Reasons for the spread of Portuguese influence in the Zambezi valley

• To spread Christianity in the form of the Catholic faith to other countries and in the process,
• Check the spread of Islam which was the official language of the Swahili traders who were considered enemies by the Portuguese who had fought on the side of the Crusaders in the Crusades.
• To mine gold as the Portuguese realised that most of the Gold the received at the coastal ports was coming from the Mutapa State.
• To establish trading feiras.
• To replace the Swahili as trading partners of the Shona people.
• To control trade routes in the interior.
• To find a route to India.
• To acquire African ivory for use in the Indian trade.
• To avenge the death of Gonzalo da Silveira who had been killed by the Shona.
• To obtain land to farm in the form of prazos.
• To advance the imperial yearnings of Portugal.

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