Álvaro IX of Kongo

Álvaro IX Mpanzu a Ntivila was a ruler of the Kingdom of Kongo during its civil war period. He ruled from June 1669 to 1670.

Pre-Rule

He was the first member of the House of Kimpanzu to become the king since Afonso II was king at the beginning of the civil war period. Afonso II had been forced off the throne by the House of Kinlaza, and had set up Kimpanzu's powerbase in the mountainous Nkondo. Soyo intervened in Kongo again by invasion in 1669 and deposed the Kinlaza king Pedro III who was unsympathetic to Soyo. He fled to Lemba to start continue his reign and to fight against Kimpanzu rule.

Rule and Deposition

The da Silvas, the ruling house of Soyo, were determined to replace the king with a Kimpanzu, as they hoped he would be easier to control, considering the alliance between Soyo and the house. However even amongst the nobles of Kimpanzu were starting to resent the intervention of Soyo in Kongo affairs. In 1670, Álvaro IX was overthrown by Rafael I who preceded him as a more anti-Soyo king, who ended Soyo intervention in the kingdom.