrived with their own monarchs and dynasties. Lucrative trade soon flourished between the two. The Kingdom of Loango was a powerful pre-colonial state, encompassing much of modern-day western Congo. It thrived from roughly 1550 to 1883, and during that time it was a major trading partner for the European merchants and explorers. Alas, that trade had a darker side to it, as the Kingdom of Loango did not shy away from enslaving its neighbors and sending them off across the globe. So what is the full story of
