The Kingdom of Kongo was a major power in west-central Africa for over five centuries. From its founding around 1390, it grew into a sophisticated state with a centralized government, complex shell-based currency, and vibrant trade networks. Its encounter with Portuguese explorers in 1483 led King Nzinga a Nkuwu and his successor, Afonso I, to adopt Catholicism, integrating it into Kongolese society. Afonso I, a fervent Christian, sought a partnership of equals with Portugal, requesting missiona