What Was First Contact Like Between West Africa & Europe?

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[@hometeamhistory806]

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[@jfuturistic9926]

Hi hometown, i have a quick question. What's the best way to contact you to inquire about sponsoring a post on your channel?

[@user-hy4xz1qt9h]

bruh can you go deeper. talk about when west africans were in north and east africa. the nigritae and pharusi

[@gregproefrock4114]

I think this is a very well done piece of education. A meaningful theme, compelling argument, concise, pleasant on the eyes and ears. Keep it up, Home Team.

[@herobrinesblog]

Im from Portugal and i have some history background so i can help out a bit, because obviously people asked "ok but why did the Pope think us portuguese wouldnt give weapons to africans?" Three things: -the iberian peninsula was still in a Reconquista mindset, so anti non-christian sentiments were high, even if spain was the one attacking with the remaining muslims, many portuguese soldiers, specially nobles, wanted to continue the reconquista further, participating in the campaign against granada. In fact, our first incursion into africa was against the morroccans, and we very much spouted reconquista/crusade like propaganda. -we were adamant about furthering christianity and reaching india, a mythical african king and fighting islam everywhere it sprouted. Altho our first incursions only focused on north africa, as soon as we stablished there the noblemen and the royal family dreamed bigger and wanted to eventually meet prestre joão, stablish a christian alliance against the ottoman empires, reach india for spices, become rich overall and spread the catholic faith. This mindset was prevalent in Portugal because, unlike the rest of europe, which was entering the initial stages of anti pope sentiment and absolutism, portugal still held to a "pope > king" mentality, and rellied on the church for a lot of govt positions. This subjugation to the papacy continues way beyond the reformation btw -last and not least, our desires to reach new lands spoken about in myths (true or not) or greek maps and legends (prestre joao, rich lands in india that are obviously exageration, Mansa Musa's wealth which they knew about, a backdoor into the ottoman empire, etc) and our proximity to the atlantic, and our north african holdings, meant we had to develop naval technology quickly, hence why our naval charts and ships developed faster than other european powers (caravels, naus, etc). Resuming: the pope knew we were still continuing the reconquista, but abroad, the pope knew we were very much its pet, the pope knew we had plans for attack islam around the world and explore it to make more money, we had the technology. Hence the choice of us as the prime candidates.

[@habibturay9930]

Why aren't you guys continuing the Recounquista. As a West African, I beg you to continue. The Mohammedans are doing to us what they did to your ancestors. Ps my father's family is Muslim. I'm not. Catholic 4 Life. I love Christ, Pope and Church.

[@GrandEmporer]

@@habibturay9930 you are pathetic.

[@habibturay9930]

@@GrandEmporer God bless you Sir.

[@grapeshot]

Yep because the Romans launched several Expeditions into west and central Africa. One that went to today's Lake Chad. Which of course is much larger 2000 years ago. The Romans called it the lake of the hippopotamus and rhinoceroses.

[@admirekashiri9879]

Indeed, after their first attempts to raid, they got slaughtered and had to change approach. There is no way they would have been able to dominate the entire region of West Africa like some people assume without advanced weaponry and medicine. Yet somehow, some Eurocentrics assume the trade and power play was all in the Europeans' court.

[@SuburbanPookie]

Once they got guns they came back. Jealous of the civilizations and resources

[@spiffygonzales5160]

@@SuburbanPookie Lemme guess, totally not a black supremacist right? You just happen to look at the entire history of Africa as one big happy dance with a few issues till the evil white man came in and ruined it right?

[@SuburbanPookie]

@@spiffygonzales5160 truth hurts. Europe needed Africa. Africa never needed Europe.

[@mrdean171]

@@SuburbanPookie Jealousy has nothing to do with it. It was simple conquest. Conquering neighbors was normal before modern times.

[@SuburbanPookie]

@@mrdean171 so why all the suppression of true history of African civilizations??

[@jimferry6539]

If you look at Cliff palace in the mesa Verde and compare it to the Bandiagara Cliff dwellings in Mali from the exact same period you will find they both look identical! Just something I have been researching recently

[@barbararigney2039]

Ty home team for this information and all you do but really would like you to do longer videos they're very interesting and learning about our people. Love this history lesson never knew about this because they never taught us this in history classes.

[@kernijaharris9466]

Great content king 🔥🇯🇲🔥🇯🇲

[@jordanwilliams3768]

a video that debunks many of the various myths and misconceptions of africa would be really cool just a suggestion though after all it is your channel

[@Kikongolessons]

Keep up the good work bro 👍

[@nicholasbennett5161]

Thanks!

