Kingdom of Benin
This article is about the specific polity Kingdom of Benin and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.
If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics
Was a kingdom in southern Nigeria created by the Edo population. It has no relation to modern-day Benin. It was conquered by the British in a military expedition of 1897 and after a short occupation added to the Southern Nigeria Protectorate.
Establishment
January 1181: The Kingdom of Benin is established by the Edo people. The Kingdom has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
Was a punitive expedition by a British force against the Benin Empire.
February 1897: The 'Sapoba' column, and the 'Main column' reached Benin City after 10 days of bitter fighting.
January 1351: In 1350, the Oghara kingdom was established.
January 1401: Uvwie state founded.
January 1464: Ekpereijie (Ekpoma) state founded.
January 1501: During the 15th century, the Kingdom of Benin conquered and absorbed the territory of Ife. This marked a significant expansion of the Benin Kingdom's influence and power in the region.
January 1501: In 1500, the city of Ile Ife was founded in present-day Nigeria. It is considered the spiritual center of the Yoruba people. According to Yoruba mythology, Ile Ife is believed to be the birthplace of humanity and the location where the gods descended to create the world.
January 1501: Itsekiri state founded.
January 1501: In the early 16th century, the rulers of Benin made attempts to expand their power westward along what is now the Bay of Benin. Portugal supports Benin with arms and military advice. In the course of this, it was possible to create a kind of satellite kingdom in Eko (today Lagos) by installing a ruling dynasty that was dependent on the kings of Benin.
January 1505: Idoani confederacy founded.
January 1551: Under Okpame (also called Ozobwa), the 16th Oba of Benin, the Kingdom expanded to include conquests in Egba country. At its greatest extent, the kingdom encompassed the area from present-day Ghana to east of the Niger River.
January 1551: In 1550, the Fon kingdom of Alada was founded by King Akaba. Alada was a powerful kingdom in present-day Benin, known for its skilled warriors and strategic location along trade routes. King Akaba was a respected ruler who expanded the kingdom's influence through military conquests and diplomatic alliances.
January 1601: Eko state is founded.
January 1601: Foundation of the Yoruba kingdom of Dassa
January 1609: The Oyo Empire is re-established as more centralized and expansive country than ever.
January 1621: Aja or Little Adra was a kingdom of the Adja in today's Republic of Benin with the capital Ajatche and the official language Aja. According to legend, succession disputes erupted around 1620 and the Ardra kingdom was divided.
January 1622: Akinsewa Ogbolu was the first king of Ota.
January 1631: Ise-Ekiti state founded.
January 1646: Houegbadja founded the Kingdom of Dahomey, ruling from around 1645 to 1685. He is known for building the Royal Palaces of Abomey and expanding the kingdom through raiding and conquering towns outside of the Abomey plateau.
January 1651: Okpe state founded.
January 1651: Mahi state of Savalu founded.
January 1660: Olabanjo Ogunlola Ogundiran was the first king of the Ogbomoso chiefdom from 1659 to 1714.
January 1661: The Kingdom of Aneho is established by Nana Quam-Dessou I in 1660.
January 1681: Ajiboye Aniyeloye becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Ila-Orangun in 1680.
January 1681: In 1680 the Genyigba state is founded at Gliji (usually known as Glidji).
January 1683: Akplaka I Huve (Agbogo) becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Be in 1682.
January 1686: Liyen becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Ondo in 1686.
January 1689: In 1688, the Fon kingdom of Ajache Ipo was founded in Porto Novo. The Fon people are an ethnic group in Benin, known for their powerful kingdoms and influence in the region.
January 1690: Ugborugbo becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Gbaramatu.
January 1701: Eguguojo, a powerful warrior and leader of the Oyo Empire, conquered nearly all of Yorubaland by 1700.
January 1701: Igala state founded (also known as Idah).
January 1703: The Akwamu Kingdom, led by King Agbo, expanded its territory along the coast from present-day Winneba in Ghana to Ouidah in Benin. This expansion occurred around 1702, when the kingdom crossed the Volta River and extended its influence further east.
January 1711: In 1710 Akwamu subdued the Ewe people of the Ho region.
January 1786: Agoro Dam becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Kotokoli.
January 1801: The economic decline of Benin began i.a. with the collapse of the export markets for Benin fabrics, the decline in intra-African trade and the ban on the transatlantic slave trade.
January 1801: Oseh becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Owa.
February 1804: The Sokoto Caliphate was a sovereign Sunni Muslim caliphate in West Africa that was founded during the jihad of the Fulani War in 1804 by Usman dan Fodio.
January 1820: Ikelebe "the Great" becomes the first king of the chiefdom of Auchi.
January 1836: From 1808 until the mid-1830s, the Sokoto state expanded, gradually annexing the plains to the west and key parts of Yorubaland.
August 1861: Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 under the threat of force by Commander Beddingfield of HMS Prometheus. Prior to the arrival of the British, the Oba of Benin had "the undisputed right to crown or confirm the individual whom the people of Lagos elected to be their King".
January 1885: The Niger Coast Protectorate was established by British colonial administrator Sir Ralph Moor in 1884. It was later renamed the Oil Rivers Protectorate before eventually becoming part of the larger British colony of Nigeria.
January 1885: The German trading house Gaiser tried to colonize the coast near Mahin around 1884.
Disestablishment
February 1897: The 'Sapoba' column, and the 'Main column' reached Benin City after 10 days of bitter fighting.
