He succeeded to his brother José I of Kongo without any struggle in April 1785 and was part of the southern faction of the Kanda Kinzala based in Nkondo. He was a king known for his piety and took the pompous title of the powerful Dom Alfonso V, King of Congo, ruler of part of Ethiopia in his letters.[2] It is possible he was poisoned by his successor in order to seize the throne. His sudden death caused a period of turmoil within the nation that would not end until Henrique II took the throne.[3]
^Thorton, John K. (2000). "Mbanza Kongo/Sao Salvador: Kongo's Holy City". In Anderson, David M.; Rathbone, Richard (eds.). Africa's Urban Past. Oxford: James Currey Ltd. p. 75. ISBN978-0-85255-761-7.
Thornton, John K. (2000). "Mbanza Kongo/Sao Salvador: Kongo's Holy City". In Anderson, David M.; Rathbone, Richard (eds.). Africa's Urban Past. Oxford: James Currey Ltd. pp. 73–78. ISBN978-0-85255-761-7.