Timeline (The Kongo Shall not Perish)

This is the overall timeline for this page I have made.

1490s
Joao I of Kongo not only gets Baptized in 1491, but purchases the recipe for gunpowder, purchases horses to make a cavalry force, and orders his court and nobility to adopt European attire. He also embarks on campaign to expand his Kingdom, using new technologies acquired from the explorers to subjugate several surrounding tribes. He tells his people to embrace this new way of life, as they need to make sure to catch up with the very advanced explorers. He also swears to the Portuguese that they may not expand anymore close to his borders, claiming it rights to large amounts of unconquered lands.

1500s
The hand cannons have slightly improved. Joao orders a European-Style palace be built as the royal residence. The cavalry force expands. A notable feature of this city was how canoes were beginning to be superseded by primitive and crude small copies of European vessels. This would begin the roots of his empire getting a standing navy. Meanwhile, a tribal revolt occurred in Bandundu, which got crushed due to the horses and guns. Many supporters of the rebellion were enslaved, but also Children from the supporters family were kidnapped, and a Janissary type force was raised. These would become the elite guards of the King later on and elite shock troops. Joao I died, but by the time he died, he had doubled the Kingdom's size.

1510s
Seeing setting up Coastal Cities as an opportunity to create trading posts with Europe, King Alfonso I colonizes the coast all the way up to parts OTL Cameroon, where he sets up trading posts to trade with European nations. Seeing steel as too hard to attain in large number, he begins mining for Iron, giving his elite troops iron lamellar armor, while giving his regulars leather armor. By now, a large percentage of the populace has begun speaking Portugese. He sets up a city called Joaoville, named in the late Kings honor, on the coast of Central Kongo to trade with the Europeans. It starts out as small trading outpost

1520s
Joaoville has expanded heavily, being a prosperous city with European architecture. Portugese intellectuals share their knowledge and records with the Kongo, creating a cultural renaissance. Alfonso orders the citizens to become educated in the Latin alphabet, and sets up many schools in the Kongo. By now, the cavalry force has heavily expanded, and the Hand Cannons have developed into aquebuses thanks to European trade. However, a new threat emerges, many European powers are setting their eyes on the Kongo, wanting to claim it as their own. King Alfonso is aware that European armies are far superior, and has to come up with a plan in order for his nation to survive. He decides to set up a city in the OTL Kasai Occidental region, as a way to keep the Kongolese monarchy surviving in case the coastal regions are seized. He also orders his people to prepare for a coming invasion.

1530s
Alfonso has multiple offers to become a Portugese Protectorate, and he refuses every single one of them, fearing that his nation will lose it's independence. He creates a standing army of 100,000 men, designed to confront any army the Europeans may try to raise to invade his nation. He is aware of several weaknesses. His nation lacks the sufficient funding to produce steel plate armor, heavy Cannons, and several other advantages. So, he decides to train his army in the art of Guerrilla Warfare, as well as deciding that his light cavalry will be no match for european heavy cavalry, so he decides to turn his cavalry into a ranged force. His cavalry will be equipped with Arquebuses. For a temporary time, expansion stops. The threat will soon fall upon the Kingdom of Kongo.