diplomatic relationship between European and African nations

diplomatic relationship between European and African nations

The fourteenth-century marked the diplomatic relationship between European and African nations, which later transformed into different types of trades. During the opening of the Atlantic, the chief trade between the two cultures was the slave trade, which facilitated the coerced human movement from Africa to Europe.

• The introduction of luxurious crops such as sugarcane on the west coast in the fourteenth century
• Letters from King Afonso to King Joao
• The explanation of slavery in England
• Introduction of slaves in Europe

As the Europeans continued to explore the Atlantic Ocean, they came to the west coast of Africa, where they realized that most of the people did not inhabit the islands. They invaded but faced fierce resistance from the groups (TNPAE 4). Eventually, they managed to invade and began to plant luxurious crops like sugarcane in the Cape Verde Islands. This move allowed them to access slave and immediately started to ship Africans from the west coast to Europe. They gained power and recognition because the slave trade was among the factors that determined the Atlantic economy at the time. As the demand for luxurious crops also increased, the Portuguese had to move further inwards, towards Benin and Congo. This shift increased the demand for slaves, and in 1444, the Europeans began purchasing slaves from Africa (TNPAE 5).

The letters from the King of Congo to king Joao illustrate the concern about the new mode of trade and commodities. In 1526, King Afonso of Congo wrote to the king of Portugal, Joao, concerning the increased illicit trade in Congo (Johnson 16). The Portuguese merchants took control of the market and began selling items like guns, which the authority did not permit. As King Afonso mentions, the nature of the trade had persisted to the extent that the merchants were taking children, families, and selling them to other rich countries. Indeed, the action of these Portuguese was the slave trade, and this marked the beginning of the business. King Joao’s response shows uncertainty because he is in a dilemma of what could happen next. He was aware of the benefits of trade, as well as the consequences that may result (Johnson 19). The fact that the slave trade persisted to the nineteenth century depicts what his response was.

The other article explains the situation of different classes of people in England. The author mentions how the country treats its poor men, laborers, and other less privileged people in the society, such as shoemakers and tailors. By explaining, the article notes that it cannot outline how to treat slaves because the country has none. The mentioning of the terms shows that slavery was prevalent at the time, 1577, in other European countries. The article further mentions that enslavement is ungodly, and the part of England, will, therefore, not act as the Germans did. According to the area and its rules, they would not accept slavery, and if a slave appears in their jurisdiction, then they would give them freedom. Slavery is not profitable because slaves are not friends to their masters and would do anything or even hurt them (DEE 9).

Before the complete opening of the transatlantic route, most Europeans and Africans were explorers. Each visited the other continent, mostly for religious reasons and to spread Christianity. As the Atlantic Ocean route opened, the Europeans increased their visits to Africa and opted to replace the whites and olives with black ones. The African slaves continued to grow with the conquest of the Ottoman Empire and the need to increase agricultural production. By the sixteenth century, Northrup explains that more than eighty percent of the slaves were Africans. The demand for slaves necessitated the Portuguese to get more from sub- Saharan Africa (7). By the end of the same century, ten percent of the European population were slaves. Hence, the development and opening of the Atlantic Ocean route facilitated the slave trade from Africa.

Feudalism was a common ruling strategy among the nobles of Europe, which combined the aspects of the military, economy, and governance. It was common during the medieval epoch but persistent to the fifteenth century. The primary elements of this period were the rich withholding land and the poor paying for it in terms of labor or military services. Primarily, the three major parties of the rule were the serfs, knights, and the Lords. As the leaders, the lords did nothing except in owning the land. While the knights protected the city, that is offering military services, the serfs worked on the farm and contributed to the region’s wealth. Typically, the serfs had the most challenging task, and most historians compare it to African slavery. This mode of living and governance influenced Europeans culture, and even with the introduction of the coinage, they opted for slavery to facilitate their economic activities.

The lives of the serfs were stressful. Mortality was high both in children and adults, with most women dying during childbirth. The lack of quality drugs, poor sanitation, and quality of food resulted in numerous diseases and deaths. Besides, Europe had terrible weather, and most individuals only had two garments and, therefore, only bathed during spring. Crop cultivation was not practical because of diseases and insect infestation. Sometimes, people would starve to death or relocate to other places. The lifestyle of the African slaves was not new but reflected the serfs.

Feudalism resulted in classical power because the ownership and control of land units gave the lord some power and authority. Notably, people would inherit the land units resulting in a permanent class between the rich and the less privileged. Even if one died without an heir, the land would go back to the monarchs perpetuating a divide between those who rent and owners. Land ownership resulted in constant cases and litigations, and there was a lack of impartiality between the lords and the heirs. Sometimes, monarchs insisted on active military participation, and this was detrimental during war times. The system entirely declined in the fifteenth century, probably because of the coinage.

Since this aspect came before African slavery, it significantly shaped the continent’s economy, culture, and how they would handle slaves. The serfs were more like slavery and had defined roles as working on firms. They would only earn freedom after services and others received after the introduction of the coinage system, where they bought freedom. The Europeans shifted this system to Africans, and it was easy for them to manage because it had happened before. Africans worked on farms and had miserable lives, like the serfs. They could not make personal developments and depended on their masters for everything. Importantly, the system ended with the introduction of the monetary policy, which facilitated trade across the Atlantic. The Europeans began to develop economically and now purchased African slaves.