Oyo and Dahomey

Question 1

What ethnicity is Oyo originated from?

Answer 1

Yoruba

Question 2

What is the capital of Oyo?

Answer 2

Oyo-Ile

Question 3

Who was the first Alaafin of the Yoruba Kingdom?

Answer 3

Oranmiyan

Question 4

When was it first founded?

Answer 4

1300

Question 5

What happened in the 1500s?

Answer 5

When was Dahomey founded?

Question 6

When was Dahomey founded?

Answer 6

1620-50

Question 7

What ethnicity was it?

Answer 7

Fon

Question 8

Give the geographical advantages of Oyo:

Answer 8

• Urban centre of Oyo = Savannah
• South of this = thick forests
  Coastal lagoons at Lagos

Question 9

What happened in the 1660’s to Allada?

Answer 9

It weakened so Heuda becomes centre for European trade

Question 10

When did Heuda weaken?

Answer 10

1704

Question 10

What was Allada?

Answer 10

• Major kingdom in region, engaged in trade w/ Dutch, French, Portuguese

-Sold them cloth, ivory, slaves

Question 11

Who and when were A+H conquered by?

Answer 11

Ahosu Agadja conquers Allada (1724) and Heuda (1727) so Dahomey is now the major kingdom along the coastline

Question 12

Give the geographical advantages of Dahomey

Answer 12

• Coastal kingdom
• Main cities inland savannah
• South of this = Mahi swamplands + rainforests
• Kept deliberately wild by king

Question 13

Give a reason for Oyo’s fundamental strength

Answer 13

Oyo stronger bc of institutionalised longevity of Yoruba –> set precedent for formation first as opposed to Dahomey

Question 13

What else did the military depend on, apart from cavalry?

Answer 13

• Oyo iron/blacksmiths weapons, made spears
• Oko - Thrusting - stab
• Esin - Throwing - distance
• Archers on foot
• Ilari led by 70 Eso (war chiefs)
• Very complex military

Question 14

Give some military reasons for their strength

Answer 14

Alaafin Abipa reconquered Oyo-Ile through critical extensive cavalry use

• Adv geo - moderate climate, south-west flat savannah terrain ideal for 🐴 training and use
• Cavalry = useful, open plains 🐴 can gallop and charge at speed as opposed to a thick forest setting
• Bred their own horses but initial breeding stock came from trade w/ Arabs and Berbers
• Warfare dependent on 🐴

Question 15

What were the drawbacks of Oyo’s military?

Answer 15

• Did not adopt firearms when in circulation
• Muskets, rifles from Europeans
• 1726 Oyo invaded Dahomey under Ojigi
• The unfamiliar sound of firearms caused the cavalry to breaks bc they 🐴 were panicked by the sound

Question 15

What happened during 1726?

Answer 15

• Oyo managed to subjugate Dahomey by force
• Dahomey pay annual tribute of slaves, gunpowder, corals, cowrie shells.

Question 16

Evidence for instability in Oyo

Answer 16

Between Abipa and Ojigi there were 5 unstable Alaafin’s

Question 17

What is the capital of Dahomey?

Answer 17

Abomey

Question 18

Before the conquest of A+H, did Dahomey have direct contact with the Europeans?

Answer 18

No bc at this point due to A + H doing the trading but they were known to Europeans as a major source of the slaves they bought from there

Question 19

Who was the kingdom consolidated by? How?

Answer 19

• Kingdom consolidated by King Houegbadja
  who built the Royal Palaces of Dahomey in the mid-1600s
• He established centralised bureaucracy and tax systems
• Conducted war and slave raids South of Dahomey plateau

Question 20

How many men were in the army?

Answer 20

They didn’t have as many men in the army as Oyo. Stood at 10,000

Question 21

How were Dahomey paid for PoW?

Answer 21

Paid in slaves, cowries, luxuries such as silk, gunpowder and firearms

Question 22

What were key characteristics of the Dahomean army?

Answer 22

- They were honed into efficient, lethal fighting machines and formed the backbone of the musket-armed infantry - Trained from the age of 7-8 - Expert and disciple key characteristics of the army

Question 22

A+H - Middleman position

Answer 22

Agadja 1718, conquered Allada and Heuda and cut out the middleman in European trade, making themselves in direct control of the slave trade

Question 22

What happened at the end of the conquest/conflict?

Answer 22

- They secured favourable terms, non-intervention with the European powers at the end of the conflict - End slave raids into Dahomeyan territory by A+H, secure access to European weapons to fight off threats

Question 23

What happened in 1730 during Agadja's reign?

Answer 23

1730 Agadja was forced to accept the tributary position and sent his son Tegbessou to Oyo-Ile as a hostage

Question 23

What is the general political structure of Oyo?

Answer 23

- Federal, dispersed power - Alaafin = supreme overlord of ppl, head of empire - He had many responsibilities such as to keep tributaries safe, settle internal disputes, give subordinates honours. - Sub-rulers had to pay homage to him and pledge their allegiance to him at festivals - The Bere festival is a key example of this, and marked the continuation of a successful rule

Question 24

What is the Oyo Mesi?

Answer 24

- There were 7 hereditary, councillors of state - Constituted the electoral council and had legislative powers - They were responsible for state interests, commanded the military and were prevented the Alaafin from becoming an autocrat

Question 25

Give 2 roles in the Oyo Mesi

Answer 25

- PM = Bashorun - Samu = sacrificial minister

Question 26

Succession in Oyo

Answer 26

Chosen by Oyo Mesi but must descent from Oranmiyan

Question 27

Aremo

Answer 27

- Must commit suicide with father to prevent him from trying to take his father's place - mutually assured destruction Aremo held significant power as he could leave the palace regularly which meant he was visible to the ppl

Question 28

Who had final say on Alaafin nomination?

Answer 28

The Bashorun. This gave them religious power bc they were strongly associated with key ceremony and ritual in Oyo

Question 31

Detail the destabilizing and corrupt Bashorun and what he did

Answer 31

1750-1774 Bashorun Gaha made 4 Alaafin's commit suicide but was overthrown by Alaafin Abiodun but there was irreparable damage and the kingdom was weakened

Question 34

Why were the powerful?

Answer 34

- Their age, wisdom gave them importance in religious and political matters - They had power over the people due to their religious legitimacy - The leader was the OLUWO who had unchecked direct access to the Alaafin at any time

Question 36

Give the general political structure/roles in Dahomey

Answer 36

- Mehu -PM - Yvogan - international trade - Migan - Internal trade - Ahusu was very powerful and had the final say on all matters and other officials could not express dissent outside of meetings - Hereditary succession

Question 37

Dahomey succession

Answer 37

Hereditary

Question 38

Political structure 2

Answer 38

- Villages and towns with their own tribal leaders and elders - Ahosu appointed representatives to villages to ensure interests, tax, resolve disputes