In the 12th century, a great palace intrigue erupted and crown prince Ekaladerhan, the only son of the last Ogiso, was sentenced to death as a result of the first queen (who was barren) deliberately changing an oracle's message to the Ogiso. Oranmiyan was resisted by Ogiamien Irebor, one of the palace chiefs, and took up his abode in the palace built for him at Usama by the elders (now a coronation shrine). The kingdom of Benin was an interesting place. 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. [27], At its height, Benin dominated trade along the entire coastline from the Western Niger Delta, through Lagos to the kingdom of Great Accra (modern-day Ghana). Additionally, wives and slaves of the Oba committed suicide, so that they could continue serving him in the afterlife. Booking.com, being established in 1996, is longtime Europe’s leader in online hotel reservations. Its capital is Porto-Novo, but Cotonou, the largest city, is the government seat. The Portuguese would write this down as Benin City. [29] It also conquered what eventually became the city of Lagos hundreds of years before the British took over in 1851.[30]. Most of the buildings within this court are covered with palm leaves, instead of with square planks, and every roof is adorned with a small spired tower, on which casted copper birds are standing, being very artfully sculpted and lifelike with their wings spread. The Portuguese who arrived in an expedition led by Joao Afonso de Aveiro in 1485 would refer to it as Benin and the centre would become known as Benin City.[18]. G. Kind – 1746 – Old. The kingdom of Biafra and Benin … No added fees. We have put together also a carefully selected list of recommended hotels in Benin-City, only hotels with the highest level of guest satisfaction are included. Always bear in mind that with Maplandia.com and Booking.com the best price is guaranteed! Estimates for the initial construction of the walls range from the first millennium to the mid-fifteenth century. Simply fill in the e-mail address and name of the person you wish to tell about Maplandia.com, your name and e-mail address (so they can reply to you with gracious thanks), and click the recommend button. The people and royal kingmakers preferred their late king's son as the next to rule. He commented that "When Europeans first came to Africa, they considered the architecture very disorganised and thus primitive. His son the new king was soon found to be deaf and dumb, and so the elders appealed to Oranmiyan. [6] Some estimates suggest that the walls of Benin may have been constructed between the thirteenth and mid-fifteenth century CE[7] and others suggest that the walls of Benin (in the Esan region) may have been constructed during the first millennium AD. More than one hundred major festivals are celebrated in the state between January and December every year. Barring a successful assault, most sieges were resolved by a strategy of attrition, slowly cutting off and starving out the enemy fortification until it capitulated. The kingdom of Benin began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa. Oduduwa, who could not return due to his advanced age, granted them Oranmiyan, his grandson, to rule over them. If the eldest son failed to complete these tasks, the eldest son might be disqualified from becoming king. They wove cotton fabrics with stripes of color. 102–4. They traded with the Frendh, the Dutch, and the Portuguese. You may also enter an additional message that will be also included in the e-mail. The monarch of the realm served as supreme military commander. However, they want their politeness to be returned with likewise courtesy as well, without the appearance of any disappointment or rudeness, and rightly so. To preserve the kingdom's independence, bit by bit the Oba banned the export of goods from Benin, until the trade was exclusively in palm oil. They cover 2,510 sq. Hernon, A. Britain's Forgotten Wars, p.409 (2002), Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Benin Prehistory. 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. He says that all of the evidence "points to a limited, ritual custom of human sacrifice." Indiana University Press, 1999. Ben-Amos, Paula Girshick (1999). [7][8], The Benin City walls have been known to Westerners since around 1500. Thank you for all links! [24], The monarchy of Benin was hereditary; the eldest son was to become the new Oba. Benin arose as a city-state in the late 1100s or 1200s and expanded into a larger kingdom or empire in the mid-1400s. One of those unique things was their art. During the festival, twelve criminals, chosen from a prison where the worst criminals were held, were sacrificed. While the treaty itself contains text suggesting Ovonramwen actively sought Britain's protection, this appears to be a fiction. The first Ogiso (Ogiso Igodo), wielded much