Abstract
Based on baptismal parish records, this paper analyses the relative market share between slave traders in Luanda from 1798 to 1804. In the context of high Atlantic demand for slaves, the baptism of cabeças (term used to refer to adult slaves destined for sale) show that the market was at the same time open and concentrated. Alongside many small-scale merchants, that sold a few slaves at a time, an extremely reduced number of large-scale traders dominated the trade in people. However, this select group of nearly monopolistic traders was heterogeneous, since it was composed of different kinds of people, including vessel captains, members of the Luanda elite and men from other parts of the Portuguese monarchy (Brazil and Portugal). The conclusion reached is that the intense participation of different social groups in the business meant that the market for captives had wide political, moral and social support.
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