25 Facts About Benin Empire

1.

Kingdom of Benin, known as the Edo Kingdom, or the Benin Empire was a kingdom within what is southwestern Nigeria.

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2.

The Kingdom of Benin Empire's capital was Edo, now known as Benin Empire City in Edo State, Nigeria.

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3.

The Benin Empire Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa".

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4.

Benin Empire died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son.

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5.

Benin Empire arranged for his son born to him by Erinmwinde, Eweka, to be made king in his place, and returned to Yorubaland thereafter.

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6.

Benin Empire gave them charmed seeds known as "omo ayo" to play with, saying that to do so will make him talk.

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7.

Benin Empire City sprang up by around 1000, in a forest that could be easily defended.

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8.

The rainforest, which Benin Empire City is situated in, helped in the development of the city because of its vast resources – fish from rivers and creeks, animals to hunt, leaves for roofing, plants for medicine, ivory for carving and trading, and wood for boat building – that could be exploited.

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9.

The Walls of Benin Empire are a series of earthworks made up of banks and ditches, called ya in the Edo language in the area around present-day Benin Empire City, the capital of present-day Edo, Nigeria.

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10.

Benin Empire, which is 80 leagues [sic] long by 40 leagues [sic] broad, is always at war with its neighbours from whom it obtains captives, whom we buy at from 12 to 15 brass or copper manillas.

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11.

Benin Empire Walls were partially demolished by the British in 1897 during their 1897 punitive expedition.

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12.

Kingdom of Benin Empire gained political strength and ascendancy over much of what is mid-western Nigeria.

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13.

Benin Empire's wealth grew through its extensive trade, especially with the Portuguese.

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14.

Monarchy of Benin Empire was hereditary; the eldest son was to become the new Oba.

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15.

Thirteen years after Ewuare's death, tales of Benin Empire's splendors lured more Portuguese traders to the city gates.

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16.

At its height, Benin Empire dominated trade along the entire coastline from the Western Niger Delta, through Lagos to the kingdom of Great Accra.

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17.

Benin Empire ruled over the tribes of the Niger Delta including the Western Igbo, Ijaw, Itshekiri, Ika, Isoko and Urhobo amongst others.

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18.

Inhabitants of the Benin Empire are in general a kind and polite people, of whom one with kindness might get everything he desires.

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19.

Benin Empire's tactics were well organized, with preliminary plans weighed by the Oba and his sub-commanders.

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20.

Benin Empire temporarily declined after 1700 after a civil war, then partially recovered later in that century, only to decline in the late 19th century.

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21.

Benin Empire's economy was previously thriving in the early to mid 19th century with the development of the trade in palm oil, and the continuation of the trade in textiles, ivory and other resources.

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22.

In spite of this, the kingdom maintained its independence and was not visited by another representative of Britain until 1892 when Henry Gallwey, the British Vice-Consul of the Oil Rivers Protectorate, visited Benin Empire City hoping to open up trade and ultimately annex Benin Empire Kingdom and transform it into a British protectorate.

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23.

Igbafe points to Phillips' November 1896 advocacy of military force regarding Benin Empire, arguing that this is inconsistent with the perception of Phillips as a man of peace in January 1897.

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24.

Igbafe posits that Phillips was going on a reconnaissance mission and that Phillips' haste to Benin Empire can be explained by a belief that nothing bad would happen to him or his party.

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25.

British occupied Benin Empire, which was absorbed into the British Niger Coast Protectorate and eventually into British colonial Nigeria.

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