As king of Kongo State in central West Africa, Mbemba encountered some problems. The power of Mbemba's monarchy is visible in the complications that arose when the Portuguese abused the Kongolese slave markets. In the Letters to the King of Portugal, Mbemba writes: "the merchants take every day our natives, the sons of the land and the sons of our nobles and vassals and our parents, because thieves and men of bad conscience catch them by wanting to have the things and merchandise of this Kingdom of which they are ambitious. (P.80) Mbemba loses a large part of his slave trade market because of his involvement with the Portuguese. Mbemba was baptized and converted to a Christian by Portuguese explorers. Having ties to another country proved detrimental to Mbemba's slave trade. As a result, Mbemba was unable to prosper economically. The Portuguese did not care much about how their tactics affected Mbemba. Just like an older brother taking priority over a younger brother's toy and then talking to his proverbial parent (the King of Portugal), Mzemba lost the trade deal and sent a letter of reparation to the King of Portugal. Mbemba's cry for help illustrates his slave's lack of economic strength