Benin

• Why did geography facilitate the rise of Benin?

  It had a close proximity to the fertile lands of the Niger River Delta which allowed for the growth if yams and Beni-peppers which stimulated trade
• What port did Benin have access to that allowed for trade?

  Costal port of Gwanton
• How did Benin gain access to the coast?

  Oba Ewaure (1440 - 1773) expanded to the coast
• Why might geography be a possibly limiting factor for Benin?

  Teste fly meant no horses or cavalry
• How did relationships with the Portuguese facilitate the rise of Benin?

  Trades them firearms, allowing for military expansion, and brass manillas, important in ceremonies
• Which Oba refused to be baptised and encourage relations with the Portuguese?

  Oba Ozolua
• How did the Portuguese react to Ozolua's refusal to engage with them or with Christianity?

  King Manuel said they would not provide Benin with "all weapons of war"
• Why may it be argued that Ozulua was still successful in his trading relations with Europeans?

  Still able to gain firearms and his insistence on not converting to Christianity allowed the Oba's the maintain their pivotal spiritual legitimacy via the Yorubalands
• Why could it be argued that trading relations with the Portuguese had a negative impact on the rise of Benin?

  Dependent on the Portuguese for firearms, leaving them vulnerable when the Portuguese left Gwaton in 1509
• When did the Portuguese leave Gwaton?

  1509
• What were the key factors in the decline of Benin?

  Trade, succession and bureaucratic developments
• How did Trade Patterns shift from the 1700's onwards that facilitated the decline of Benin?

  Ivory and pepper which the Oba's had control over where no longer being exported by the mid c17. Instead, cloth became an important commodity which the Oba's could not monopolise as it was widespread and in local hands
• How did the Oba's continue to engage in trade despite the shifting trade patterns?

  Slave trade of War Captives from Gwaton by 1726
• Why was the slave trade less important to Benin proper?


  Mostly relied on ivory and peppers due to their spiritual and currency importance
• How did succession lead to the decline of Benin?

  Death of Ohuan 1608 meant a cease to their royal lineage to Oranmiyan as he had no son
• What evidence is their that after the death of Ohuan their was instability within the kingdom?

  From the years 1661-1713, no Oba reigned longer than 11 years
• How the Ewuakpe restore stability to the monarchy?

  Reinstalled the crown prince
• When did Ewuakpe take the throne?

  1700
• What evidence is there that Ewakupe restabilised succession?

  His successor, Akengbuda, ruled for 54 years
• How did Ehengbuda faciltate a decentralisation of power?

  Devolved military leadership to the Iyase, allowing them enough power to rebel
• What is an example of an Iyase rebelling against the Oba?

  Iyase Ode rebelled and sacked Edo
• What evidence is there to suggest that the devolving of military authority did not lead to long term instability?

  Ewakpe was able to defeat Ode and regain his power
• When was Oba Ozolua's reign?


  1481 to 1504
• When was Oba Esigie's reign?

  1504 to 1550
• How did Esigie help relations with Europeans?

  Encouraged relations with the Portuguese, sending an embassy to Lisbon in 1514
• How did Esigie accommodating international relations help Benin militarily?

  Portuguese provided assistance against the Igala invasion 1515
• When was the slave trade embargo?

  1530
• When did Oba Ohuan die?


  1608
• Which Oba's death ended the Oba's spirtual lineage link?

  Ohuan
• Which Oba established royal festivals?

  Ewaure
• What were some of the strict rules ordinary members of society had to abide by in the royal court?

  Never look the oba in the face or turn their back to him
• Why did the Oba's attitudes to the slave trade change by 1600?

  Observed the profit gained by neighbouring states who did engage with it
• According to oral histories, how many towns and villages did Ewaure conquer?

  201
• Where did Ewaure expand to?

  East to Igbor Ijo, west to Lagos Lagoon and south to the Ocean
• Who did Ehengubuda do that possibly weakened the miltary?

  Devolved control to the Iyase who usurped his power as he was credited with military victory
• What is evidence of the importance of firearms for Benin?

  Ozolua won 200 battles during his reign
• What was the benefit of the 1530 Slave Trade embargo?


  Prevented depopulation that had happened as a result of the trade such as in Kongo
• Where were the Benin bronzes?

  Lining the streets of Edo
• What might mitigate the impact of the Benin Bronzes?

  Not accessible to the general population and show that the Oba's success relied on lineage
• What happened to shift trading patterns?

  Trade shifted from ivory and pepper to Cloth which the Oba's could not exercise control over as it was in local hands