Lord of the Kongo: a novel
Description
A decade before Columbus set sail for the New World, Portuguese explorers seeking a route around the southern tip of Africa to the Indies discovered the Kongo. To their astonishment, the vast, rich land, many times bigger than Portugal, was ruled by a fierce warrior tribe, highly sophisticated and wealthy enough to scorn the trade goods the Portuguese had brought with them for barter with the natives and as presents to their chiefs.
Based on real historical events, Lord of the Kongo is the story of a young Portuguese page and cabin boy, Gil Eanes, whose gift for languages, boundless curiosity, and true grit win him the friendship of Mbemba, one of the two sons of the ManiKongo, the great king.
Sent by his captain on a dangerous journey inland to visit the fabled capital of the Kongo and pay his respects to the king, Gil is stranded when his ship sails without him and survives by his wits in the dangerous world of Kongo court politics, eventually fathering a son by the beautiful Nimi, one of the ManiKongo's princesses, and winning the trust of her brother Mbemba, whose fascination with the written word and with the teachings of Catholicism is already leading him on a remarkable journey that will pit him against his warrior half-brother in a clash for the throne, divide the kingdom into warring factions, and eventually, with the return of the Portuguese in greater numbers, turn Mbemba into King Affonso I, the black Catholic ruler of a Portuguese puppet kingdom, the covert purpose of which is to provide slaves for the newly discovered Portuguese territories in South America.
In the end, Gil's friendship with Mbemba and Mbemba's curiosity about the European world begin the cycle of tragedy that will destroy Gil, his son Kimpasi (who becomes a Portuguese-educated Catholic priest), and everything Gil cherishes about the land that has become his home. This cycle of civil war, dynastic struggle, and undisguised slaving, all played out amid the burning pyres of the Inquisition, will eventually depopulate the Kongo and turn it into the "Heart of Darkness" it became.
Based on real historical events, Lord of the Kongo is the story of a young Portuguese page and cabin boy, Gil Eanes, whose gift for languages, boundless curiosity, and true grit win him the friendship of Mbemba, one of the two sons of the ManiKongo, the great king.
Sent by his captain on a dangerous journey inland to visit the fabled capital of the Kongo and pay his respects to the king, Gil is stranded when his ship sails without him and survives by his wits in the dangerous world of Kongo court politics, eventually fathering a son by the beautiful Nimi, one of the ManiKongo's princesses, and winning the trust of her brother Mbemba, whose fascination with the written word and with the teachings of Catholicism is already leading him on a remarkable journey that will pit him against his warrior half-brother in a clash for the throne, divide the kingdom into warring factions, and eventually, with the return of the Portuguese in greater numbers, turn Mbemba into King Affonso I, the black Catholic ruler of a Portuguese puppet kingdom, the covert purpose of which is to provide slaves for the newly discovered Portuguese territories in South America.
In the end, Gil's friendship with Mbemba and Mbemba's curiosity about the European world begin the cycle of tragedy that will destroy Gil, his son Kimpasi (who becomes a Portuguese-educated Catholic priest), and everything Gil cherishes about the land that has become his home. This cycle of civil war, dynastic struggle, and undisguised slaving, all played out amid the burning pyres of the Inquisition, will eventually depopulate the Kongo and turn it into the "Heart of Darkness" it became.
