Benin Fingertip knowledge

Question 1

When was Benin’s rise?

Answer 1

C12

Question 2

What did oral stories say about a divine ruler?

Answer 2

Claimed that village chiefs requested a divine ruler from Ife-Ife after a period of discord and Oranmiyan was sent.

Question 3

Who was appointed as oba in 1200?

Answer 3

Oranmiyan’s son Eweka.

Question 4

What were the close links between Benin and Yorubaland?

Answer 4

Heads of deceased obas were sent to Ife for burial.

Question 5

By the mid C15 who had consolidated their kingdoms to the North?

Answer 5

Oyo and Nupe.

Question 7

What administrative changes consolidated Benin in the 1400s.

Answer 7

3 associations of palace chiefs, royal festivals eg, Ugie Erhe and Igue. Road systems also improved.

Question 8

What grew as Benin expanded?

Answer 8

Growing military power.

Question 9

What strengthened Ewuare’s power?

Answer 9

His reputation as a magician and a warrior.

Question 10

What did people believe about the oba dynasty and what power did this give them?

Answer 10

Believed they were supernaturally gifted - this fed military success which reinforced that belief.

Question 11

Why did Benin not convert to Christianity?

Answer 11

The importance of traditional beliefs in the divinity.

Question 12

When and where did Portugal found a trading post?

Answer 12

1490 in Gwanton but abandoned it in 1507.

Question 13

What was the initial focus of European trade and what did this shift to?

Answer 13

Was on the Beni pepper. Focus then shifted

Question 14

Where were traders for slaves trading in?

Answer 14

Sao Tome by 1510.

Question 16

By when were the separate markets for men and women?

Answer 16

1516

Question 17

What happened in 1530 to do with slave trade?

Answer 17

There was a total embargo on selling slaves which lasted until 1700. They traded with cloth instead.

Question 18

How many catholic churches by 1500 were there in Edo?

Answer 18

3

Question 19

When did the Igala from the kingdom of Idah invade?

Answer 19

1516. Portuguese troops helped and fought alongside Esigie.

Question 20

What was the capital of Benin?

Answer 20

Edo.

Question 21

Who expanded Edo?

Answer 21

Ewuare. Before Portugal arrived.

Question 22

Where was there a thick forest?

Answer 22

Between Gwanton and Edo.

Question 23

What was Edo surrounded by?

Answer 23

A moat and a high wall.

Question 24

When did Edo expand dramatically?

Answer 24

C16 and C17

Question 25

What official levied taxes and in what?

Answer 25

Ukonurho and provincial governors in cowries and kind.

Question 26

What did the Portuguese do to the cowries already being used?

Answer 26

They added to them. This expanded currency base stimulated trade, taxation and fiscal development.

Question 27

By 1786 how many officials dealt with reciepts and expenses, trade, and war?

Answer 27

20 each.

Question 28

What else was traded in Benin other than the pepper?

Answer 28

Cloth, palm oil, skins, coral beads.

Question 29

What did the Portuguese use to buy Benin's products?

Answer 29

Manilas

Question 30

When did Benin begin to provision passing ships?

Answer 30

By 1520.

Question 31

What did the expansion of iron by trading ships do?

Answer 31

Turned into agricultural tools which stimulated agriculture.

Question 32

How was trade a large part of royal power?

Answer 32

It provided revenue and luxury goods which could be displayed and distributed to followers.

Question 33

What began to replace manilas as the main form of currency by 1630s?

Answer 33

Iron

Question 34

Why did the Dutch create economic pressures?

Answer 34

They challenged the monopoly of Benin cloth producers.

Question 35

When was Benin's cloth no longer in demand?

Answer 35

1700

Question 36

What kind of power did the oba have?

Answer 36

Divine power.

Question 37

By C17 when did the oba leave the palace?

Answer 37

Only a couple times a year for annual festivals.

Question 38

Who was the obas divinity traced back to?

Answer 38

Oranmiyan

Question 39

Who was the only person with the power of life or death?

Answer 39

The oba.

Question 40

What did the Edo consider themselves in regards to the oba?

Answer 40

The true slaves of the oba.

Question 41

What could someone get capital punishment for?

Answer 41

Implying the oba ate, washed and was moral etc.

Question 42

How did the palace reinforce the obas power?

Answer 42

It was an impressive complex.

Question 43

What rules governed how ordinary people could look at obas in court?

Answer 43

They couldn't look the oba in the face or turn their back on him.

Question 44

What was the palace in terms of a political and administrative way?

Answer 44

Became a complex administrative and political centre.

