Oral traditions about the early history of the country were set in writing for the first time in the late 16th century, and especially detailed versions were recorded in the mid-17th … See more

The kingdom's army consisted of a mass levy of archers, drawn from the general male population, and a smaller corps of heavy infantry, who … See more

Currency
The universal currency in Kongo and the surrounding region of Central Africa was the shell of See more

Matrilineal organization
The central Bantu groups which comprised most of the Kongo kingdom passed on status through matrilineal succession. Furthermore, women … See more

In the aftermath of the battle of Mbwila, there was no clear succession. The country was divided between rival claimants to the … See more

The vata village, referred to as libata in Kongo documents and by the Portuguese in the sixteenth century, served as Kongo's basic social unit after the family. Nkuluntu, or … See more

The people of the Kongo are divided into many subgroups including the Yombe, Beembe, Sundi, and others, but share a common language, See more