[@KRIMZONMEKANISM]

8:35 As a portuguese, I take that "medieval portuguese propaganda" sentence with a grain of salt. At least in my school days (the 2000's), when being taught about this specific time period, which is included as a part of "Os Descobrimentos" ("The Discoveries"), we weren't taught that Portugal came to "enlighten", or "rule" the people with which we traded. We talked mostly about the trade itself, and the businesses we conducted. What were the things we desired mostly, and what the others wanted for it. How it shaped us, and how it shaped those people. The Congo is a brilliant example of this, as it arguably the African regionwith which Portugal traded the most with, and the Ruler of Congo enjoyed the trade with Portgual so much that he converted to Christianity, learned portuguese, and changed his name to literally the Portuguese King of that time (D. João II). Was it all sunshine and rainbows though? Of course not. But look into history long enough and you will be comforted that all races and cultures are much the same.

[@TheQuincyEdwards]

I guess it depends on how far back in history one wants to go.

[@matthewmann8969]

Western Europe should be separated in the view from Eastern Europe by Non Europeans just like how people separate North Africa from Sub Saharan Africa yeah.

[@lerneanlion]

If some African rulers are well aware of the potential threat of the European powers, why don't they try to learn to manufacture their own guns and cannons? Sure, when ships and trains powered by steam engines arrived, it will be a lot harder. But if they have their own sources of manufacturing guns and cannons without relying on the rivalry between the European powers, they can definitely stand on their own against the aggressive expansion by the European powers that will come later.

[@mrdean171]

It wasn't like today where you can just setup a factory and get some blueprints. Making gunpowder weapons back then was a highly skilled trade of artisans and engineers who made guns and cannons by hand. That's not an industry you can just copy. It takes generations of building a talent pool to do it. If I'm not mistaken some Africans did take up the practice up but it wasn't as intense as it was in Europe.

[@brenden1139]

Asia also had a lot of trouble with industrial development as well. By the 1800s , pretty much the whole world was still in the Middle Ages accecpt for western Europe and a few others.

[@rafailmelig2650]

Gunpower weapons originated from china not europe

[@geni412]

@@mrdean171Europeans didn’t try the country that gave them the gun powder because they would’ve smoked their asses.

[@mrdean171]

@@geni412 They did though lol. China was never directly conquered but they were bullied into submission by the European powers. The Chinese call it the "century of humiliation".

[@yddub111]

also relevant , is that around 1400 and 1500 the Portuguese and the Spanish, world powers at the time, split the world in half between them(from their views) and this influences politics back at their home nations. the japanese went through a history with them that was in many ways similar

[@josiahwashington2530]

A lot of people forget that unfortunately

[@JcoleMc]

The united Forces of the rest of the World could little prejudice them; so numerous are the Armies alone of the King of Marocco and Fez; besides those of the Arabians, the bands of the Turks in the Kingdoms of Tunis, Algiers, Tripoly, and Egypt, the usual Army of the King of Neguz (ethopia) , and the incredible numbers of the King of Angola, seeming sufficient to make Africa invincible - John leo

[@thevisitor1012]

I wonder if these west African nobles and traders ever got curious on how Europe looked like? It'd be cool if there was a story where one of them took a trip to Europe to look around.

[@antslb]

One Uolof Prince did embark on a trip to gain military patronage from Portugal on his claim to the throne, he was received by the King of Portugal, i also believe ee was baptized, and sent home with a considerable amount of portuguese troops, but eventually they grown warry of him, and slayed by the pretext of treason.

[@thevisitor1012]

@@antslb By Uolof you meant Jolof right? Any chance you could get his name? A sad story regardless.

[@antslb]

@@thevisitor1012 On October 13th 1488 their official convoy arrived in Portugal, most precisely Setúbal (near Lisbon) The Wolof (Buomi) Prince was Dielen Ndiaye, son of (Bourba) King Diolof Biram Ndieme Euler Ndiaye. We was received like a head of state by the portuguese King João II, and was even baptized having the King and Queen as godparents, for instance even the whitness was the future King, Manuel I. Dielen Ndiaye was even knighted, and 20 more members of his group were baptized (Dielen was baptized as João Bedoim). He got backing of the portuguese King who supplied 20 caravelas (portuguese ships) with back to the Wolof territory. As i have mentioned, the portuguese grew suspicious during the expedition and ultimately Dielen Ndiaye was killed by the commanding portuguese officer Pero Vaz de Cunha, that claimed treaserous acts.