Question 45

What were town chiefs called?

Answer 45

eghaevo n'ore

Question 46

What were palace chiefs called?

Answer 46

eghaevo n'ogbe

Question 47

What were the 3 classes of titles in the palace?

Answer 47

The chamberlains (iwebo) in charge of regalia state, later controlled reserves of cowries, beads and cloth. Household officers (iwegune) looked after the obas private apartments, later collected tribute and taxes. Attendants of the king's family (ibiwe) looked after obas wives and children.

Question 48

How was nobility symbolised with coral?

Answer 48

Wearing coral beads.

Question 49

What was access and promotion based on?

Answer 49

Merit.

Question 50

Were titles hereditary?

Answer 50

NO

Question 51

How did people progress through ranks?

Answer 51

Commoners were initiated into one type of title and could get promoted through the ranks.

Question 52

When did Ewuare rule from?

Answer 52

1440-1473

Question 53

What did Ewuare do of note to be significant?

Answer 53

Accelerated urbanisation of Edo. New titles and administrative structures. Developed new religious structures and symbols. New religious cults, shrines and festivals. Enable Benin to reject the demand by the Portuguese for slaves.

Question 54

When did Ozolua rule from?

Answer 54

1481-1504

Question 55

What did Ozolua do that made him significant?

Answer 55

Established stable trade relations with Portuguese. Consolidated achievements of Ewuare. Expanded kingdom.

Question 56

When did Esigie rule from?

Answer 56

1504-1550

Question 57

What did Esigie do that made him significant?

Answer 57

Established diplomatic ties with the Portuguese - sent ambassadors to Lisbon in 1514. Established school to teach Portuguese in Edo. Banned export of male slaves. Expanded importance of brass and copper working. Introduced queen mother cult (the Iyoba) after Idia (his mother) secured his power.

Question 58

When did Orhogbua rule from?

Answer 58

1550 - 1578

Question 59

What did Orhogbua do that made him significant?

Answer 59

Led expansion to conquer Lagos lagoon.

Question 60

Who found it hard to control the kingdom and what happened as a result?

Answer 60

Ehengbuda. Dependent, coastal people began to break away.

Question 61

What two obas were interested in obtaining firearms from the Portuguese?

Answer 61

Ozolua and Esigie.

Question 62

Why did Ozolua and Esigie not obtain firearms from the Portuguese?

Answer 62

They would only sell them to a baptised oba.

Question 63

Who expanded the kingdom to Lagos and east to the lands of the Igbo?

Answer 63

Ozolua, Esigie and Orhogbua.

Question 64

What was the obas responsibility in war? How had this changed by the end of C16?

Answer 64

It was the obas duty to declare war and command high-ranking military officers. It changed to iyase.

Question 65

What was the size of the army by C17?

Answer 65

20,000 with 80-100,000 in reserve.

Question 66

What was the relationship between Edo and the provinces?

Answer 66

Complex.

Question 67

What happened to quarrelsome sons and brothers of the oba?

Answer 67

Sent away to govern distant provinces.

Question 68

How many times a year did provincial governors levy food for the palace?

Answer 68

Twice a year from each village.

Question 69

Where could the obas request labour from?

Answer 69

The villages.

Question 70

What did each new oba send to the villages as a symbol of power?

Answer 70

Chalk

Question 71

What was the sole head of each village?

Answer 71

The Odiunwere, he shared authority with the hereditary chief - the Onogie but Odiumwere had executive power. Supported by a council of elders.

Question 72

What did the Odiunwere do?

Answer 72

Organised local agriculture production and mediated with provincial governors.

Question 73

How could the iwebo, iwegune and ibiwe gain power? What did this contribute to?

Answer 73

In the provinces through marriage alliances and trade links. This contributed to conflict on succession and the problems of the C17.

Question 74

What were the swords of the Benin warriors shaped like and why?

Answer 74

Leaves showing the power of axe, a Yoruba concept of lifeforce and power.

Question 75

What were soldiers helmets girded with and why?

Answer 75

Girded with cowries showing the importance of currencies and taxation.

Question 76

What was the tradition of casting linked to?

Answer 76

The spiritual power of the obas and the relationship of Benin to Ife. They used the lost wax method and Portuguese trade stimulated this further.

Question 77

What were the royal arts designed to do?

Answer 77

Reinforce the centrality of the oba.

Question 78

What rank guild were casters within the iwebo?

Answer 78

The highest ranking guild.

Question 79

What were casters job?

Answer 79

To elaborate 'official histories' of the central events of each oba's reign. Expanded significantly under Esigie and then declined in C18.