kingdom · Central and Southern Africa
Kingdom of Loango
Origins
Loango emerged among the Vili north of the Congo River, probably by the 15th century, and by the mid-16th century had shaken off any dependence on the Kingdom of Kongo. Its king, the Maloango, ruled from Mbanza Loango (Buali) near Loango Bay, the kingdom's main harbour.
Rule and society
The Maloango was a sacred ruler chosen from princes of the royal matrilineage, assisted by ministers responsible for trade, war and the coast. Loango exported fine raffia cloth, used as currency in the region, together with copper from the Mindouli mines, ivory and dyewood. From the 17th century Dutch, English and French ships bought slaves at Loango Bay in large numbers.
Decline and legacy
The end of the slave trade and long interregnums left the crown weak in the 19th century. In 1883 the coast came under French protection, and the area became part of the French Congo. The Maloango title survives as a traditional office.
Lineage
On the connections map
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- Kingdom of Loango was a protectorate of French Congo1883 CE
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Cite this page
- APA
- The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Loango. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-loango
- MLA
- “Kingdom of Loango.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-loango. Accessed .
- Chicago
- The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Loango.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-loango.
- Harvard
- The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Loango’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-loango (Accessed: ).
Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