This is the second part in the series about the Benin Empire. It chronicles events about the start of the Empire’s importance, its first contact with Europeans, and what led to the gradual waning of its power, until its eventual demise.
I am sure you will find this a great read.
How did Benin become an empire?
Around 1440, Ewuare became the new Oba of Benin. He built up an army and started winning land. He also rebuilt Benin City and the royal palace.
Oba Ewuare was the first of five great warrior kings. His son Oba Ozolua was believed to have won 200 battles. He was followed by Oba Esigie who expanded his kingdom eastwards to form an empire and won land from the Kingdom of Ife. Ozolua and Esigie both encouraged trade with the Portuguese. They used their wealth from trade to build up a vast army.
The fourth warrior king was Oba Orhogbua. During his reign, the empire reached its largest size. It stretched beyond the River Niger in the east and extended west as far as present-day Ghana.
Oba Ehengbuda was the last of the warrior kings. But he spent most of his reign stopping rebellions led by local chiefs. After his death in 1601, Benin’s empire gradually shrank in size.
How did traders from Europe see Benin?
In the 1480s traders from Portugal arrived in Benin. About a hundred years later, Dutch merchants joined them. Over the next 200 years, merchants from England, France, Germany and Spain all traded with Benin. They returned home with amazing stories.
In the year 1668 a Dutch writer called Olfert Dapper put together some merchants’ descriptions of their travels. This is what the merchants saw in Benin:
Benin City is at least four miles wide. The city has wide, straight roads, lined by houses. The houses are large and handsome with walls made from clay. The people are very friendly and there seems to be no stealing.
Inside the city is the king’s court. It is large and square and surrounded by a wall. The court is divided into many palaces with separate houses and apartments for courtiers. The court has many galleries flanked by wooden pillars. Fixed to these pillars are shining metal plaques showing battle scenes and deeds of courage. The roofs of the palace have pointed turrets and on top of each turret there is a copper bird with outspread wings.The king shows himself just once a year to his people, riding out of his court on horseback. He is beautifully dressed with all sorts of royal ornaments. Three or four hundred noblemen accompany their king, some on horseback and some on foot. And a great number of musicians walk before and behind him, playing merry tunes on all sorts of musical instruments.The king doesn’t ride very far from the court, but soon returns after a little tour. Then he orders some tame leopards that he keeps, to be led about the city in chains.
How did the Kingdom end?
By the 1860s Benin was no longer a powerful empire and the Obas struggled to rule their people. Benin was also under threat from Britain. The British wanted to gain control of Benin, so they could get rich by selling its palm oil and rubber. The Oba tried to stop all contact with Britain, but the British insisted on their right to trade.
In 1897 a group of British officials tried to visit Benin. They were sent away because the Oba was busy with a religious ceremony, but they decided to visit anyway. As they approached the borders of Benin, a group of warriors drove them back, and several British men were killed.
This attack made the British furious. They sent over a thousand soldiers to invade Benin. Benin City was burnt to the ground and the kingdom of Benin became part of the British Empire.
See Also: How Much Do You Know About the GREAT BENIN EMPIRE? (1)
