Such individuals included priests, merchants, and military officers, who enjoyed a monopoly of power, wealth and prestige; all of whom were profoundly committed to the king and nation, and regarded themselves as representatives sent to expand the majesty of Portugal.
[2] At this time, the number of people immigrating to the Zambezi Valley was minimal,[1] due to the harsh weather conditions such as intense heat, prolonged rainfall and fatal diseases that characterized this region.
Throughout the 18th century, the Portuguese population in the Zambezi Valley continued to form unions with the local peoples, which also involved an adoption of culture, ultimately creating a hybrid race.
[2] As one of the first dominant hybrid cultures to exist in this region, the Prazeiros were successful in wielding tangible power in relations with the Europeans and the local indigenous population, acting as the “middle men” in numerous interactions.
As a result, the Prazeiros dominated the ivory trade in the lower Zambezi Valley throughout the 18th century,[1] shooting elephants without regard of local hunting laws, and continued raiding villages for captives to add to their armies.