Glossary
African Elites
Individuals from the ruling or wealthy classes of African societies who traveled to European cities for purposes such as diplomacy, education, or religious pilgrimages.
Example:
Some African Elites journeyed to places like Rome or Valencia to learn European languages and customs, fostering unique cultural exchanges.
Afro-Portuguese Society
The multicultural social structure that emerged in Portugal, particularly in its port cities, characterized by the presence and interaction of people of African and Portuguese descent, both free and enslaved.
Example:
The Afro-Portuguese Society depicted in artworks like Chafariz d'El-Rey challenges simplistic views of European-African interactions, showing a complex urban environment.
Atlantic Islands
Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, such as Cabo Verde and São Tomé, colonized by Portugal in the mid-15th century, which became early sites for large-scale plantation agriculture using enslaved African labor.
Example:
The Atlantic Islands proved ideal for cultivating cash crops like sugarcane, leading to an intense demand for enslaved labor that foreshadowed the transatlantic slave trade.
Atlantic Slave Trade
The forced transportation of millions of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic Ocean to the Americas by European powers from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
Example:
The Atlantic Slave Trade fundamentally reshaped the demographics and economies of Africa, Europe, and the Americas, leaving a lasting legacy of racial inequality.
Chafariz d'El-Rey
A 16th-century artwork depicting Afro-Portuguese society in Lisbon, serving as a primary source that illustrates the multicultural nature of Portugal's capital during the Age of Exploration.
Example:
Analyzing Chafariz d'El-Rey allows historians to understand the diverse roles and social interactions of enslaved Africans, free Black residents, and Europeans in urban settings.
Enslaved African Labor
The forced, unpaid work performed by Africans who were captured, transported, and subjected to brutal conditions, forming the economic backbone of Portuguese and later other European colonial enterprises.
Example:
The reliance on Enslaved African Labor was central to the economic success of sugar plantations in Brazil, driving the demand for the transatlantic slave trade.
Iberian Cities
Major port cities on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), such as Lisbon and Seville, that became significant hubs for trade and saw a growing presence of diverse African populations during the Age of Exploration.
Example:
In the 16th century, Iberian Cities like Lisbon became bustling centers where African merchants, diplomats, and enslaved individuals lived and worked, contributing to the urban fabric.
Kingdom of Benin
A prominent West African kingdom known for its sophisticated art, centralized political structure, and early trade interactions with European powers, including Portugal.
Example:
The Kingdom of Benin controlled a vast territory and its brass plaques are famous examples of the artistic and cultural achievements of pre-colonial West Africa, even as it engaged in trade with Europeans.
Kingdom of Kongo
A powerful West African kingdom that engaged in significant trade and diplomatic relations with Portugal during the 15th and 16th centuries, experiencing both wealth and the negative impacts of the slave trade.
Example:
The rulers of the Kingdom of Kongo initially welcomed Portuguese traders, hoping to gain access to European goods and military support, but later struggled with the escalating demand for enslaved people.
Plantation Agriculture
A system of farming characterized by large-scale production of cash crops (e.g., sugar, cotton, indigo) for export, heavily reliant on coerced labor, particularly enslaved Africans.
Example:
The profitability of Plantation Agriculture on the Portuguese Atlantic islands demonstrated a model that European powers would widely adopt in their American colonies.
Portuguese Colonization
The process by which Portugal established control over territories, particularly Atlantic islands like Cabo Verde and São Tomé, and later parts of the Americas, often relying on enslaved African labor.
Example:
Early Portuguese Colonization of Atlantic islands served as a crucial testing ground for the plantation system that would later be replicated on a massive scale in the Americas.
West African-Portuguese Trade
The commercial exchange that developed between West African kingdoms and Portugal primarily in the late 15th century, involving goods, gold, and increasingly, enslaved people.
Example:
The West African-Portuguese Trade marked a significant shift in global commerce, bypassing traditional trans-Saharan routes and connecting African economies directly with European markets.