influence and gained popularity as a good ruler. But many of the sensationalist accounts of the sacrifices, says historian J.D. Kingdom of Benin is located in present day South West Nigeria. It is about the same size as the city of Haarlem and entirely surrounded by a special wall, comparable to the one which encircles the town. Some residents of Benin City could still speak a pidgin Portuguese in the late 19th century. Beneath him were subordinate generalissimos, the Ezomo, the Iyase, and others who supervised a Metropolitan Regiment based in the capital, and a Royal Regiment made up of hand-picked warriors that also served as bodyguards. Sacrifices were performed every fifth day. Though, when one is willing to accept these customs, they are very easy-going and will cooperate in every way possible to reach an agreement. The historical kingdom of Benin was established in the forested region of West Africa in the 1200s C.E. [40] [13] It is unknown whether slavery or some other type of labour was used in the construction of the walls. British Museum Press. Smith, Warfare & diplomacy pp. The territory was coveted by an influential group of investors for its rich natural resources such as palm-oil, rubber and ivory. This was excavated in the early 1960s by Graham Connah. 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. No placemark has been added to this place yet. Link to it or recommend it! You can also dive right into Benin-City on unique 3D satellite map provided by Google Earth. The Kingdom of Benin's capital was Edo, now known as Benin City in Edo state. 17 Nov 1896. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. [19], Forty-one female skeletons thrown into a pit were discovered by the archaeologist Graham Connah. Connah estimated that its construction if spread out over five dry seasons, would have required a workforce of 1,000 laborers working ten hours a day seven days a week. It is not to be confused with the former Republic of Dahomey now known as Benin as on the map. 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. [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." The region of southern West Africa was introduced to (or developed itself) iron-working technology from at least the 9th century CE. [25], After the son was installed as king, his mother - after having been invested with the title of Iyoba - was transferred to a palace just outside Benin City, in a place called Uselu. p. 20. 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. What remains of the wall itself continues to be torn down for real estate developments. Get more out of Benin-City map Add placemark to Benin-City. 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. Fred Pearce wrote in New Scientist: They extend for some 16,000 km in all, in a mosaic of more than 500 interconnected settlement boundaries. "Empire" as a description of foreign policy, This page was last edited on 4 January 2021, at 01:25. European traders in Benin to Major Copland Crawford. 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. The stolen portrait figures, busts, and groups created in iron, carved ivory, and especially in brass (conventionally called the "Benin Bronzes") are now displayed in museums around the world. This is a normal pattern among many nations. [42] Although some suggest that humanitarian motivations were driving Britain's actions,[43] letters written between administrators suggest that economic motivations were predominant. The first European travelers to reach Benin were Portuguese explorers under João Afonso de Aveiro in about 1485. It was the kingdom of the Fon people, one of the groups which formed the modern Benin state. [36], Military operations relied on a well trained disciplined force. 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. Map of Benin and travel information about Benin brought to you by Lonely Planet. Voodoo is one of the oldest religions of West Africa, originating in the rainforests and savannahs of Benin, Togo, and eastern Ghana. You can add the first. Connah says, "[Pereira] considered that a bank of earth was not a wall in the sense of the Europe of his day."[9]. With better tools to use in agriculture, crop yields improved. Benin, a narrow, key-shaped, north-south strip of land in West Africa, lies between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer.Benin's latitude ranges from 6°30′ N to 12°30′ N and its longitude from 1° E to 3°40′ E. Benin is bounded by Togo to the west, Burkina Faso and Niger to the north, Nigeria to the east, and the Bight of Benin to the south. Many photos and unbiased Benin-City hotel reviews written by real guests are provided to help you make your booking decision. 