[@thevisitor1012]

@@antslb Thanks. We're did you find this information, I can't find it anywhere on the web. Regardless I can see why some black africans/afrocentrists are very cautious around whites after hearing about tragic historical betrayals such as this one.

[@antslb]

@@thevisitor1012 it is on a paper "a presença negra em Setúbal" - "black presence in setúbal" from a academic (Ana Alcântara)

[@TimSerras]

The Portuguese only used force whenever they were attacked. First historical chronicles state how Portuguese sailors had to withdraw because they were sprayed on by poisonous arrows off the Mauritanian coast. Their objective was to trade and not conquer. How could a few dozen men pretend to invade and conquer a territory so far away from home ? Africans tend to demonise early Portuguese explorers. They, the Portuguese, were few, very few, from a poor country, yet adventurous and brave. They were seeking what everybody in this world, even today, seeks. Wealth and a better life. Some were good, others bad. They made mistakes, but you have to admit that their effort to reach India and on the way make some bucks is only human. Even to an African.

[@TryfifiiKalii]

❤️❤️❤️

[@antoniodefreitas2957]

The first contact with Africa was the Portuguese late 1300's when they defeated and conquered from the Arabs the enclave of Ceuta, in the Mediterranean, north of Africa. Yes, the Portuguese learn very quick when they got defeated in some parts of Africa. Therefore, to date, when one joins the Portuguese military, they are told time and time again: “Do not ever under estimate your enemy ever.” They master the way of "conquer" by using "diplomacy" and created alliances in order to remain on the endeavors. One must realize that the Portuguese population at the time was only about 1million…!

[@richardmeyer1837]

2:06

[@teahgosman8923]

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[@MrMetro-mt5qv]

So… the Romans in there conflicts with Carthaginians never came in contact with any West Africans?

[@AskiatheGreat64]

Hanno the Navigator lead an expedition to Central Africa in modern Cameroon in around the 6th century BCE, so the Cathaginians probably did encountered with Central Africans or maybe West Africans.

[@ptolemeeselenion1542]

@@AskiatheGreat64 Hanno was not an European. Besides, he entered in contact with some of the locals on the western coast of Africa, but after a certain point he stopped because he and his expedition team grew afraid they might get unalived by the few hostile locals they encountered or nearly met, the further they went west and south. It is alleged that he never entered in contact with any of the Pygmy, Nilo-Sudanese/Ife Culture natives, and Proto-Bantus that could have lived nearby the region of "Mons Olympus" (Mt Cameroon) in Northern Cameroon, although he attempted to enter contact with the former group of people and brought one Pygmy man back to Carthage, captured a few gorillas (whom the Greek translation of Hanno's expeditation named "troglodytes") and brought a few of them into the Punic peninsula.

[@admirekashiri9879]

Likely did. The Etruscans minted a coin, which had an elephant and a black man's face who may have been West African. According to research the coin is from the period of the Second Punic War (“Hannibal’s War”, 218-201 BCE) attributed to the Chiana Valley, which is in the territory of the city of Arretium in the northeastern corner of Etruria. Some scholars claim in relation to this coin that it was made as a provocative seditious by the city of Arretium, which was in a state of high tension with Rome between 209 and 208 B.C. They claim it was made in the hope for the arrival of Hasdrubal (Hannibal's brother) from Spain with reinforcements. Now, if the scholar who made this theory is correct or on the right lines, then clearly black people of West African origin weren't unheard of to Romans. Still I wonder who that Black man and elephant was? Where Black soldiers or elephant riders a symbol of the strength of Carthage? We many never know unfortunately.

[@admirekashiri9879]

Plus, keep in mind Romans later after Carthage sent expeditions into Wesr Africa documenting some of the states and people they saw. Ancient Roman coins i believe have been found in Gao.

[@admirekashiri9879]

The Cornelius Balbus and Suetonius Paulinus expeditions went to.west Africa. Some scholars believe they reached the Songhai city of Gao, like i said Roman coins have need found there.. Then a Central African expeditions namely the Flaccus expedition where the Romans documented finding a land near the lake Chad area, described as a "land of Ethiopes" aka land of Blacks, they documented the civilization which ruled this region called Agisymba. This civilization was likely the same civilization known as Sao which goes back to the 6th Century B.C this was the antecedent which led up to the medieval Kanem Bornu Empire. Then another expedition which went deeper into Agisymba was the Matiernus expedition. This expedition went as far as the modern day Central African Republic nation.

