Soyo was a coastal province of the Kingdom of Kongo. Thanks to its location, it played an important role in the contacts between the Kingdom and Europe. Consequently, European influences were more extensive there than in other parts of the country. Capuchins founded their permanent post in Soyo in 1645. After many battles and skirmishes with Kongolese forces, Soyo became, in practical terms, an independent polity in the 1640s. The political elite created their own ideology of power, comprising Christian and traditional local elements. It underlined Soyo identity and separateness achieved thanks to the overcoming of the Kongolese forces.