History of Benin

Benin was the seat of one of the great medieval African kingdoms called Dahomey. During the 13th century, the indigenous Edo people were run by a group of local chieftains, but by the 15th century a single ruler known as the 'oba' had asserted control. Under the dynasty established by Ewuare the Great[?], the most famous of the obas, Benin's territory expanded to cover a region between the Niger River delta and what is now the Nigerian city of Lagos. The obas brought great prosperity and a highly organized state to Benin. They also established good relations and an extensive slave trade with the Portuguese and Dutch who arrived from the 15th century onwards.

The decline of the obas began in the 18th century when a series of internal power struggles began which lasted into the 19th century, paving the way for the French takeover and colonization of the country in 1872. In 1904, the territory was incorporated into French West Africa as Dahomey. On December 4, 1958, it became the République du Dahomey, self-governing within the French community, and on August 1, 1960, the Republic of Benin gained full independence from France. The name was changed to Benin in 1975. From 1974 to 1989 the country was a socialist state; free elections were reestablished in 1991.

The Dahomean Kings in order

• Gangnihessou ~1620
• Dakodonou 1620-1645
• Houegbadja 1645-1685
• Akaba 1685-1708
• Agadja 1708-1732
• Tegbessou 1732-1774
• Kplinga 1774-1789
• Agonglo 1789-1797
• Adandozan 1797-1818
• Ghezo 1818-1858
• Glele 1858-1889
• Behanzin 1889-1894
• Agoli-agbo 1894-1901

Reference Much of the material in this article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.