[@jozwoz99]

Beautifully produced. On the other hand, I don't think your understanding of the Papal Bull is entirely accurate. It arose as a compromise to prevent Spain and Portugal from fighting each other. Other Catholic countries ignored it and indeed Catholic countries tended generally to ignore the Pope when he gave political directions (many, especially in Italy even directly fought against armies of the Papal States while remaining good Catholics theologically). Apart from proximity, Portuguese were more probably the first Europeans to have sustained and significant contact because they pioneered navigation and advanced ship building in Europe.

[@veronicalogotheti5416]

They were making business

[@MidwestMixtapesTV2]

Occupation or Colonies......it's all the same

[@Speedofdark339]

So japan, thailand, mongolia, Arabia, etc has been colonised?

[@croixfadas]

In fact west african (from the north an south) came to europe before ant european came to africa.

[@programking655]

No they didn’t, unless you’re talking about 100,000 years ago in the hunter-gatherer stage of humanity

[@croixfadas]

@@programking655 No iam talking about the Almoravid.

[@lalliloli331]

Wouldn't the first encounters happen on the Iberian peninsula (if not in the context of roman or carthaginese empires)? The portuguese should have been at least a little familiar with southern societies and cultures. Then again europeans never were that open minded or perceptive to think about history during our expansive economic and cultural endevours. Great video, as always 🧡👍

[@user-hy4xz1qt9h]

exactly...

[@mrdean171]

He's probably speaking of sub-saharan Africa in particular. North Africa is on the Mediterranean and has always had high levels of trade with Europeans so there isn't really a first contact to speak of.

[@user-hy4xz1qt9h]

@@mrdean171 but west africans werent always in west africa

[@73elephants]

I thought you were going to describe the actual first encounter, and the persons involved, but you did none of that. 😢

[@barbararigney2039]

I like your videos but they are all so short can you ever do a hour long video or live stream young man ❤️

[@johnbhughes3419]

The Roman's came to West Africa well before the Portuguese.

[@ryan7864]

Maybe merchants... but not in great force.

[@calebrobirds3002]

Sub saharan Africans werent traveling the world like the great europeans there is no comparison

[@Speedofdark339]

They kind of were though?.

[@marcusbullock2753]

So who are the Portuguese exactly compared to Africans.

[@sprolo7513]

Portuguese are Portuguese and Africans are Africans

[@Runitup84]

We’re there blacks here before slavery?

[@AskiatheGreat64]

I'm suggesting you are referring to the Americas? Well, in 1311, one of Mansa Musa's predecessors named Abubakari Keita II lead a fleet in the Atlantic Ocean in 1311.

[@jamaaldaynitelong8367]

​@@AskiatheGreat64 What is your opinion on that theory? I'm skeptical but open to anything you have.

[@yangasidziya3245]

@@AskiatheGreat64 I heard that they did arrive in the america's and some even mated with the native Americans

[@AskiatheGreat64]

@@yangasidziya3245 Interesting.

[@AngryAndNegativeHistoryProject]

I have a video on African slavery before America, but I'll be doing a video on some of the first Africans in America soon

[@barbararigney2039]

I wonder if all of the African nations serve The Most High Elohim HalleluYah or the white jesus the European nation taught them and do they except us Americans African's don't they know we are the descendent of Shem?

[@epiceducation867]

The Aksumites were the actually the first to make the worship of the most high Elohim their state religion

[@abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwyxz102]

Éthiopia was Christian long before the mercenaries.

[@omayemigatling4112]

Good content bro. But in 2023 we understand that the concept of " Sub-Saharan " Africans is racially loaded and historical, anthropologically, and geographically inaccurate and incorrect. The people classified as " Sub-Saharan " were at a point in recent time also saharan and north African. Let's always go for clarity when discussing African history because there is an entire world of propaganda that's designed to misrepresented and slander BLACK people of African descent.

[@sharonkaczorowski8690]

I am struggling with Wakanda. So, instead of the West doing it’s usual imperialist thing and undermining the government, economy, etc, of Wakanda, victims of genocide, driven to profound paranoia, become a magical people, who, reflecting the mythology born of fear so common among oppressors, intend to destroy the world. Conveniently these people are non-Western. Making them blue or giving their brown leader winged feet does not make that any less true. They are clearly indigenous. The real paranoia in the film is the ever present fear an oppressed, “primitive people” will exact a terrible revenge in their oppressors. I could go on from here, but will stop. Convenient to make them of Hispanic descent when the usual suspects are foaming at the mouth about Hispanic people destroying the good ole USA. Same old racism, different target.