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Afonso II of Kongo

1472 – 1561

Manikongo of Kongo 1561

Sovereign Traditional leader or chief
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About Afonso II of Kongo

Lived 1472 – 1561 (aged 88–89). Afonso II of Kongo was a sovereign and traditional leader or chief.

Afonso II was a ruler of the Kingdom of Kongo in 1561.

Biography Little is known about Afonso II or his reign. Duarte Lopes told Filippo Pigafetta the Italian humanist who composed a description of Kongo in 1591 that Diogo I's succession was disputed by three pretenders, His son, who few favored was immediately killed, and a second person was elected favored by the majority of the people, but the Portuguese in the capital murdered him, while the party of the second king murdered the Portuguese favorite and then set out a general massacre of Portuguese. However, contemporary records support a different course of events, the first elected king, Afonso II, ruled only a few days, though he had Portuguese support and was overthrown as being illegitimate by Bernardo.

No contemporary sources mention Afonso II by name, perhaps because his reign was so short, but his name appeared on a list of kings written by Antonio da Silva, a Kongo historian who served as Duke of Mbamba in 1617.

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Important facts

Born
1472, M'banza-Kongo
Birth century
Died
1561, M'banza-Kongo
Positions held
Manikongo

People in Afonso II of Kongo's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Afonso II of Kongo's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Afonso II of Kongo?

Manikongo of Kongo 1561

When was Afonso II of Kongo born?

Afonso II of Kongo was born in 1472 in M'banza-Kongo.

When did Afonso II of Kongo die?

Afonso II of Kongo died in 1561 in M'banza-Kongo.

What was Afonso II of Kongo's occupation?

Afonso II of Kongo was a sovereign and traditional leader or chief.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Afonso II of Kongo

· Wikidata: Q2839850

· DBpedia: Afonso II of Kongo

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Afonso II of Kongo. https://biography.guide/afonso-ii-of-kongo/

MLA: "Afonso II of Kongo." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/afonso-ii-of-kongo/.

Chicago: "Afonso II of Kongo." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/afonso-ii-of-kongo/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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