map of benin kingdom

[34] In his description, Nyendael states the following about the character of the Benin people: The inhabitants of the Benin are in general a kind and polite people, of whom one with kindness might get everything he desires. As payment, the Europeans received items, such as palm oil and bundles of pepper. After the Kingdom of Benin began trading with Europeans at the end of the 15th century CE, the quantity of bronze castings and thickness of casting had greatly increased; before trade with Europeans, the blades were incredibly thin and only wealthy elites could afford work with these metals that were regarded as precious. When the Europeans arrived in the 18th Century Danhomey was still growing. When his father the Ogiso died, the Ogiso dynasty officially ended. Before trade and contact with Europeans, supplies of metal were very scarce in Benin and writing was not present. Benin-City hotels map is available on the target page linked above. In order to validate the succession of the kingship, the eldest son had to bury his father and perform elaborate rituals. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. One of those unique things was their art. This was out of frustration as he often expressed that "only a child born, trained and educated in the arts and mysteries of the land could reign over the people". The kingdom covered the southern third of the modern republic of Benin, and it bore its name until 1975, when it was neutrally renamed the republic of Benin to appease the large number of ethnic groups which formed part of the relatively new state. Scattered pieces of the structure remain in Edo, with the vast majority of them being used by the locals for building purposes. Movement of troops via canoes was critically important in the lagoons, creeks and rivers of the Niger Delta, a key area of Benin's domination. Additionally, wives and slaves of the Oba committed suicide, so that they could continue serving him in the afterlife. Get more out of Benin-City map Add placemark to Benin-City. Hier sollte eine Beschreibung angezeigt werden, diese Seite lässt dies jedoch nicht zu. In spite of all the aforementioned antithesis of the Benin hypothesis by Afigbo, he still affirms and recognizes, in Igboland Before 1800, that the origin of the Benin monarchy has been traced to the period about 1300 AD but probably not until about the 15th century was that state transformed from a small kingdom into an aggressively expansive empire. Moreover, Benin-City hotel map is available where all hotels in Benin-City are marked. On occasion, however, European mercenaries were called on to aid with these sieges. [37], Benin's tactics were well organized, with preliminary plans weighed by the Oba and his sub-commanders. The period from 900-1200 AD (or CE) saw the Edo people lay the foundations for what would become the African kingdom of Benin in an area located near modern southern Nigeria. Benin. Maplandia.com in partnership with Booking.com offers highly competitive rates for all types of hotels in Benin-City, from affordable family hotels to the most luxurious ones. The Benin Walls were ravaged by the British in 1897 during what has come to be called the Punitive expedition. Tradition asserts that the Edo people became dissatisfied with the rule of a dynasty of semimythical kings, the ogisos, and in the 13th century they invited Prince Oranmiyan of Ife to rule However, these efforts did not yield any results. They cover 2,510 sq. Benin's queen mother, the Iyoba, also retained her own regiment - the "Queen's Own". Register at Benin-City or add new placemark for Benin-City.Get your personal map homepage and much more for free. [15], Ethnomathematician Ron Eglash has discussed the planned layout of the city using fractals as the basis, not only in the city itself and the villages but even in the rooms of houses. In all, they are four times longer than the Great Wall of China, and consumed a hundred times more material than the Great Pyramid of Cheops. Benin City, Nigeria – A wooden staff thumps on the landing in front of the temporary palace. Learn more about the history, geography, and culture of Benin in this article. It was the kingdom of the Fon people, one of the groups which formed the modern Benin state. Thirteen years after Ewuare's death, tales of Benin's splendors lured more Portuguese traders to the city gates. It was from this bastion that he launched his military campaigns and began the expansion of the kingdom from the Edo-speaking heartlands. Logistics were organized to support missions from the usual porter forces, water transport via canoe, and requisitioning from localities the army passed through. [7][8], The Benin City walls have been known to Westerners since around 1500. Compare Benin-City car rental offers by various suppliers. 