Kingdom of Anziku

Kingdom of Anziku, historic African state on and north of the Congo River in the vicinity of Malebo Pool. The Teke people lived on the plateaus of the region from early times. It is not known when they organized as a kingdom, but by 1600 their state was a rival of the Kongo kingdom south of the river. Controlling the lower Congo River and extending northwest to the upper Kouilou-Niari basin, Anziku was situated to dominate inland trade, especially the trade in slaves. Traditional crafts were gradually abandoned in favour of products imported from Europe in exchange for slaves. In 1880 King Iloo signed a treaty with the French colonialist Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, making Anziku a French protectorate. Eleven years later (1891) it became the French (Middle) Congo. Anziku’s historic territory now constitutes the central part of the Republic of the Congo and includes the site of Brazzaville, the national capital.