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. When it comes to trade, they are very strict and will not suffer the slightest infringement of their customs, not even a iota can be changed. Art, Innovation, and Politics in Eighteenth-Century Benin. Benin’s tropical climate leads it to highly depend on agriculture. [41] Gallwey was able to get Omo n’Oba (Ovonramwen) and his chiefs to sign a treaty which gave Britain legal justification for exerting greater influence over the Empire. At Maplandia.com you won't be charged any booking fees, cancellation fees, or administration fees – the reservation service is free of charge. Their ruler was called Ogiso (Ruler of the sky). The rulers in Bini kingdom during the first dynasty were called “Ogiso”. The ritual recalled a mythical war against the sky. The Kingdom of Benin eventually gained political strength and ascendancy over much of what is now mid-western Nigeria. With new GoogLe Earth plugin you can enjoy the interactive Benin-City 3D map within your web browser. Graham also notes that many of the written accounts referring to the human sacrifices describe them as actually being executed criminals. The language and culture was not enforced, as the empire remained heterogeneous and localized according to each group within the kingdom, though a local enogie (or duke) was often appointed by the Oba for specific ethnic areas. Whatever might be offered to them out of politeness, will always be doubled in return. The location of each Benin-City hotel listed is shown on the detailed zoomable map. Maplandia.com is not sponsored by or affiliated with Google. [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. The Kingdom of Ife, located in today’s Nigeria like t… Advising the deposition of the Benin King. In carrying out the royal order that he be killed, the palace messengers had mercy and set the prince free at Ughoton near Benin. [17], In 1440, Oba Ewuare, also known as Ewuare the Great, came to power and expanded the borders of the former city-state. Benin City, Nigeria – A wooden staff thumps on the landing in front of the temporary palace. 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]. The buildings are of different sizes however, resting on wooden pillars, from top to bottom lined with copper casts, on which pictures of their war exploits and battles are engraved. Reporting the stoppage of trade by the Benin King 1896 Apr 13, Sir Ralph Moore to Foreign Office. 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. [3], Benin City (formerly Edo) sprang up by around 1000, in a forest that could be easily defended. These include bronze wall plaques and life-sized bronze heads depicting the Obas and Iyobas of Benin. You can be the first. Moreover, Benin-City hotel map is available where all hotels in Benin-City are marked. Another description given around 1600, one hundred years after Pereira's description, is by the Dutch explorer Dierick Ruiters.[9]. [12] It has been estimated that, assuming a ten-hour work day, a labour force of 5,000 men could have completed the walls within 97 days, or by 2,421 men in 200 days. When his father the Ogiso died, the Ogiso dynasty officially ended. The mother held a considerable amount of power; she was, however, never allowed to meet her son — who was now a divine ruler — again. By the seventeenth century, the kingdom fell into decline following constant civil wars and disputes over the kingship. A series of walls marked the incremental growth of the sacred city from 850 AD until its decline in the 16th century. The title of Oba was adopted in Benin Empire after the Ogiso rule ended. The Oba was also credited with having magical powers.[26]. Also by 500 AD, iron was in use by the inhabitants of the Benin territory. 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. The state developed an advanced artistic culture, especially in its famous artifacts of bronze, iron and ivory. Benin-City hotels map is available on the target page linked above. 54–62, E.G. 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. A punitive expedition was launched in 1897. [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. [44] The treaty itself does not explicitly mention anything about Benin's "bloody customs" that Burton had written about, and instead only includes a vague clause about ensuring "the general progress of civilization".[44]. It was formed around the 11th century AD", and lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897. 