Vocabulary Timeline Kingdom A country, state or territory ruled by a King or Queen. 900 The Benin Kingdom was first AD created when lots of smaller Empire A group of states or countries ruled over by a single villages joined together to form a ruler. Benin is found in West Africa- can you locate this on a map? larger community. Oba King. The people of Benin believed their Oba was a Obas were always men. Oba is another name for king, and this is still used today! god. 1180 The dynasty of the ‘Oba’ began. Trading Buying or selling goods or services. AD In part of West Africa, ‘Oba’ is Europeans (Portuguese) first found Benin in around 1470 still used as a royal title today. Civil wars A war between citizens of the same country. Many of Benin’s history is told through stories and folk tales. Interesting people Benin modelled and sculpted with bronze and brass and many of these artefacts 1283 Oba Oguole had the Benin City AD Wall built. can be found in museums today. Prince 1100 AD (approx.) King of Ife’s son who was sent from Oranmiyan the neighbouring country to restore peace to Benin. Is Oba’s were believed to be very powerful and semi-divine and could communicate said to have brought the first horse to Benin. 1440 The Kingdom of Benin began to with gods and spirits. Much of the art that was made, was to honour the Oba’s. AD expand and prosper under the Before Benin was colonised by Britain, Benin were a self sufficient country, selling Oba Eweka I 1180 -1235 AD King of Kingdom of Benin. The first rule of Oba Ewuare the Great. goods like: pepper, ivory, cloth, leopard skins, rubber, palm oil and precious king to be known as ‘Oba’. Son of Prince Oranmiyan. stones. 1451 Oba Ewuare expanded the Oba Ewuare the 1440 – 1473 AD King of Benin. Fought against his AD kingdom and set up trading links Benin also provided a slave trade for a while, selling up to 3,000 people a year to Great brother for rule. Set up trading links with Portugal. Europe. Usually it would be women from neighbouring countries, but once the with Portuguese visitors. Kingdom realised how much profit could be made, they began selling male slaves Oba Ehengbuda 1578 -1601 AD The last of the warrior kings. Stopped 1700 The Benin Kingdom entered a too. many local rebellions. After his death the empire AD period of decline due to a series The Golden Age of Benin lasted from 1400AD to 1600AD because it had a strong shrunk. of civil wars and the ending of army, it’s walls were expanded, the Portuguese began to trade with them and the slave trade in Europe. English made their first contact with them. They also had good inland trade Edo creation story which Benin then sold for a Profit to Europeans. The great god Osanobua created the world 1897 Benin City is destroyed by British Between 1700-1800, Benin came into Civil War and lost a lot of wealth due to the AD troops and Benin comes under Olokun (eldest God of the waters and god of wealth cost of war. Many fights were had about who should be Oba, and so there were British control. son) many Obas in this time. Obiemven In charge of farming and childbirth Before Benin was invaded, Britain tried to inforce a treaty. However, the British (daughter) troops that were sent to deliver this treaty were killed by Benin soldiers. This event led to the British burning Benin city, killing many of its citizens. The Oba Ogiuwu (youngest King of death was exiled to a neighbouring town, called Calabar. son) The Oba at the time of 1881 was suspicious of the Europeans trading intentions Ogun God of iron and warriors and the Oba was proved right as soon, Britain invaded. Occupied and colonised Osun God of medicine and magic Benin by 1914.