The earlier successes of the African kingdom were thus not repeated.

This was a region of powerful and rich African kingdoms.

There were few accounts of coastal African kingdoms at that time.

And it wasn't long until the Europeans discovered this African kingdom.

Another European power had been thrashed by an African kingdom.

This is the first account of a West African kingdom made directly by an eyewitness, the others are usually at second hand.

Other documents include descriptions of African kingdoms, writings by slaves and early slavery laws.

Historians have widely debated the nature of the relationship between these African kingdoms and the European traders.

Last week, it was reported that the tiny southern African kingdom has failed to pay more than $10m (£6.3m) in grants to Aids orphans.

Swazi police said yesterday they had seized illegal drugs worth more than $4.3 million, the biggest haul ever made in this tiny southern African kingdom.