“Treatise on the Rivers of Cuama” by Antonio da Conceicao (Fontes Historiae Africanae)

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Description

This volume publishes probably the most important early Portuguese accounts of east central Africa.

The creator, António da Conceição, used to be the ecclesiastical administrator of the Portuguese Zambesi settlements at the end of the seventeenth century. He set out to describe the Portuguese community in the valley and in the gold-bearing regions of the high veldt. In doing so he commented in detail on the African kingdoms of the region and their relations with the Portuguese. He witnessed the upward thrust of a powerful new African dynasty in the area of modern Zimbabwe, that of Changamira, and he described the destruction of the Portuguese fairs and settlements throughout the wars which followed.

Prior to the wars of the 1690s the Portuguese had gave the impression to be the dominant influence during much of the region of modern Zimbabwe, but their position used to be more fragile than it looked. Conceição points to weaknesses in the commercial structure of the Portuguese settlements and to the difficult relations which existed with traditional African authorities. He also mounted a wide-ranging critique of the missionary policy of the Dominicans which had concentrated on achieving the nominal conversion of members of the ruling Monomotapa dynasty.

This account, written by a highly intelligent and well-informed cleric, is very important for understanding the history of central Africa at a period of radical change. It is now to be had for the first time to an English in addition to a Portuguese readership.

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