How and why did the kingdom of benin come to an end. The capital of the kingdom was located in modern day benin city, of edo state, in nigeria, west africa. Often recruited as teenagers, the women soldiers lived in the royal palace, isolated from society. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity. Bostonthe museum of fine arts, boston mfa, has unveiled a new gallery dedicated to the robert owen lehman collection of bronzes and ivories created in the ancient kingdom of benin, located in presentday nigeria. A benin source recorded by the talbot, says that the first benin settlers were part of an invading army which was unable to return to benin and therefore encamped in lagos at a place called ogulata which is possibly a corruption of ebutemetta. Some of the books on this list concern the old kingdom of benin, located in what is now southern nigeria, and others are set in the area of the unrelated current republic of benin, further to the east.
Smithsonian libraries, natural history building, 10 th st. Queen mother pendant mask iyoba edo peoples benin plaques at the british museum. Second in status only to the gods, the oba of benin remains a sacred overlord. The kingdom of benin in west africa internet archive. Below are amazing facts about the great benin kingdom. All smithsonian museums and smithsonian libraries locations continue to be closed to support the effort to contain the spread of covid19. 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. Benin kingdom began as a group of small villages situated in the rainforests of west africa. The fall of benin kingdom, february 18, 1897 gamji. When european merchant ships began to visit west africa from the 15th century onwards, benin came to. 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. Benin was once a great african kingdom, but it was transformed into the largest supplier of humans for the slave trade. Books set in benin fiction and nonfiction books set completely or at least partially in benin. The benin kingdom th 19th centuries as a megacommunity dmitri m.
Indeed, when oshiomhole visited the oba in 2012 to inform him of his plans to run for a second term in office, the oba directed. Learn about the ancient kingdom of benin, where was it a when did it begin. The benin kingdom 19 centuries as a megacommunity. Ewuare reorganized the army for the purpose of conquest, developed a system of hereditary succession to the throne, and turned the capital, benin city, into a stronghold protected by walls and moats. 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. Pdf of all the west african societies, the kingdom of benin is the one most mentioned in contemporary european literature. At about 2 pm on february 18, 1897, benin city, capital of the independent benin kingdom, fell to troops commanded by british officers. Should original art from benin kingdom be returned to nigeria.
Free printable worksheet for world history scroll down to print pdf african civilizations. Traditional government in benin kingdom kingdom of benin. Egedege nokaro is the first storey building in benin kingdom and in the whole of the midwestern region, nigeria which is the present day edo and delta states. The changing phases of power and civil administration in. Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western african forest region fl.
What did ordinary people do for jobs in the kingdom of benin. From royal court to contemporary marketplace the benin kingdom. History earlymodern history 1500 1750 history medieval history. Most of the people within the benin empire were edo. It is entirely separate from the republic of benin, which was then known as dahomey. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
The bini people of the benin kingdom heritage library of african peoples west africa azuonye, chukwuma on. On the 19th and 20th, houses of major chiefs were burnt after being looted. Benin arose as a citystate in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid1400s. Another tradition posits that it was oba orhogbua who, in about 1550 made his camp, eko, on lagos island. They were ruled by a dynasty of kings called ogisos meaning kings of the sky and the people began to build an. Under the 15thcentury oba ewuare and his successors, benin expanded into the most powerful and best organized kingdom in the region. Kingdom of benin writing exercises student handouts. In order to gain improved trading and security, some of the villages made a decision to join together as a conglomerate around ad 900. The article provides an anthropological analysis of the socio political system of the benin kingdom from coming to power of the. Kgr 2the benin kingdom is home to the edo people, who were among the many groups of west africans who were enslaved and taken to the americas, bringing with them a rich heritage of religion, art, and customs. Tradition asserts that the edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the th century they invited prince oranmiyan of ife to rule. Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of benin, in what is now southwest 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. During the era of the warrior kings, it became edo and later benin empire expanding as far as republic of benin, lagos to. Until the late 19th century, one of the major powers in west africa was the kingdom of. Pdf contesting the history of benin kingdom researchgate.
Oba ewuare, the first golden age ruler, is credited with turning benin city into a military fortress protected by moats and walls. It was built in 1906 by late chief iyamu, the inneh of benin kingdom, late chief iyamu is the great grandfather of osagie ize. The benin kingdom of west africa celebrating the peoples. 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 benin, the western niger delta, and the development.
Answer each of the following questions using complete sentences. Pdf before the portuguese arrived in the niger delta in the 1480s, benin was a fledgling empire that had some influence in the western niger delta. The precolonial benin kingdom or empire was located in what is today southern nigeria. By victor osaro edo abstract the ancient kingdom of benin was one of the most prosperous, powerful and. This book briefly describes the people as they live in their country today.
It is a complex monarchical system built on a solid foundation with perfect organizational structure. The kingdom of benin was well known to european traders and merchants during the 16th and. Centuries benin kingdom as a nonstate supercomplex society. Although benin kingdom began to develop during the period 9000 ce, it reached its height during the later years of 01700 ce. Contesting the history of benin kingdom article pdf available in research in african literatures 3. Oba oguole had the benin city wall built around 1283 ce. In the benin kingdom the obas kings power is less than in centuries past, but the ideas underlying kingship persist, through myth and ritual, as a general cognitive model. Ks2 kingdom of benin timeline worksheets teaching resources. Museum of fine arts, boston, opens benin kingdom gallery.
Why did the first dynasty of ogiso come to an end in ad 1180. To enclose his palace he commanded the building of benins inner wall, a seven mile 11 km long earthen rampart girded by a moat 50 feet 15 m deep. Media in category art of the benin kingdom the following 107 files are in this category, out of 107 total. Mfa hosts celebration of benin kingdom arts and culture on september 25 with benin officials and local community. Benin kingdom is a government of its own with it articulate machineries of the administration by convention which cannot be influence by outside forces. The bini people of the benin kingdom heritage library of african peoples west africa. The benin factor in the history of lagos kingdom of benin. 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. Many believe that he will be the one to fulfill the 500 year old prophecy of oba ewuare the great who said. The portuguese arrived in the area in the 15th century, which marked the fall of one of africas most powerful territories. Bondarenko institute for african studies russian academy of sciences, russian state university for the humanities, moscow abstract the article provides an anthropological analysis of the sociopolitical system of the benin kingdom from coming to power of the. The kingdom of benin was established in 40bc and was at its height and glory between the 14th and the 16th centuries. We are not announcing a reopening date at this time and will provide updates on a regular and asneeded basis.
Great benin kingdom awaits the coronation of a great oba great benin kingdom awaits the moment when the crown prince eheneden, the edaiken nuselu will sit on the ancestral stool of benin on the 18th of october, 2016. 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. Commemorative head of an oba king, edo people, benin kingdom, nigeria, 1700s, copper alloy national museum of natural history, united states dsc00421. Benin from inception to 1987 164 the changing phases of power and civil administration in benin. 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.
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