As king of the Kongo state in west-central Africa, Mbemba encountered some problems. The power of the Mbemba monarchy is visible in the complications that arose when the Portuguese abused the Congolese slave market. In the Letters to the King of Portugal Mbemba writes "the merchants take our natives every day, children of the land and children of our nobles and vassals and our relatives, because thieves and men of bad conscience seize them wanting to have things and goods of this Kingdom for which they are ambitious." (P.80) Mbemba loses much of his slave trade market due to involvement with the Portuguese. Mbemba was baptized and converted to Christianity by Portuguese explorers. Having ties to another country only proved detrimental to Mbemba's slave trade. As a result Mbemba was unable to prosper economically. The Portuguese didn't give much consideration to how their tactics were affecting Mbemba. Just like an older brother who takes priority over his little brother's toy and then tells his proverbial parent (king of Portugal), Mzemba missed the trade market and sent a letter of compensation to the king of Portugal. Mbemba's cry for help exemplifies his slave's lack of economic strength