Navigating Among Slaves. The Spanish Capuchins in the Kingdom of the Congo: Faith and Diplomacy ; Navegando entre esclavos. Los Capuchinos españoles en el Reino del Congo: fe y diplomacia

Africa’s connection with Europe and America as of the sixteenth century cannot be understood without reference to the Atlantic Slave Trade. The trade was the backbone of the wide-ranging relations and interests that were created at the time. The role of the missionaries, aside from their pastoral work, was increasingly important in the articulation of the networks of influence and pressure, as in the slave trade, that was the principal matter that moved interests on either side of the Atlantic. The Spanish Capuchin missions in the Congo fit within this context. They began in 1645 and ended in 1658. Portugal had become independent but had not yet been recognized by the Holy See nor the Spanish government, so they fell officially within the jurisdictions of the Spanish monarch, although for the Portuguese authorities they were an intrusion in their sovereignty and their spheres areas of influence. Portuguese hostility to the presence of the Spanish missionaries constituted a source of continuous problems and conflicts. These disagreements would end after the defeat of the Kingdom of the Congo in 1665, which would block the entry of more Spanish Capuchins to western central Africa. ; La conexión de África a partir del siglo XVI con Europa y América no se puede entender sin el tráfico de esclavos a través del Atlántico. Fue el eje que vertebró las amplias relaciones e intereses que se produjeron. El papel que jugaron los misioneros fue cada vez más destacado en la articulación de las redes de influencia y de presión, al margen de su labor pastoral, además de la trata de esclavos que era el principal asunto que movía los intereses a ambos lados del Atlántico. Las misiones capuchinas españolas en el Congo se encuadran en este contexto, comenzaron en 1645 y acabaron en 1658, Portugal se había independizado, pero no había sido aún reconocida por la Santa Sede ni por el gobierno de España, así que la jurisdicción recaía oficialmente en el monarca español, para las autoridades lusas era una intromisión en su soberanía y ...