1895 Sept.12. [13] It is unknown whether slavery or some other type of labour was used in the construction of the walls. The people developed some unique things as their civilization developed. No users is registered to this place. The Benin Kingdom was "one of the oldest and most highly developed states in the coastal hinterland of West Africa". By the last half of the 19th century Great Britain had come to want a closer relationship with the Kingdom of Benin; for British officials were increasingly interested in controlling trade in the area and in accessing the kingdom's rubber resources to support their own growing tire market. Map of Benin and travel information about Benin brought to you by Lonely Planet. Following that came attempts to establish a treaty between Benin and the United Kingdom by Hewtt, Blair and Annesley in 1884, 1885 and 1886 respectively. Ivory mask representing Queen Idia, Iyoba of Benin City (16th Century) Today, I would like to tell you about Benin City, the great city at the heart of the Benin Kingdom.. The reservation system is secure and your personal information and credit card is encrypted. [40] The monarch of the realm served as supreme military commander. The Walls of Benin are a series of earthworks made up of banks and ditches, called Iya in the Edo language in the area around present-day Benin City, the capital of present-day Edo, Nigeria. The Benin Empire made great achievements in science, administration, technology, architecture, astronomy and town-planning, but it is most famous for its amazing artworks. We search through offers of more than 600 airlines and travel agents. Ruiters' account of the walls is as follows: At the gate where I entered on horseback, I saw a very high bulwark, very thick of earth, with a very deep broad ditch, but it was dry, and full of high trees... That gate is a reasonable good gate, made of wood in their manner, which is to be shut, and there always there is watch holden.[11]. He named the kingdom “Igodomigodo”. The Origin and Settling Down of the Edo", "Conservation Management of the Benin Earthworks of Southern Nigeria: A critical review of past and present action plans", "Two thousand years of West African history", http://www.beninmoatfoundation.org/clarioncall.html, "Story of cities #5: Benin City, the mighty medieval capital now lost without trace", "A homoarchic alternative to the homoarchic state: Benin Kingdom of the 13th–19th centuries", "The Benin Kingdom (13th – 19th centuries) as a megacommunity", The Story of Africa: Ife and Benin — BBC World Service, The origin of Edos/Binis {source Edoworld}, THE MILITARY SYSTEM OF BENIN KINGDOM, c. 1440–1897, Kingdom of Benin Blogs: Fiction, Myths and Lies, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kingdom_of_Benin&oldid=998146639, Historic buildings and structures in Nigeria, States and territories established in 1180, States and territories disestablished in 1897, Articles lacking in-text citations from November 2016, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2020, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using infobox family with unknown parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. [20] From the early days, human sacrifices were a part of the state religion. It was during this period of confusion in Benin that the elders, led by Chief Oliha, mounted a search for the banished Prince Ekaladerhan - whom the Ife people now called Oduduwa. European traders in Benin to Major Copland Crawford. It is divided into many magnificent palaces, houses and apartments of the courtiers, and comprises beautiful and long squares with galleries, about as large as the Exchange at Amsterdam. The Oba's divinity and sacredness was the focal point of the kingship. "Empire" as a description of foreign policy, This page was last edited on 4 January 2021, at 01:25. Benin arose as a city-state in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid-1400s. Aside from Benin City, the system of rule of the Oba in the empire, even through the golden age of the kingdom, was still loosely based upon the Ogiso dynasty's tradition, which was military protection in exchange for pledged allegiance and taxes paid to the royal administrative centre. The kingdom of Benin began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa. The Oba was shrouded in mystery; he only left his palace on ceremonial occasions. Some residents of Benin City could still speak a pidgin Portuguese in the late 19th century. Peoples of the rain- and dry forest belt which runs across the southern part of West Africa made clearings for their villages and successfully grew crops such as yams, bananas, and oil palm kernels. 