Kingdom of Dahomey

E69998

West African state precolonial African kingdom

The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful precolonial West African state known for its centralized monarchy, extensive involvement in the Atlantic slave trade, and elite corps of women warriors often called the Dahomey Amazons.

Observed surface forms (4)

Surface form	As subject	As object
Dahomey	0	5
Dahomey (Benin)	0	1
Dahomey (for part of its history)	0	1
Dahomey: An Ancient West African Kingdom	0	1

Statements (44)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	West African state → precolonial African kingdom →
capital	Abomey →
conflict	Second Franco-Dahomean War → surface form: Franco-Dahomean Wars wars with Oyo Empire →
conqueredBy	French Third Republic →
continent	Africa →
culturalPractice	annual customs → human sacrifice at royal ceremonies →
currencyOrTribute	cowries →
economyBasedOn	palm oil trade → slave trade →
endTime	1894 →
ethnicBase	Fon people →
event	Second Franco-Dahomean War →
expandedUnder	King Agaja →
governmentType	absolute monarchy → centralized monarchy →
knownFor	Atlantic slave trade → Dahomey Amazons → female military regiment →
legacy	influenced modern Republic of Benin →
majorPort	Ouidah → Whydah →
militaryUnit	Dahomey Amazons → Mino →
notableRuler	King Agaja → King Béhanzin → King Ghezo → King Glele →
partOf	Slave Coast →
politicalStructure	powerful palace bureaucracy → royal court at Abomey →
presentDayLocation	Benin NERFINISHED →
primaryLanguage	Fon →
region	West Africa →
religion	Vodun → Yoruba religion → surface form: West African traditional religion
startTime	17th century →
successorState	Colony of Dahomey → French West Africa → surface form: French Dahomey
symbol	royal appliqué banners →
timelineNote	fell to French colonial conquest in 1894 →
tributaryTo	Oyo Empire →