Subjects
Subjects
Africa -- Discovery and exploration -- Portuguese -- Fiction
Colonies
Discoveries in geography
Discoveries in geography -- Fiction
Discovery and exploration
Friendship
Friendship -- Fiction
Historical fiction
History
Kongo (African people)
Kongo (African people) -- Fiction
Kongo Kingdom -- History -- Fiction
Portugal -- Colonies -- Africa -- Fiction
Portuguese
Race relations
Race relations -- Fiction
Young men
Young men -- Fiction
Colonies
Discoveries in geography
Discoveries in geography -- Fiction
Discovery and exploration
Friendship
Friendship -- Fiction
Historical fiction
History
Kongo (African people)
Kongo (African people) -- Fiction
Kongo Kingdom -- History -- Fiction
Portugal -- Colonies -- Africa -- Fiction
Portuguese
Race relations
Race relations -- Fiction
Young men
Young men -- Fiction
More Details
ISBN:
9780684809519
UPC:
780684809519
Staff View
QR Code
Grouping Information
Grouped Work ID | 9e78b3e3-8d38-a1fb-7ba2-0c4914bbab0d |
---|---|
Grouping Title | lord of the kongo |
Grouping Author | peter forbath |
Grouping Category | book |
Grouping Language | English (eng) |
Last Grouping Update | 2024-12-01 14:58:45PM |
Last Indexed | 2024-12-14 05:22:46AM |
Solr Fields
accelerated_reader_point_value
0
accelerated_reader_reading_level
0
author
Forbath, Peter
author_display
Forbath, Peter
available_at_lacduflambeau
Lac du Flambeau Public Library
detailed_location_lacduflambeau
Lac Du Flambeau Adult Fiction
display_description
A novel on Portugal's 15th Century colonization of the Kingdom of the Kongo in Africa, based on real events. It is told through the eyes of Gil, a sailor-boy stranded when the ship which discovered the kingdom leaves without him. When the Portuguese return years later--spreading slavery and the Inquisition--the adult Gil is torn between friendship to a black prince and duty to his country.
format_category_lacduflambeau
Books
format_lacduflambeau
Book
id
9e78b3e3-8d38-a1fb-7ba2-0c4914bbab0d
isbn
9780684809519
itype_lacduflambeau
BOOK - HARDCOVER
last_indexed
2024-12-14T11:22:46.013Z
lexile_score
-1
literary_form
Fiction
literary_form_full
Fiction
local_callnumber_lacduflambeau
FIC FOR
owning_library_lacduflambeau
Lac du Flambeau Public Library
owning_location_lacduflambeau
Lac du Flambeau Public Library
primary_isbn
9780684809519
primary_upc
780684809519
publishDate
1996
publisher
Simon & Schuster
recordtype
grouped_work
subject_facet
Africa -- Discovery and exploration -- Portuguese -- Fiction
Discoveries in geography -- Fiction
Friendship -- Fiction
Historical fiction
Kongo (African people) -- Fiction
Kongo Kingdom -- History -- Fiction
Portugal -- Colonies -- Africa -- Fiction
Race relations -- Fiction
Young men -- Fiction
Discoveries in geography -- Fiction
Friendship -- Fiction
Historical fiction
Kongo (African people) -- Fiction
Kongo Kingdom -- History -- Fiction
Portugal -- Colonies -- Africa -- Fiction
Race relations -- Fiction
Young men -- Fiction
title_display
Lord of the Kongo : a novel
title_full
Lord of the Kongo : a novel / by Peter Forbath
title_short
Lord of the Kongo
title_sub
a novel
topic_facet
Colonies
Discoveries in geography
Discovery and exploration
Friendship
History
Kongo (African people)
Portuguese
Race relations
Young men
Discoveries in geography
Discovery and exploration
Friendship
History
Kongo (African people)
Portuguese
Race relations
Young men
upc
780684809519
Solr Details Tables
item_details
Bib Id | Item Id | Shelf Location | Call Num | Format | Format Category | Num Copies | Is Order Item | Is eContent | eContent Source | eContent URL | Detailed Status | Last Checkin | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b20342706 | .i32789567 | Lac Du Flambeau Adult Fiction | FIC FOR | 1 | false | false | Available | lffic |
record_details
Bib Id | Format | Format Category | Edition | Language | Publisher | Publication Date | Physical Description | Abridged |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b20342706 | Book | Books | English | Simon & Schuster | [1996] | 510 pages : map ; 24 cm |
scoping_details_lacduflambeau
Bib Id | Item Id | Grouped Status | Status | Locally Owned | Available | Holdable | Bookable | In Library Use Only | Library Owned | Is Home Pick Up Only | Holdable PTypes | Bookable PTypes | Home Pick Up PTypes | Local Url |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ils:.b20342706 | .i32789567 | On Shelf | Available | false | true | true | true | false | true | false | 9999 | 9999 |