Kingdom of Benin
E69603
The Kingdom of Benin was a powerful pre-colonial West African state centered in what is now southern Nigeria, renowned for its sophisticated political organization, monumental earthworks, and highly skilled bronze and ivory art.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Benin Kingdom | 2 |
Statements (72)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
historical polity
ⓘ
monarchy ⓘ pre-colonial African state ⓘ |
| artStyle |
lost-wax brass casting
ⓘ
relief brass plaques ⓘ royal commemorative heads ⓘ |
| capital |
Benin City
ⓘ
Edo ⓘ |
| conqueredBy | British Empire ⓘ |
| continent | Africa ⓘ |
| craftGuild |
brass casters guild
ⓘ
ivory carvers guild ⓘ |
| culturalLegacy |
Benin art in European museums
ⓘ
restitution debates over Benin Bronzes ⓘ |
| currency | manillas ⓘ |
| demonym | Bini ⓘ |
| economy |
long-distance trade
ⓘ
regional trade ⓘ |
| encountered | Portuguese explorers in the 15th century ⓘ |
| ethnicGroup | Edo people ⓘ |
| event | Benin Expedition of 1897 ⓘ |
| export |
ivory
ⓘ
pepper ⓘ slaves ⓘ textiles ⓘ |
| fallDate | 1897 ⓘ |
| firstEuropeanContact | late 15th century ⓘ |
| fortification |
Benin City walls
ⓘ
Benin moats ⓘ |
| governmentType | hereditary monarchy ⓘ |
| hasInstitution |
guilds of craftsmen
ⓘ
Royal Palace of the Oba of Benin ⓘ
surface form:
royal palace of Benin
|
| knownFor |
Benin Bronzes
ⓘ
court art ⓘ ivory carvings ⓘ moats and walls of Benin ⓘ monumental earthworks ⓘ sophisticated political organization ⓘ |
| language | Edo language ⓘ |
| legalSystem | customary law ⓘ |
| locatedIn |
West Africa
ⓘ
present-day southern Nigeria ⓘ |
| militaryFeature |
professional warrior class
ⓘ
use of archers and spearmen ⓘ |
| neighbor |
Itsekiri polities
ⓘ
Ife Kingdom ⓘ
surface form:
Kingdom of Ife
Oyo Empire ⓘ |
| notableRuler |
Oba of Benin
ⓘ
surface form:
Oba Esigie
Oba Ewuare I ⓘ Oba of Benin ⓘ
surface form:
Oba Ovonramwen
Oba Ozolua ⓘ |
| originTradition |
associated with Ogiso dynasty
ⓘ
linked to Igodomigodo ⓘ |
| partOfHistory |
history of Nigeria
ⓘ
history of West Africa ⓘ |
| politicalStructure |
centralized state
ⓘ
court bureaucracy ⓘ palace chiefs ⓘ town chiefs ⓘ |
| region |
Niger Delta
ⓘ
surface form:
Niger Delta hinterland
|
| religion |
Orisha worship
ⓘ
ancestor worship ⓘ traditional Edo religion ⓘ |
| royalDynasty | Oba dynasty ⓘ |
| rulerTitle | Oba of Benin ⓘ |
| successorState |
Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria
ⓘ
surface form:
British Protectorate of Southern Nigeria
|
| symbol |
leopard imagery
ⓘ
royal coral regalia ⓘ |
| timePeriod | c. 13th century to 1897 ⓘ |
| tradedWith |
British traders
ⓘ
Dutch traders ⓘ Portuguese Empire ⓘ |
Referenced by (3)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
this entity surface form:
Benin Kingdom
this entity surface form:
Benin Kingdom