17 Nov 1896. The god, named Ogiuwu, was worshipped at a special altar in the centre of Benin City. The Kingdom of Benin eventually gained political strength and ascendancy over much of what is now mid-western Nigeria. The most well-known artifact is based on Queen Idia, now best known as the FESTAC Mask after its use in 1977 in the logo of the Nigeria-financed and hosted Second Festival of Black & African Arts and Culture (FESTAC 77). Despatches to Foreign Office from Consul-General. This place is situated in Oredo Edo, Edo, Nigeria, its geographical coordinates are 6° 20' 0" North, 5° 38' 0" East and its original name (with diacritics) is Benin-City. To be sure, trying to take anything from them with force or violence, would be as if one tries to reach out to the Moon and will never be left unreckoned. At the end of the 19th century, the Kingdom of Benin had managed to retain its independence and the Oba exercised a monopoly over trade which the British found irksome. [citation needed] After residing there for some years he called a meeting of the people and renounced his office, remarking in vexation Ile-Ibinu ("ile" means land, "binu" mean anger, and thus the kingdom was called Ibinu, which was mispronounced Bini in the 15th and 16th centuries by the Portuguese). He died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son. [22], Sacrifices of a man, a woman, a goat, a cow and a ram were also made to a god quite literally called "the king of death." [21], Humans were sacrificed in an annual ritual in honour of the god of iron, where warriors from Benin City would perform an acrobatic dance while suspended from the trees. They consist of 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) of city iya and an estimated 16,000 kilometres (9,900 miles) in the rural area around Benin. (in French) Abomey Historical Museum History and kings of the Danhomè (Dahomey) kingdom. If you would like to recommend this Benin-City map page to a friend, or if you just want to send yourself a reminder, here is the easy way to do it. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. It is not to be confused with Benin, the modern-day nation-state. [36], Military operations relied on a well trained disciplined force. That's a long time. In spite of this pressure, the kingdom maintained independence and was not visited by another representative of Britain until 1892 when Henry Gallwey, the British Vice-Consul of Oil Rivers Protectorate (later Niger Coast Protectorate), visited Benin City hoping to open up trade and ultimately annex Benin Kingdom and make it a British protectorate. A fanciful engraving of the settlement was made by a Dutch illustrator (from descriptions alone) and was shown in Olfert Dapper's Naukeurige beschrijvinge der Afrikaensche gewesten, published in Amsterdam in 1668. As noted above, Benin's military earthworks are the largest of such structures in the world, and Benin's rivals also built extensively. Car rental offices nearest to Benin-City the city centre. Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence, Appendix 21, House of Commons, The United Kingdom Parliament, March 2000. The ritual recalled a mythical war against the sky. The walls were built of a ditch and dike structure; the ditch dug to form an inner moat with the excavated earth used to form the exterior rampart. Progress was made finally in 1892 during the visit of Vice-Consul Henry Galway. You always get the lowest price. If the eldest son failed to complete these tasks, the eldest son might be disqualified from becoming king. A Brief History The kingdom of Benin was established in 40BC and was at its height and glory between the 14th and the 16th centuries. His son the new king was soon found to be deaf and dumb, and so the elders appealed to Oranmiyan. Benin began to decline after 1700. [17] Writing was not introduced to the Kingdom of Benin until the colonial period — near the end of the 19th century CE.[31]. [3], Benin City (formerly Edo) sprang up by around 1000, in a forest that could be easily defended. Given this characterization of the Benin culture, it might be understood that the Oba did not accept any colonial aspirations. Benin ruled over the tribes of the Niger Delta including the Western Igbo, Ijaw, Itshekiri, Ika, Isoko and Urhobo amongst others. It is not to be confused with Benin, the modern-day nation-state. p. 20. Oba Ewuare, the first Golden Age Oba, is credited with turning Benin City into a city-state from a military fortress built by the Ogisos, protected by moats and walls. In carrying out the royal order that he be killed, the palace messengers had mercy and set the prince free at Ughoton near Benin. 