1.11 Global Africans

The late 15th century saw growing trade between West African kingdoms and Portugal, focusing on gold, goods, and enslaved people. This trade bypassed traditional routes, increasing wealth for African kingdoms involved, like Kongo and Benin, while also bringing more Europeans to West Africa.

As trade expanded, African populations in Iberian cities like Lisbon and Seville grew. African elites traveled to Mediterranean cities for diplomacy, education, and religion. In these cities, Africans served various roles, from domestic workers to soldiers and even aristocrats.

Reasons for African-European travel

West African-Portuguese trade growth

• Trade between West African kingdoms and Portugal grew steadily in the late fifteenth century
  • Focused on exchanging gold, goods, and enslaved people
  • Bypassed the traditional trans-Saharan trade routes
• African kingdoms increased their wealth and power through slave trading
  • Slave trading was a common feature of hierarchical West African societies at the time
• Examples of West African kingdoms involved in this trade:
  • Kingdom of Kongo
  • Kingdom of Benin

African presence in Iberian cities

• Increased trade between Portugal and West Africa led to a growing presence of Europeans in West Africa
  • Portuguese merchants and traders established outposts and settlements along the West African coast
• Sub-Saharan African population in Iberian port cities like Lisbon and Seville also grew as a result of this trade
  • Many Africans were brought to these cities as enslaved people
  • Some Africans also traveled to these cities as merchants, diplomats, or scholars
• Examples of Iberian port cities with significant African populations:
  • Lisbon, Portugal
  • Seville, Spain

African elites in Mediterranean cities

• African elites, such as ambassadors and the children of rulers, traveled to Mediterranean port cities for various reasons
  • Diplomatic missions to establish or maintain relations with European powers
  • Educational opportunities to learn about European culture, language, and technology
  • Religious reasons, such as making pilgrimages to Christian holy sites
• In these Mediterranean cities, Africans (both free and enslaved) served in a wide range of roles
  • Domestic labor (cooks, maids, nannies)
  • Boatmen and dock workers in the ports
  • Guards and soldiers in the military
  • Entertainers (musicians, dancers, acrobats)
  • Street vendors and small business owners
  • Knights and members of the aristocracy (in rare cases)
• Examples of Mediterranean cities with African elites:
  • Rome, Italy
  • Valencia, Spain

Portuguese slavery's impact on Americas

Portuguese colonization of Atlantic islands

• In the mid-fifteenth century, the Portuguese began colonizing the Atlantic islands of Cabo Verde and São Tomé
  • Established cotton, indigo, and sugar plantations on these islands
  • Relied heavily on the labor of enslaved Africans to work these plantations
• Portuguese colonization of these islands served as a model for future slave labor-based economies in the Americas
  • Demonstrated the profitability of using enslaved African labor in plantation agriculture
  • Developed techniques for managing and controlling large populations of enslaved workers
• Examples of crops grown on Portuguese-colonized Atlantic islands:
  • Cotton
  • Indigo
  • Sugarcane

African enslavement in Atlantic colonies

• By the year 1500, the Portuguese had removed approximately 50,000 enslaved Africans from the continent
  • Many of these enslaved Africans were taken to work on the Portuguese-colonized Atlantic islands
  • Others were brought to Europe, where they served in a variety of roles (domestic servants, laborers, etc.)
• The use of enslaved African labor on the Atlantic islands set the stage for the widespread enslavement of Africans in the Americas
  • As European powers began colonizing the Americas, they looked to the Portuguese model of using enslaved African labor in plantation agriculture
  • The Atlantic slave trade would eventually transport millions of enslaved Africans to the Americas over the course of several centuries
• Examples of European colonies in the Americas that relied heavily on enslaved African labor:
  • Brazil (Portuguese colony)
  • Caribbean islands (Spanish, French, British, and Dutch colonies)

Required Source

Chafariz d'El-Rey (The King's Fountain), 1570-1580

This 16th century artwork provides a rare visual representation of Afro-Portuguese society in Lisbon during the Age of Exploration. It depicts a diverse gathering of people around a public fountain, including enslaved Africans, free Black residents, and Europeans, offering insight into the multicultural nature of Portugal's capital at the time.

The painting serves as a valuable primary source for understanding the complex racial dynamics and social hierarchies in early modern Portugal. It challenges simplistic narratives about European-African interactions during this period, highlighting the presence and varied roles of Africans in urban European settings long before the height of the transatlantic slave trade.