The kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful kingdom in West Africa; its present day location is the country of Benin. The history of this kingdom begins from the 17th to the 19th century, in particular from the 1600s until recently in 1960. In the 18th century, the kingdom broke away from the kingdom of Oyo and strengthened its power by developing the transatlantic slave trade.
Foundation of the Empire
Many oral traditions speaking of the creation of the Dahomey kingdom, state that the Yoruba populations during the 16th century migrated from the Ketou region to the south and west of Nigeria. The latter would have settled near the Mono River. They split into two tribal groups. The Ewe who took the direction of the West corresponding to the current Togo and the Fon who set up their bases in the East.
The Fons were subdivided into three distinct kingdoms, the Allada in 1600, then after intense wars of succession, the kingdoms of Abomey and Adjatché were born. It is the kingdom of Abomey which is transformed into Dahomey and dominates the other kingdoms including the Yoroubas during the wars of conquest. The Kingdom of Dahomey was therefore born in the 1600s under the leadership of the 3rd King of Abomey.
Heyday of Dahomey
In 1718, Agadja son of Houegbadja acceded to the throne and began to expand the territory. In this enterprise, he succeeded in taking Allada in 1724 and Whydah in 1727. The kingdom acquired considerable regional notoriety. The kingdom of Oyo challenged that of Dahomey and between 1728 and 1740, the two territories fought merciless wars. Finally, Dahomey surrenders to the authority of the Oyo Empire.
In the 17th century, the prosperity of the kingdom was established through the sale of slaves. King Tegbessou, who governed the kingdom in the 1750s, sold just over 9,000 slaves. It is estimated that the profits made are four or five times higher than the income of wealthy landowners in England. The kingdom of Oyo, in order to protect its slave trade, orders Dahomey to stop its own. What the latter will do but momentarily.
King Ghézo, who came to power after perpetrating a coup against his brother Adandozan, succeeded in defeating the kingdom of Oyo in 1823. Having reigned until 1858, Ghezo expanded the kingdom even more through slavery trade with his busines partner, the Brazilian Francisco Félix de Sousa.
In addition, the kingdom is a huge cultural breeding ground. Local artists manifest themselves in particular through the representation of scenes of life in the form of clay reliefs. But they also excel in the manufacture of statuettes, applied clothing, tapestries, frescoes and also paintings. Militarily the empire is well structured with a strong army whose most attractive feature is its female warriors. They were called the Amazons.
Before falling under colonial administration, the kingdom of Dahomey had 14 kings in 300 years. Among which a Queen, which was rare at that time. Indeed, Queen Hangbè ruled Dahomey from 1708 to 1711, i.e. only 3 years, the shortest reign of this empire.
Fall of Dahomey
The city of Abeokuta, whose main goal was to protect its inhabitants against the Dahomean attacks, emerged. We are in the 1850s. In addition to this initial mission, this city is also used to apply the naval blockade initiated by the British in 1851 and 1852. This naval blockade was put in place to end the slave trade. King Ghézo complied but tried to revive this trade towards the end of his reign without succes.
Between 1870 and 1880, France fully controlled the coastal area and even succeeded in transforming the port of Cotonou into a protectorate with the approval of King Glélé. The Westerners, namely the Portuguese, the English, the Germans and the French are fighting over the control of this region. It is a French, Disnematin-Dorat, a lieutenant-colonel of marine infantry who becomes the first foreign resident of Dahomey with the cities of Porto-Novo, Cotonou and Popos.
King Behanzin took the reins of Dahomey in 1889 and decided to overthrow France. He begins by denying the act of concession of Cotonou to France then raids on the French protectorates. France’s response is bloody. The latter triggeres the first and second Dahomey wars between 1890 and 1894. Benhanzin was captured and deported. To better serve their interests, the French installed Agoli-Agbo in power. Because of the rebellion, France dissolved the kingdom which changed to a French colony in 1894. The kingdom, under the name of the Republic of Dahomey, acquires its independence in 1960; it is rename to Republic of Benin in 1990.
