| Bernardo I | |
|---|---|
| Mwene Kongo | |
 Bernardo I of Kongo | |
| King of Kongo | |
| Reign | 1561 to 1567 |
| Predecessor | Afonso II |
| Successor | Henrique I |
| Dynasty | Lukeni kanda |
Bernardo I of Kongo (died 1567) was a 16th-century manikongo (ruler) of the Kingdom of Kongo, a region encompassing areas in 21st-century Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He came to power after murdering his half-brother Afonso II who was less well-disposed toward the Portuguese.
The rule of Bernardo I extended from 1561 to 1567. [1] Jan Vansina wrote that he was killed while fighting the Tio Kingdom, [2] although Roland Oliver wrote that he was killed fighting the Yaka on Kongo's eastern frontier. [3] The Yaka, who were referred to as Jagas by the Essikongo and the Portuguese, would invade and nearly conquer Kongo in 1568.