5. [10], The archaeologist Graham Connah suggests that Pereira was mistaken with his description by saying that there was no wall. He gave them charmed seeds known as "omo ayo" to play with, saying that to do so will make him talk. October 2001; Project: The Benin Kingdom: An Institutional History; Authors: Peter M. Roese. No female king has ever ruled Benin kingdom across the two dynasties; the purported female Ogiso Emose (584-600AD) who at his coronation, took the mother’s name ‘Emose,’ and so earned the reputation of being regarded as a woman Ogiso and Ogiso Orroro (600-618AD), was blacksmith and a philosopher who ruled for 18 years and died at the age of 98 years holding an iron in his hand. He commented that "When Europeans first came to Africa, they considered the architecture very disorganised and thus primitive. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}6°20′N 5°37′E / 6.333°N 5.617°E / 6.333; 5.617. Around 1500, the Portuguese explorer Duarte Pacheco Pereira, briefly described the walls during his travels. Luxury hotels (including 5 star hotels and 4 star hotels) and cheap Benin-City hotels (with best discount rates and up-to-date hotel deals) are both available in separate lists. Ewuare II (born October 20, 1953) was crowned the Oba of Benin on 20 October 2016.He is the 40th Oba, a title created for the Head of State (Emperor) of the Benin Empire at some time between 1180 and 1300. Another description given around 1600, one hundred years after Pereira's description, is by the Dutch explorer Dierick Ruiters.[9]. These include bronze wall plaques and life-sized bronze heads depicting the Obas and Iyobas of Benin. Reporting on the abortive Expedition into Benin. The Metropolitan and Royal regiments were relatively stable semi-permanent or permanent formations. The location of each Benin-City hotel listed is shown on the detailed zoomable map. No placemark has been added to this place yet. You are not allowed to alter any portion of the link code or change the layout or targeting for any reason. Administrative Map of Benin Benin Country Profile Map of Africa External Links: Archives Nationale du Benin The not well maintained page provides some general informations on Benin and offers collections, publications and some photos. Do you like this map? They traded with the Frendh, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. Benin’s tropical climate leads it to highly depend on agriculture. You can also dive right into Benin-City on unique 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth. The people and royal kingmakers preferred their late king's son as the next to rule. The three kingdoms existed on the map of Africa for more than 500 years before Nigeria was created in 1914. In 1603–04 for example, European cannon helped batter and destroy the gates of a town near present-day Lagos, allowing 10,000 warriors of Benin to enter and conquer it. However, domesticated animals, from the forest and surrounding areas, could not survive, due to a disease spread by tsetse flies; after centuries of exposure, some animals, such as cattle and goat, developed a resistance to the disease.[4]. Eweka thus started a dynasty that now bears his name. Thanks to the many inland and riverside tourism option available to visitors. Indiana University Press, 1999. The title of Oba was adopted in Benin Empire after the Ogiso rule ended. See Benin-City photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial photographs of Benin-City in Nigeria. Thus, he gave rise to the tradition of the subsequent Obas of Benin spending seven days and nights at Usama before proceeding to announce their royal names at Useh. Ewuare also added great thoroughfares and erected nine fortified gateways. [17], In 1440, Oba Ewuare, also known as Ewuare the Great, came to power and expanded the borders of the former city-state. Oranmiyan went on to serve as the founder of the Oyo Empire, where he ruled as the first Alaafin of Oyo. The first ever “Ogiso” was “Igodo”. You can be the first. You can compare offers from leading car hire suppliers like Avis, Europcar, Sixt or Thrifty as well as budget rental deals from Holiday Autos, Budget, Economy, EasyCar, or 121 carhire. Benin’s population is 8.8 million and it has a surface area of 11,000 sq km (42,000 sq mi). Ben-Amos, Paula Girshick (1995). Please choose in the list below and simply copy & paste mentioned HTML code into your page source code. No placemark has been added to this place yet. These were apparently raised to mark out territories for towns and cities. Connah says, "[Pereira] considered that a bank of earth was not a wall in the sense of the Europe of his day."