Oba of Benin sends royal present of slaves to São Tomé trading partners

When the Casa da Mina in Lisbon was receiving trading privileges in São Tomé around 1500, the Oba of Benin sent slaves as royal gifts to Portuguese officials and as marks of favour to trading partners. A document records that the Oba presented a slave to Dom Francisco, a baptised Congolese chief, who must have received the gift in São Tomé (24 April 1499). The Oba also made gifts of slaves to officials at São Jorge, including five to Fernão Lopes Corrêa (Captain of the Mina, 1495–9) and three to factor Gil Matoso.