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ENCYCLOPAEDIA of Rebellions

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Soldiers mutiny in Luanda 1694

Synopsis
In 1694, a civil war in Kongo disrupted the supply of libongos—a specific type of cloth used as currency in Angola. This scarcity led to inflation and significantly impacted the slave trade. To address the shortage, Angola’s governors sought to introduce a metallic currency in the colony. Accordingly, in October 1694, Governor Gonçalo Costa de Menezes paid the soldiers of Angola in copper coins instead of libongos, fixing their wages at 200 réis instead of the usual 700 réis. However, a new governor, Henrique Jaques de Magalhães, arrived from Lisbon in early November with additional copper coins. Realizing that 200 réis in copper was not equivalent in value to 700 réis in libongos, the soldiers in Luanda rebelled. They seized weapons from the city's storehouses and demanded to be paid the full 700 réis, regardless of the currency used. They also called for the removal of the ouvidor (chief judicial officer). Under pressure from the town council, the governor agreed to raise their wages to 500 réis and ordered the ouvidor to leave on the next ship to Lisbon. However, by the end of the month, the troops revolted again—this time directly aiming their weapons at the Governor’s Palace. They insisted on receiving the full 700 réis, arguing that the governor had enough copper coins in reserve to meet their demands. The following day, the governor summoned the leaders of the mutiny under the pretense of negotiations. Instead, ten of them were arrested, and five were sentenced to death.
Additional info

Starting date: . Ending: . Duration: 21 days. Name in sources: Revolta da infantaria de Luanda; Motim do cobre. Location: Luanda Country (current): Angola. Monarchy: Portuguese. Main participants: Soldiers. Number of participants: unknown. Main reasons & motivations: Economic, Military issues. Leadership: Unknown. Relevance: low.

Further reading
DELGADO, Ralph (1973). História de Angola. Luanda: Banco de Angola, vol. 4, 161-168. MAGRO, Francisco (2003). “A moeda nova e a revolta da infantaria de Luanda em 1694”. Anais: Academia Portuguesa da História, II série, 41, 97-109. PUNTONI, Pedro (2024). “Zimbos e Libongos: a moeda na Capitania Geral do Reino de Angola (1570-1648)”. Afro-Ásia, 69, 8-53.
Cite this entry

Ribeiro, Ana Sofia (2023). "Soldiers mutiny in Luanda 1694", in J. V. Serrão and M. S. Cunha (coord), Encyclopaedia of Rebellions in the Early Modern Iberian World. https://mappingrebellions.com/revolt/soldiers-mutiny-in-luanda-1694/ (accessed on 12 March 2026).