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Definition
Kingdom of Luba
The Kingdom of Luba, located in central Africa, thrived from the 15th to 19th century CE and was the first such state in the Congo basin. Skills in ironworking and trade along the Lualaba river in such metals as copper permitted the Luba...
Definition
Kingdom of Kongo
The Kingdom of Kongo (14-19th century CE) was located on the western coast of central Africa in modern-day DR of Congo and Angola. Prospering on the regional trade of copper, ivory, and slaves along the Congo River, the kingdom's wealth was...
Interview
Interview: The First Black Archaeologist: A Life of John Wesley Gilbert by John Lee
John Lee joins World History Encyclopedia to tell us all about his new book, The First Black Archaeologist: A Life of John Wesley Gilbert. Kelly (WHE): Thank you so much for joining me! Let us start by talking about what the book is about...
Collection
Great African Kingdoms
This collection presents a small sampling of the many great African kingdoms that rose and fell from the ancient period when Punt traded with Egypt up through the common era. Each kingdom developed a distinct culture and corresponding art...
Image
Map of Niger River
The Niger River is the most important river in West Africa, and is the third longest river in Africa after the Nile River and Congo River. Known for its distinctive "boomerang" shape, the Niger River flows from the Guinea Highlands to the...
Image
Africa after The Treaty of Versailles, c.1920
A map illustrating the geopolitical situation in Africa after World War I - the continent still under European colonial domination, with only a few areas having gained independence or achieved limited autonomy. Although many African soldiers...
Video
Global Expansion & Resistance: Crash Course
In 19th Century CE Europe, with nation building well under way, thoughts turned outward, toward empire. This week, we're looking at how Europeans expanded into Africa, Asia, and Oceania during the 1800s. You'll learn about China and the Opium...
Image
The Abbey of Monte Casino
The abbey of Monte Casino, illustration by Francesco Cassiano De Silva from Giovanni Battista Pacichelli's Il regno di Napoli in prospettiva, Naples, 1703.
Definition
Alexandra David-Néel
Alexandra David-Néel (l. 1868-1969) was a world traveler, writer, and Buddhist spiritualist who wrote over 30 books on her journeys which took her 18,641.136 miles (30,000 km) around the world on foot or by various conveyances. Her works...
Article
Ten Notorious Dutch Pirates
While there have been pirates and privateers of all nationalities, some Dutch mariners were particularly troublesome in the early modern period, targeting, in particular, the Spanish Main but also shipping in the eastern Atlantic and the...