Battle of Kitombo

Battle of Kitombo
	Part of Kongo Civil War
Date	18 October 1670
Location	Kitombo, Angola
Result	Soyo Victory
Belligerents
Kongo states of Soyo and Ngoyo	Portuguese Empire Portuguese West Africa;
Commanders and leaders
Count Estêvão Da Silva	Commander João Soares de Almeida †
Strength
Unknown number of musketeers,; heavy infantry and bowmen; 4 Dutch light field pieces	Unknown number of irregular bowmen; Unknown number of auxiliary Imbangala; 400–500 Portuguese musketeers; 4 light cannons and a detachment of cavalry
Casualties and losses
	Unknown but very heavy, including João Soares de Almeida

The Battle of Kitombo was a military engagement between forces of the BaKongo state of Soyo, formerly a province of the Kingdom of Kongo, and the Portuguese colony of Angola on 18 October 1670. Earlier in the year a Portuguese expeditionary force had invaded Soyo with the intention of ending its independent existence. The Soyo were supported by the Kingdom of Ngoyo, which provided men and equipment, and by the Dutch, who provide guns, light cannon and ammunition. The combined Soyo-Ngoyo force was led by Estêvão Da Silva, and the Portuguese by João Soares de Almeida. Both commanders were killed in the battle, which resulted in a decisive victory for Soyo. Few, if any, of the invaders escaped death or capture.