The Anziku Kingdom, also called the Teke Kingdom, the Tyo Kingdom or Tio Kingdom, was a pre-colonial West Central African state of modern

Republic of Congo The Republic of the Congo (french: République du Congo, ln, Republíki ya Kongó), also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply either Congo or the Congo, is a country located in the western coast of Central Africa to the w ...

Gabon Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the nort ...

and

Democratic Republic of Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

Origins

The word Anziku comes from the KiKongo phrase "Anziku Nziku" meaning "to run" referring to inhabitants who leave the interior to protect the border. The term was applied most famously to the

Bateke The Teke people or Bateke, also known as the Tyo or Tio, are a Bantu Central African ethnic group that speak the Teke languages and that mainly inhabit the south, north, and center of the Republic of the Congo, the west of the Democratic Republi ...

, which is why the state is sometimes called the kingdom of Teke or Tiyo. Other groups within the Anziku included the Bampunu and Banzabi. In the early 17th century, the Anziku population controlled the copper mines around Kongo's northeast border and may have been there specifically as a buffer. When the Anziku groups consolidated to form their own independent kingdom, Kongo proceeded to take over the mines personally. This process was complete by the 1620s. There was, however, fighting between the two states over the region throughout the 17th century.

Geography

The kingdom was centered on the

Congo River The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharg ...

around the

Pool Malebo The Pool Malebo, formerly Stanley Pool, also known as Mpumbu, Lake Nkunda or Lake Nkuna by local indigenous people in pre-colonial times, is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River.

. It also controlled land directly north of that placing closer to the interior of its better known contemporaries such as Kongo and Loango. The BaTeke people, who dominated the kingdom, lived on the plateaus of the region from early times. By 1600, Anziku controlled the lower

and extended northwest to the upper Kouilou-Niari basin.

Government

The kingdom was ruled by a king called a ''makoko''. This led to the state sometimes being labeled "Great Makoko" on European maps. The capital was called Monsol. According to the account of one of the few visitors, the makoko ruled over 13 vassal kings.

Economy

The Anziku kingdom manufactured and sold fabrics made of leaves, which doubled as currency throughout the region. Their position closer to the interior also made ivory accessible. Along with these products, the Anziku sold

slaves Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

which they brought to the coast in return for cowries,

salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from th ...

linen Linen () is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant. Linen is very strong, absorbent, and dries faster than cotton. Because of these properties, linen is comfortable to wear in hot weather and is valued for use in garments. It also ...

and

glass Glass is a non- crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenchin ...

. The area was also rich in metals particularly

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pink ...

. This led to conflict between Anziku and its southern neighbor Kongo.

Customs

The BaTeke and other Anziku groups practiced

facial scarification A facial is a family of skin care treatments for the face, including steam, exfoliation (physical and chemical), extraction, creams, lotions, facial masks, peels, and massage. They are normally performed in beauty salons, but are also a comm ...

. The people were also notable for elaborate dress and hairstyles including ornamented braids. Commoners of both sexes usually went bare chested, but those with money were covered "head to foot" according to European accounts. Nobles wore robes of silk imported from the coast.

Warfare

The Anzikus may have begun as a military class protecting the BaKongo border. They were famed as excellent warriors and courageous. They specialized in archery with poison arrows. In close combat, they relied on battle axes. No mention of shields occurs as with most peoples in this region with the exception of Kongo.

Colonization

The kingdom of Anziku survived well into the 19th century. This is likely in no little part due to its relative isolation from coastal powers. The

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

, from whom much of our information about Anziku derives, convinced the kingdom to become a vassal in return for protection. In 1880, the last independent Anziku king Makoko signed a treaty of vassalage with the French naval officer

Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza Pietro Paolo Savorgnan di Brazzà, later known as Pierre Paul François Camille Savorgnan de Brazza; 26 January 1852 – 14 September 1905), was an Italian-born, naturalized French explorer. With his family's financial help, he explored the Ogoou ...

. The kingdom continued under French protection producing a line of kings that continues to this very day.

Fiction

At times the Anzikus have been described, probably falsely, as cannibals in the works of European authors. It was claimed that whole markets were dedicated to the sale of human flesh for consumption. A notable example is H. P. Lovecraft's

The Picture in the House "The Picture in the House" is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written on December 12, 1920, and first published in the July issue of ''The National Amateur''

References

*Volavkova, Zdenka. "Crown and Ritual: The Royal Insignia of Ngoyo". University of Toronto Publishing. 1998 *Malte-Brun, Conrad. "Universal Geography: Or, A Description of the World, on a New Plan, According to the Great Natural Divisions of the World". J. Laval, 1829. *{{cite book, last=Vansina, first=Jan, authorlink=Jan Vansina, title=The Tio Kingdom of the Middle Congo, 1880-1892., date=1973, publisher=Oxford University Press for the International African Institute, location=London, isbn=9780429941399