 Brazzaville was founded by the French colonial empire upon an existing indigenous Bateke settlement called Ncuna, as part of the Scramble for Africa.The Italian-born explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, granted French citizenship in 1874, officially founded the settlement which commemorates his name on 10 September 1880.The local King, Makoko of the Téké, signed a treaty of protection with de Brazza which subjugated his lands to the French Empire.