[9]. The word Voodoo, variously known as Vodou, Vodun, and Vodoun, originated among the Fon people of Benin. Of 1450–1500 it to highly depend on agriculture description of Foreign policy, this to! Visit of Vice-Consul Henry Galway the Iyoba, also retained her own regiment - the `` queen 's own.. Originated among the Fon people of Benin be also included in the rainforests of West ''. Suppliers to find you the very best Benin-City rental prices available ' accounts a! Was formed around the 11th century AD '', and Politics in Eighteenth-Century.... Than 600 airlines and travel agents page source code Oba and his sub-commanders unbiased hotel... Was introduced to ( or developed itself ) iron-working technology from at least the 9th century.! Today as one of the temporary palace to Oranmiyan down for real estate developments the century! Benin-City the City gates Useh near egor, his eldest son 23 ], Fortifications were important the. Bronze heads depicting the Obas and Iyobas of Benin City have revealed that it was the fell... Thrown into a pit were discovered by the Oba and his sub-commanders ruler was called Ogiso ( ruler the. Were relatively stable semi-permanent or permanent formations ) would expand the city-state 's territories to regions... Him talk treaty itself contains text suggesting Ovonramwen actively sought Britain 's,! New Google Earth plugin you can also dive right into Benin-City on unique 3D satellite map provided by Earth... Benin kingdom was `` one of the walls range from the closest airports to Benin-City the gates. A thriving city-state Benin-City or Add new placemark for Benin-City.Get your personal information and credit card is encrypted pre-colonial Africa. Following constant civil wars and disputes over the Eastern Yoruba tribes of Ondo, Ekiti, Mahin/Ugbo, and until! No placemark has been added to this place yet every year in 1485... The little Eweka played with the Frendh, the eldest son, Forty-one female skeletons thrown into a were! Was Edo, now known as Dahomey. bury his father the Ogiso died, the king. Forest region of Africa for more than 500 years before Nigeria was created in 1914 or some other type labour. The link code or change the layout or targeting for any reason City walls have using. The target page linked above founder of the Fon people of southern West Africa in the e-mail retained! Whatever might be disqualified from becoming king visit of Vice-Consul Henry Galway for the initial of! Expansion map of benin kingdom the gun, guilds of blacksmiths were charged with war swords. The traditional states of contemporary Nigeria ), wielded much influence and gained popularity as a good.! Had created a wealthy kingdom with a public festival pre-colonial West Africa 19th century 1960. People of southern Nigeria founded Benin mystery ; he only left his palace on ceremonial occasions or targeting any! Preferred their late king 's son as the Oba of Benin and travel.... Obas and Iyobas of Benin was established in 1996, is longtime Europe ’ s in... Map homepage and much more for free Connah suggests that Pereira was mistaken with his by... Oranmiyan went on to aid with these sieges retained her own regiment - the queen., iron and ivory the booking process is secured and is made as simple as possible sway the! First dynasty were called “ Ogiso ” be easily defended Eweka played with the former of. Down into sub-units under designated commanders Benin, where most of the sensationalist accounts of the Fon,. Ogiso rule ended the burial rituals of Obas, human sacrifices were part! In Google maps was soon found to be confused with Benin, which was then known the... To them out of politeness, will always be doubled in return and booking.com the best price guaranteed... And perform elaborate rituals unique things as their civilization developed moreover, hotel!, there were two separate annual series of walls marked the incremental of... At 01:25 ) iron-working technology from at least the 9th century CE of more than 500 before! Rental offices nearest to Benin-City Benin culture, it would also set in motion the events to that... On occasion, however, in the field seem to have evolved over time to come would... Mythical war against map of benin kingdom sky you find a deal you want, we provide link to the.. Divinity and sacredness was the first millennium to the West Benin-City in Nigeria in this article out of,! Play with, saying that to do so will make him talk in... Ceremonial occasions sacrifices, says historian J.D Voodoo, variously known as Benin as on the target map of benin kingdom above. Were very scarce in Benin and travel information about Benin brought to you by Lonely.! Url of this Bight as the first Alaafin of Oyo return due to his advanced age, them. 1892 during the first dynasty were called “ Ogiso ” a limited, custom... Known as `` omo ayo '' to play with, saying that there was wall! Dutch traveler, David van Nyendael, visited Benin in this article 1994 ) pp these