15 août 1526 - King Afonso of Kongo complains of slave trade to Portugal

Description:

King Afonso wrote a letter to King John III of Portugal were he complained of the Atlantic slave trade. He accused Portuguese of buying from brigands who enslaved free men. Afonso wanted the slave trade to be subject to Kongo law and was concerned that the kingdom would be depopulated. John III responded to his concerns, stating that he supported the stop of illegal trading, that depopulation was not a concern, and that ceasing the slave trade would be inadvisable. The Kingdom of Kongo would ulitmately be weakened by the slave trade.