Benin was ruled by france between 1904 and 1960 and french is still. Pupils will use atlases to find out where the kingdom of benin used to be located. Benin kingdom was destroyed when british forces invaded in 1897. With few written sources, what we know about benin kingdom comes mostly from either artefacts and monuments that archaeologists have discovered or the rich heritage of oral tradition that still exists among the people of nigeria today. The kingdom of benin, home of the edospeaking peoples, is located in the tropical rain forest region of what is now nigeria. Why we must document benin historical facts, culture. Because these traditions are followed in the modern city of benin, it is still possible to recognise many of the scenes. The history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad. Kingdom of benin writing exercises student handouts. Benin was once a great african kingdom, but it was transformed into the largest supplier of humans for the slave trade. The beninife connection it is during the preparation for his coronation that the future oba chooses the title or name he is to be known as at his coronation. Not benin city, but the settlement of udo situated on the way from ife to benin could well be the first capital of the country, that is the seat of the founder of the ogiso. What is the difference between tribes and kingdoms.
Some modern historians say that the great oduduwa was a fugitive from the muslims of. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity. More than 40 different ethnic groups have settled in benin throughout its history. Often recruited as teenagers, the women soldiers lived in the royal palace, isolated from society. Apr 12, 2018 beninthe esogban of benin kingdom, chief david edebiri, has stressed the need for proper documentation of benin history and culture so that people he described as mischievous, would not distort. Population movements in form of migration are a dominant thread that runs through the history of precolonial benin kingdom. The administration of benin kingdom rests on the shoulders of three powerful groups. The kingdom of benin in west africa internet archive. Though it deals with the past, this article is not historical in the sense that we are not going to.
Here is the history of benin kingdom, edo state nigeria. When european merchant ships began to visit west africa from the 15th century onwards, benin came to control the trade between the inland peoples and the europeans on the coast. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate. When european merchant ships began to visit west africa from the 15th century onwards, benin came to control the trade between the. A brief history the kingdom of benin was established in 40bc and was at its height and glory between the 14th and the 16th centuries. Traditional government in benin kingdom kingdom of benin. He is believed to be the father of the principal rulers of the yoruba land, the father of oranrniyan who was the father of eweka i of benin and who was also the founder and the first alaafin of oyo kingdom ife traditional history says oduduwa descended from heaven in a like manner to the edo account.
Then they will set this period into the wider context of british and world history and make their own timelines. The kingdom of benin s capital was edo, now known as benin city in edo state. An oba, or king, and his court have, from around 0 c. Kobla dotse published in 2011 xxxx publications disclaimer the material we present here is provided to you mainly for educational and information purposes only. Learn about the ancient kingdom of benin, where was it a when did it begin.
At the height of the slave trade, tens of thousands of people. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Those who want a traitor to rule over them should kindly go and form their kingdom. The force cowrie for an emerging benin fcbe, a coalition of parties, closely linked to president yayi, won a plurality of the seats in the national assembly, providing the president with considerable influence over the legislative agenda. Apr 25, 2017 the eweka dynasty took over with thirtyfive successive obas, the last of whose misfortune it was to face the colonialist onslaught of british imperialism in 1897. According to egharevba the terri torial extent of the benin empire was markedly enlarged under ewuare the great. There is a possibility that the kings, or at least something of the royal family, move to pachoras and refound the kingdom as nobatia. Bondarenko the benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity 47 words, we concentrate on the sociopolitical system of the benin kingdom one of the most socially and politically sophisticated polities all over precolonial africa. The origin and settling down of the edo introductory of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in c on. Space does not permit a more detailed account of either the oyo or. Project muse contesting the history of benin kingdom.
Wealthy businessman and political novice patrice talon was elected to a fiveyear presidential term in 2016 on a cleangovernment platform. Other ethnic groups include bariba, fula fulani, ottamari, and lukpa. At as today the benin is one of the most recognise and well known city of edo state. Ife, which flourished between the 11th and 15th centuries, emerged as a major power in the forested areas west of the niger and south of edo pendant maskedo pendant mask of the queen. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what is now southern nigeria. We can get an idea of the kingdoms grandeur and accomplishments from the bronze plaques commissioned by the kings obas to commemorate and record achievements during their reign. Yoruba and benin kingdoms edo nation history and culture.
According to belief, the local edo chiefs tired of fighting among themselves and decided to invite the ife chief, oduduwa, to become their leader. Because benin kingdom belongs to no one else but the oba of benin since 2000 years till date. Pdf ancient african civilizations span the course of several millennia, in time, and a large expanse of lands stretching from the nile valley a c. Pdf of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in contemporary european literature. The adja ethnic group makes up 15% of the general country population. The pdf file contains the full lesson plan and two pupil activity sheets. Chief egharevba has left generations factaminute historical compendium of benin kingdom and southern nigeria that is sown like a thread in a garment. Benin, officially the republic of benin and formerly dahomey, is a country in west africa. He sent his son, who had a child, eweka, by the daughter of a local chief. Instead, they are talking about an area of land that was known in the past as benin kingdom but is now a part of modern day nigeria. Precolonial benin kingdom not to be confused with benin, kingdom of benin is an area of nigeria, benin city in that region. Benin arose as a citystate in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid1400s.
Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western african forest region fl. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of. Contesting the history of benin kingdom article pdf available in research in african literatures 3. What came to be known as the benin kingdom did not being its existence as a. Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. In particular, we hope to trace the general sociopolitical trajec tory of benin kingdom from the. When people refer to benin kingdom they do not mean the modern day country of benin in west africa. Although benin kingdom began to develop during the period 9000 ce, it reached its height during the later years of 01700 ce. Sep 07, 2012 the benin ife connection it is during the preparation for his coronation that the future oba chooses the title or name he is to be known as at his coronation. The history of the kingdom of benin from african historical. Currently found in the nation of nigeria not the modernday country of benin, the kingdom was centred on the city of benin, and dates back to some of the earliest ogiso kings some 2000 years ago.
Presents the history and culture of the kingdom which 500 years ago outshone all others on africas west coast and which is now part of nigeria. Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval african kingdoms called dahomey. How do we know about periods of history without primary written sources. Primarily made of cast bronze and carved ivory, benin art was produced mainly for the court of the oba of benin a divine ruler for whom the craftsmen produced a range of ceremonially significant objects. April 2020 march 2020 january 2020 june 2016 december 2015 december 2014 november 2014 september 2014 may 2014 april 2014 march 2014 february 2014 january 2014 december 20 november 20 october 20 september 20 august 20. The women soldiers of dahomey elite troops of women soldiers, probably established in the early eighteenth century, contributed to the military power of the kingdom of dahomey in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The statement credited to oba erediauwa omonoba uku akpolokpolo, that the yoruba race originated from benin kingdom, was very rich in details and calls for. The origins and brief history of the ewe people narrated by dr. Kingdom of benin writing exercises free printable worksheet for world history scroll down to print pdf african civilizations writing exercises on the kingdom of benin. Europeans began arriving in the area in the 18th century, as the kingdom of dahomey was expanding its territory.
Benin is named after the body of water on which it lies the bight of benin. The kingdom of benin began in the 900s when the edo people settled in the rainforests of west africa. Jun 20, 2015 this lesson invites pupils to discover how the kingdom of benin was born when a group of rainforest villages joined together as a conglomerate. Space does not permit a more detailed account of either the oyo or the benin empire, nor of the other yoruba states includ. On this article we want to go back to history how bening came into existence, just read on if you have interest in know benin history. The portuguese arrived in the area in the 15th century, which marked the fall of one of africas most powerful territories. The largest ethnic group in benin is fondahomey which constitutes 39% of the total population. Revised for 2016, this book contains essential historical information and activities on kingdom of benin study of non european society which contrasts with british history. This lesson invites pupils to discover how the kingdom of benin was born when a group of rainforest villages joined together as a conglomerate. All smithsonian museums and smithsonian libraries locations continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of covid19.
The rise and fall of a mighty forest kingdom roese, peter m. Beninthe esogban of benin kingdom, chief david edebiri, has stressed the need for proper documentation of benin history and culture so that people he. Lets learn more about it with these 43 important facts. African history benin bronze plaques benin bronzes kingdom of benin primary history west africa history. How and where this is done began with the arrival from ileife of prince oranmiyan, the son of oduduwa of uhe, about 1170 years ago according to modem historians. The portuguese established contact with benin in the 15th century, and the kingdom became famous for its bronze works a derivative form of the ife heads and the mightiness of its rulers. The yoruba people of the southeast spread westwards from nigeria during the 12th century, while the fon and aja people in the southwest originally came from togo. A reconsideration of the ifebenin relationship1 the journal of. The benin british wars clash of two empires military might of benin empire west africa. In a history of africa that can at times be difficult to uncover, one kingdom that stands out is that of the asante or ashanti. Eventually they form small tribal states in what is now ghana, and possibly even the empire of old. A short history of benin 3rd edition by jacob egharevba. One of the continents most impressive kingdoms, it was built on slaves and gold. Queen mother pendant mask iyoba edo peoples benin plaques at the british museum.
Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. Iron technology the use of iron and development of its technology in benin kingdom. Kingdoms of africa ghana ashante the history files. The bariba and fula in the northeast arrived from mali in the 16th century. In the benin kingdom the obas kings power is less than in centuries past, but the ideas. Why we must document benin historical facts, culture esogban. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the enter key is pressed. When the son of the deposed king revived the benin monarchy in 1914, now under british rule, he did his best to restore the palace and continue the ancient.
Benin art is the art from the kingdom of benin or edo empire 14401897, a precolonial african state located in what is now known as the southsouth region of nigeria. Within the kingdom, specialized artists belonged to guilds with hereditary membership and worked solely for the oba. In addition, numerous small states to the west and south of lake chad were absorbed or displaced. Jun 07, 2017 the history of benin as a unified kingdom is believed to have begun in the 12th or th centuries ad. The history of benin kingdom cannot be accredited to one oba that rules the kingdom but a collection of different obas who at different times strengthened the kingdom through unparalled leadership style. The benin kingdom 19 centuries as a megacommunity. Most of the people within the benin empire were edo, and they were ruled over by a monarch, who held the title of oba roughly equivalent to king. The kingdom of benin, also known as the benin kingdom, was a precolonial kingdom in what. These early states included the yoruba kingdoms, the edo kingdom of benin, the hausa cities, and nupe. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on a regular and asneeded basis.
The slave trade, depopulation and human sacrifice in benin history. In addition the akan people who have according to tradition migrated into the region from west africa are claimed to migrate west again upon the fall of kush. Benin held legislative elections on march 31, 2007, for the 83 seats in the national assembly. By the 1400s they had created a wealthy kingdom with a powerful ruler, known as the oba. It is not to be confused with benin, the postcolonial nation state. Pupils will learn about some of the ways that the early kingdom protected itself so well and will research the famous benin moat. The portuguese, the french, and the dutch established trading posts along the coast portonovo, ouidah, cotonou, and traded weapons for.