36 Facts About Ashanti Empire

1.

In 1701, the Ashanti Empire army conquered Denkyira, giving the Ashanti Empire access to the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean coastal trade with Europeans, notably the Dutch.

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2.

The economy of the Ashanti Empire was mainly based on the trade of gold and agricultural exports as well as Slave Trading, craft work and trade with markets up North.

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3.

The Ashanti Empire fought several wars with neighboring kingdoms and lesser organized groups such as the Fante.

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4.

The Ashanti defeated the British Empire's invasions in the first two of the four Anglo-Ashanti Wars, killing British army general Sir Charles MacCarthy and keeping his skull as a gold-rimmed drinking cup in 1824.

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5.

Today, the Ashanti Empire Kingdom survives as a constitutionally protected, sub-national traditional state in union with the Republic of Ghana.

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6.

The Ashanti Empire Kingdom is the home to Lake Bosumtwi, Ghana's only natural lake.

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7.

Variant name "Ashanti Empire" comes from British reports transcribing "Asante" as the British heard it pronounced, as-hanti.

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8.

The hyphenation was dropped and the name Ashanti Empire remained, with various spellings including Ashantee common into the early 20th century.

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9.

The Ashanti Empire became tributaries of another Akan state, Denkyira but in the mid-17th century the Oyoko under Chief Oti Akenten started consolidating the Ashanti Empire clans into a loose confederation against the Denkyira.

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10.

Every metropolitan Ashanti Empire state was headed by the Amanhene or paramount chief.

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11.

Kings of the Ashanti Empire who violated any of the oaths taken during his or her enstoolment, were destooled by Kingmakers.

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12.

The southern part of the Ashanti Empire was covered with moist semi-deciduous forest whilst the Guinea savanna covered the northern part of the state.

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13.

Soils in Ashanti were mainly of two types; forest ochrosols in the southern part of Ashanti whilst the savanna ochrosols were confined to northern part of the empire.

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14.

Predominant fauna or food rich wildlife and animal species encountered in the Ashanti Empire were the hen, sheep, goat, duck, turkey, rabbit, guinea fowl, fish, and the porcupine which became the national emblem of the state, as well as about thirty multipurpose flora species of trees and shrubs and over thirty-five ornamental plants which beautified the environs of Ashanti.

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15.

Opoku Ware I who succeeded Osei Tutu, led the integration of Akan states such as Tekyiman, Akyem and Kwahu into Ashanti Empire after embarking on wars of conquest between 1720 to 1750.

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16.

From 1730 to 1770, the Ashanti Empire expanded north into the Savannah states of Gonja, Dagbon and Krakye.

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17.

Lands within the Ashanti Empire Kingdom were rich in river-gold, cocoa and kola nuts, and the Ashanti Empire were soon trading with the Portuguese at coastal fort Sao Jorge da Mina, later Elmina, and with the Hausa states.

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18.

The Ashanti Empire Kingdom was one of the most centralised states in sub-Saharan Africa.

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19.

The Ashanti Empire Kingdom had dense populations, allowing the creation of substantial urban centres.

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20.

The Ashanti Empire controlled over 250, 000 square kilometers while ruling approximately 3 million people.

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21.

The Ashanti Empire built mausoleums which housed the tombs of several Ashanti leaders.

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22.

These are, perhaps, more significant when considering that the Ashanti Empire had numerous troops from conquered or incorporated peoples, and faced a number of revolts and rebellions from these peoples over its long history.

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23.

The Ashanti army was described as a fiercely organized one whose king could "bring 200, 000 men into the field and whose warriors were evidently not cowed by Snider rifles and 7-pounder guns"While actual forces deployed in the field were less than potential strength, tens of thousands of soldiers were usually available to serve the needs of the empire.

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24.

From 1806 until 1896, the Ashanti Empire state was in a perpetual state of war involving expansion or defense of its domain.

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25.

In 1806, the Ashanti Empire pursued two rebel leaders through Fante territory to the coast.

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26.

In 1814 the Ashanti Empire launched an invasion of the Gold Coast, largely to gain access to European traders.

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27.

The Ashanti Empire was established from the midlands down to the coast.

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28.

The Ashanti Empire defeated this, killed MacCarthy, took his head for a trophy and swept on to the coast.

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29.

The Ashanti Empire were so successful in subsequent fighting that in 1826 they again moved on the coast.

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30.

The Ashanti Empire were stopped about 15 kilometres north of Accra by a British led force.

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31.

In 1895, the Ashanti Empire turned down an unofficial offer to become a British protectorate.

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32.

Education in the Ashanti Empire Kingdom was conducted by Asante and imported scholars and Ashanti Empire people would often attend schools in Europe for their higher education.

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33.

Greatest and most frequent ceremonies of the Ashanti Empire recalled the spirits of departed rulers with an offering of food and drink, asking their favor for the common good, called the Adae.

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34.

The Ashanti Empire was the largest slaveowning and slave trading state in the territory of today's Ghana during the Atlantic slave trade.

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35.

The Ashanti Empire believed that slaves would follow their masters into the afterlife.

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36.

Some Ashanti Empire men felt more comfortable taking a slave girl or pawn wife in marriage, as she would have no abusua to intercede on her behalf when the couple argued.

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