Le Royaume du Kongo face aux bouleversements de l’Atlantique dans le contexte de l’Indépendance du Brésil : le cas du prince Aleixo Água Rosada (1822-1850)

Abstract

This article examines the profound consequences of the global upheavals of the first decades of the 19th century on the Kongo kingdom, notably the abolitionist phenomenon of the slave trade, and the Independence of Brazil. Our aim is to analyze how Kongo kings, princes and officers tried to maneuver in these troubled times and adapt to a context that challenged the old diplomatic and economic modus operandi between Kongo and Portugal. These new power relations and the attempts of the Kongo elites to keep their power and sovereignty led to misunderstandings and violent situations. We will analyze a specific case study: that of Kongo prince Aleixo Água Rosada – emblematic and revealing of the strength of the process underway and its impact on Kongo at the dawn of colonialism.

Keywords

• Kongo
• South Atlantic
• Independence of Brazil
• Portuguese Empire
• age of revolutions
• 19th century