Battle of Mbwila

The Battle of Ambuila or Battle of Mbwila 29 October 1665 the decisive battle between Portugal and the Congo. It ended with the death of Mani Kongo António I and the final destruction of the empire into separate, Portugal hearing provinces.

The conflict between the two countries because of the Congolese society under grave end the slave trade was smoldering at this point since one and a half centuries, but definitive cause of the battle was a statement by António I. that all previously concluded with Portugal contracts to return void and annexed by Portugal areas were.

The Portuguese and their allies gathered near the city of Luanda ( in present-day Angola). Led by Luis Lopes de Sequeira, a soldier mixed Portuguese- African origin, the Portuguese forces were grouped around 450 musketeers and two light artillery pieces.

The Congolese army, however, consisted of 380 musketeers, archers and a large, but irregular army. António led the State Archives and the State Treasurer with it to prevent that in his absence from the capital, a usurper took his place.

The Portuguese army defeated the Congolese army, beheaded António, many of his courtiers ( including the Luso- African writer and Kaplan Antónios Manuel Roboredo ) and took the final control of the country. The head of the Mani - Congo was buried by the Portuguese ceremony in a chapel in the bay of Luanda, crown and scepter of the Congo were sent as trophies to Lisbon.

• Battle ( Early Modern Times )
• Portuguese colonial history
• Kongo Kingdom
• History ( Angola)
• Military History (Africa)
• 1665
• Battle ( 17th century )