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.. In order to validate the succession of the kingship, the eldest son had to bury his father and perform elaborate rituals. As soon as the Oba began to suspect Britain of larger colonial designs, it ceased communications with them until the British Expedition in 1896-97, when troops of that country captured, burned, and looted Benin City as part of a punitive mission, which brought the kingdom's imperial era to an end. [37], Fortifications were important in the region and numerous military campaigns fought by Benin's soldiers revolved around sieges. Benin City before 1897: A Town Map and a Map of the Palace Area with Description. Benin, country of western Africa. You are not allowed to alter any portion of the link code or change the layout or targeting for any reason. "The Case of Benin". Akenzua, Edun (2000). The first English expedition to Benin was in 1553, and significant trading developed between England and Benin based on the export of ivory, palm oil, pepper, and later slaves. The Oba title was created by Oba Oranmiyan, the first Oba of Benin Empire who is also a grand son of Oduduwa, the first Oni of Ile-Ife. Pereira's account of the walls is as follows: This city is about a league long from gate to gate; it has no wall but is surrounded by a large moat, very wide and deep, which suffices for its defence. 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 Reporting on the abortive Expedition into Benin. It was formed around the 11th century AD",[2] and lasted until it was annexed by the British Empire in 1897. You always get the lowest price. Voodoo Kingdom. J.R. Phillips to Foreign Office. [22], There were two separate annual series of rites that honoured past Obas. 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. Do you like this map? Graham, are largely exaggerated or based on rumour and speculation. That's a long time. Map of Benin City area hotels: Locate Benin City hotels on a map based on popularity, price, or availability, and see Tripadvisor reviews, photos, and deals. Progress was made finally in 1892 during the visit of Vice-Consul Henry Galway. Benin was a French colony from the late 19th century until 1960. Benin’s population is 8.8 million and it has a surface area of 11,000 sq km (42,000 sq mi). No middlemen. No placemark has been added to this place yet. He died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son. Before trade and contact with Europeans, supplies of metal were very scarce in Benin and writing was not present. 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. Register at Benin-City or add new placemark for Benin-City.Get your personal map homepage and much more for free. He arranged for his son born to him by Erinmwinde, Eweka, to be made king in his place, and returned to Yorubaland thereafter. See Benin-City photos and images from satellite below, explore the aerial photographs of Benin-City in Nigeria. Visitors in the 16th and 19th centuries brought back to Europe tales of "Great Benin", a fabulous city of noble buildings, ruled over by a powerful king. Tactics in the field seem to have evolved over time. His descendants now rule in Ile Ife, Oyo and Benin. As payment, the Europeans received items, such as palm oil and bundles of pepper. The word Voodoo, variously known as Vodou, Vodun, and Vodoun, originated among the Fon people of Benin. The pre-colonial Benin Kingdom or Empire was located in what is today southern Nigeria. [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). It was not until the 15th century, during the reign of Oba Ewuare the Great, that the kingdom's administrative centre, the city of Ubinu (or Ibinu), began to be known as Benin City by the Portuguese, a pronunciation later adopted by the locals as well. 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. 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]. [10], The archaeologist Graham Connah suggests that Pereira was mistaken with his description by saying that there was no wall. Car rental offices nearest to Benin-City the city centre. Benin's power and wealth was continuously flourishing in the 19th century with the development of the trade in palm oil, textiles, ivory, slaves, and other resources. Below is a list of kings (both Ogiso and Oba) of the Benin Empire. "Whydah Xavier/Savi. Benin, one of the principal historic kingdoms of the western African forest region (fl. The Oba was shrouded in mystery; he only left his palace on ceremonial occasions. Despatches to Foreign Office from Consul-General. 11, Saskatchewan, Canada, in London, Lambeth, South East, England, United Kingdom, in Calvert County, Maryland, United States, Browse & Book hotels – low rates, no booking & cancelation fees », Benin-City hotels – Benin-City hotel guide », Douala - Boulevard De La Liberte car rental, more offers and Benin-City car hiring guide », Flights to nearby airports to Benin-City », Overview of flights to and from Nigeria », See the 3D map of Benin-City, Nigeria in Google Earth ». [20] From the early days, human sacrifices were a part of the state religion. City since the thirteenth century CE thus started a dynasty that now bears his name zoomable map depicting Obas! `` Empire '' as a good ruler the realm served as supreme military commander Useh near egor, his,... Easy to defend against attacks their ruler was called Ogiso ( ruler the. 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