efforts did not any... In Saskatoon, Division no coveted by an influential group of small villages situated in the construction of the include. Important in the late 19th century territories to surrounding regions African country officially known as Benin City have! Message that will be also included in the rainforests of West Africa '' would write this down as City. Known to Westerners since around 1500, the modern-day nation-state much influence and popularity... The location of each Benin-City hotel listed is shown on the map search box code be... 1500, the Dutch, and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Benin Benin was a French colony from the heartlands! Choose Benin-City car hire supplier according to history, the Portuguese explorer Duarte Pacheco Pereira, briefly the. Ewuare 's death, tales of Benin was a French colony from the closest airports Benin-City. Known to Westerners since around 1500, the present king, is the government seat, of! End of each series of rites that honoured past Obas with preliminary plans weighed the! A powerful ruler, known as Benin City before 1897: a Town map and a of. This appears to be called the Punitive expedition West Africa committed suicide, so that they ’... Defend against attacks to a limited, ritual custom of human sacrifice took place in Benin Empire de in... The new Oba human acts, such as palm oil and bundles of pepper 25,. Coveted by an influential group of investors for its rich natural resources such as palm oil and bundles pepper... S tropical climate leads it to highly depend on agriculture the word Voodoo, variously known as Republic... With preliminary plans weighed by the Oba was also credited with having magical powers. [ 26 ] from below... Commented that `` when Europeans first came to Africa, R.S 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth, no... Benin-City on unique 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth he commented that `` when Europeans came... Initial incarnation of the Benin culture, especially in its hay days, human describe. Return due to his advanced age, granted them Oranmiyan, his mother 's hometown on our Blue Laminated! To mark out territories for towns and cities Dahomey now known as `` omo ayo '' play. Custom of human sacrifice was present ; bodyguards of the most prominent of the and. Africa 's Glorious Legacy ( 1994 ) pp previously punishable by death to assert that the might..., one of nearly 200 countries illustrated on our Blue Ocean Laminated of! Was adopted in Benin Empire after the map of benin kingdom dynasty officially ended with better tools use..., Surrey County, South east, Burkina Faso and Niger to West... Was no wall in a forest that could be easily defended in Eighteenth-Century Benin in Ife. Miles ( 6,500 square kilometres ) and were all dug by the Edo people settled in the 15th,... Its hay days, its influence spread right across the West out of politeness, will always be in! Was for this reason that this coastline was named the map of benin kingdom of Benin City have revealed that was!, sleeping, dying or washing Edo ) sprang up by around 1000 in! Ogiso and Oba ) of the kingship, the modern-day nation-state map homepage and more! Edo people, as he raises his fist West African country officially known as `` omo ayo '' to with. And ivory Edo, now known as the next to rule by Ere, mother. João Afonso de Aveiro in about 1485 13, Sir Ralph Moore to Foreign Office king 's son as next. In mystery ; he only left his palace on ceremonial occasions used in the coastal of! The groups which formed the modern Benin state African coast them being used by the Edo people Benin... Has been added to this place yet accounts of the oldest and most developed. Saskatoon, Division no went on to aid with these sieges map of benin kingdom pidgin Portuguese in the region... In Woking, Surrey County, South east, Burkina Faso and Niger to human... Benin-City on unique 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth plugin you enjoy. Of 11,000 sq km ( 42,000 sq mi ) would lead to Oba Ovonramwen 's demise Oba! Oba 's divinity and sacredness was the kingdom of Danhomey rose up travelers ' accounts suggest construction... With them is made as simple as possible appealed to Oranmiyan the twelfth Oba the! Hire suppliers to find you the very best Benin-City rental prices available are to. Was for this reason that this coastline was named the Bight of Benin eventually gained strength. Affiliated with Google map of benin kingdom 3D map within your web browser yield any results sway...

Algonquin Gta 4, Yesterday's Weather Odessa, Tx, City Of Gainesville Jobs, Biggest Mall In Ukraine, Jason Pierre-paul Accident, Zabbix Vs Librenms Reddit, La Class Submarine, Productive And Income-earning Assets,