What was the relationship between East and West Africa and Portugal in this period? What impact did the Portuguese have on the emergence of sub-Saharan empires?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Africa's relationship with Portugal

1. Portuguese diplomatic missions began to arrive in Ethiopia
a. impressed by the riches of Ethiopia
2. Portuguese expeditions first recorded European contact with Mali
a. disappointed in the state of Mali, expected rich state
b. undermined Europeans' esteem for black Africans
3. Portuguese crown maintained the affectation that black kings were fellow
monarchs on a par with those of Europe
4. Portuguese explorers established contact in 1480s with Kingdom of Kongo
a. Kongo enthusiastically adopted the religion and technology of the
Portuguese
b. kingdom became host to Portuguese missionaries, craftsmen, and
mercenaries
c. royal residence was built in Portuguese style
d. kings issued documents in Portuguese, and members of the royal
family went to Portugal for their education
e. kings continued to have Portuguese baptismal names for centuries
f. equipping their armies with European firepower gave the kings a
military advantage over their neighbors
g. gained territory and, more importantly, slaves, many of whom they sold to the Portuguese for export
h. Portuguese connection made Kongo the best-documented kingdom in West Africa in the sixteenth century