A former kingdom in western Africa, Dahomey flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries in the region that is now southern Benin. A warring state that grew rich and powerful through the slave trade, Dahomey was known for, among other things, its monarchy style of rule and its use of women as soldiers.

Government

The people of Dahomey lived under a form of absolute monarchy that was unique to Africa. While many African states had strong leaders, the ruler of Dahomey was all-powerful, and no one could challenge him. His authority stemmed from his important status in a popular and elaborate cult of the deceased kings of the dynasty. The citizens of Dahomey honored these kings by offering human sacrifices at yearly public ceremonies known as the “annual customs.”

The king sat at the top of Dahomey society. Under him was the royal class, followed by commoners, and then slaves. In addition to his many other duties, the king exercised judicial powers, collected tribute (payments from subjected peoples), and filled political offices. To keep his government officials from growing too strong, the king assigned each one a female counterpart. These women monitored the activities of the officials and reported back to the king.

Culture and society

Women also played another significant role in Dahomey society—that of warriors. The citizens of Dahomey were skilled at warfare. They used these skills to expand their empire and to capture slaves for sale overseas and for use at home. The army included a group of female soldiers, called the “Amazons” by Europeans, many of whom were drawn from the king's wives. When they were not in combat, these women served as bodyguards in the royal court.

The Dahomey were an artistic people as well. One of the kingdom's greatest rulers, Gezo, heightened the splendor of the royal court and promoted the arts. It was during the reign of Gezo, from 1818 to 1858, that Dahomey reached the peak of its power and fame.

Economy

Like other kingdoms that flourished in western Africa from the 16th to the 19th century, Dahomey grew rich because of its participation in the slave trade. The Dahomey captured residents of local tribes and sold them as slaves to Europeans in return for weapons and other goods. They also kept slaves to work on large farms that supplied food for the army and the royal court. In 1807 Great Britain outlawed the slave trade—which eventually spelled disaster for the economy of Dahomey. Under the guidance of Gezo, the kingdom turned to palm oil, another popular trade item. However, palm oil—which was produced by slave labor on royal plantations—was far less profitable than slaves. As a result, Dahomey's economy continued to decline throughout the 1800s.

History

Dahomey was founded by the Fon, a people who spoke a dialect of Ewe, a language of the Niger-Congo family of African languages. The beginnings of the kingdom, according to tradition, date back to a rivalry among three brothers at the beginning of the 17th century. Each brother sought to control the kingdom of Allada, which had grown wealthy from the slave trade. When one of the brothers gained control of the kingdom, the other two fled. One of the brothers traveled north and established the kingdom of Abomey.

The ruler Agaja took the throne of Abomey in 1708. He soon conquered Allada and other nearby kingdoms and gained control of the region's profitable slave trade. His new empire became known as Dahomey. The empire grew larger and stronger throughout the 1700s and the first half of the 1800s.

Due in large part to the end of the slave trade, Dahomey began to weaken after the reign of Gezo ended in 1858. By the end of the century, many African states had been conquered by European powers seeking to establish overseas colonies. Dahomey was no exception. In 1892 the French seized control of the once-mighty kingdom and turned it into a colony.