Dahomey

Introduction
Dahomey started in 1600.  It was created by the Fon.  The economy of Dahomey was very domestic. There were great pieces of art in Dahomey.  They followed the religion Vodun.  The kingdom was ruled by a monarchy.  They had a strong military.

History
Dahomey lasted for 300 years.  Legend as it a Fon prince founded Dahomey.  The king palace was created at Abomey.  Dahomey conquered Allada and it became the capital.  Dahomey also conquered Whydah.  In 1730 Dahomey had to pay tribute to the Oyo Empire.

Dahomenians captured people for their Annual Customs holiday.  The people they captured were sacrificed. The ones who weren't sacrificed was bartered with Europeans.  Dahomey went to war with the Oyo Empire in 1823.  They defeated them so they no longer had to pay tribute.

The British wanted Dahomey to get out of the slave trade, but the king didn't want too.  Dahomey was making a lot of $ from palm oil.  There were 2 political parties in Dahomey in the 1800's.  The Elephants were politicians allied to the king.  They wanted to keep trading slaves.  The Fly were chiefs and palm oil sellers.

The French tookover some cities near Dahomey in the mid-1800's.  Dahomicans raided French territory for slaves, so the French conquered Dahomey.  They changed the government of Dahomey. They ruled it for 60 years.  After that, Dahomey became independent and renamed itself Benin.

 
Tribes of Dahomey     
Fon: Founding tribe.   Members of the Fon tribe were taken Haiti during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Their traditional religion is Vodun.  

Ewe:  They are the most magical tribe in Ghana.  Their traditional religion is also Vodun.  They are great drummers and have their own dances.

Aja: Ancestors of the Fon.  There are about half a million of them.  They may have created Vodun.

Yoruba: I assume some of them lived in Dahomey because there were Yoruba kingdoms nearby.  The Yoruba have a great culture and their traditional religion is Ifa.  Members of the Yoruba tribe were taken to Haiti, Cuba, and Puerto Rico during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.  

Other tribes lived there as well.

Art of Dahomey
Artists made 'carvings out of wood and ivory'.  They worked with different metals.  Their art wasn't so religious.  Artist made statues of kings that looked somewhat like animals.  The king supported art, so a lot of art had to do with royalty.

Artistic ideas were borrowed from other cultures around them.  Artists would depict foes of Dahomey in a demeaning way.  The king of Oyo was depicted as a 'baboon eating corn on the cob.' Sometimes feathers and bones were used in artwork.  "Small brass figures of animals or people" were made for rich to wear.    

Religion
Nana Buluku: Supreme being.
Mawu: Moon goddess.  Lisa twin sister.  She created the earth.  Lisa may have helped her.
Lisa: Sun god. Mawu twin brother.  Lisa and Mawu joined bodies.          
Da Zodji: First born son of Mawu-Lisa.  King of the earth pantheon.  He has a twin sister.  She is his wife.

There are many other children of Maw-Lisa.  There are 4 pantheons in Vodun.  Ancestral spirits are paramount in this religion.

The first daughter in a family leads certain religious ceremonies.  She is known as Queen Mother.  To be a high priest or priestess a person must be chosen by the oracle.

Vodun is somewhat the mother of Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo.  It is a great religion!  The Rada Nation comes from Vodun.

Political Structure
Houegbadja: King of Dahomey.  He was the leader major religious ceremonies.

Royal Court: An advisor, judge, and administrative officer.

Military
Soldiers received bonus pay for every enemy they killed in battle. They were well trained and disciplined. They used firearms and "steel swords."  They preferred it to traditional weapons. Dahomey lacked a navy and cavalry.

Mino Warriors: Women soldiers in the army of Dahomey.  They trained harder than the men, so they were better warriors.

Conclusion
Dahomey had great culture and religion.  It had sweet art and a tough military.  It was around for 300 years. I give it an A.          

References
http://www.persee.fr/doc/cea_0008-0055_1971_num_11_41_2810
https://www.britannica.com/place/Dahomey-historical-kingdom-Africa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey   
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fon_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewe_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aja_people
http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=2922
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Kingdom_of_Dahomey
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_African_Vodun
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nana_Buluku
http://www.afropedea.org/fon-pantheon-gods-vodun
African Mythology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey_Amazons
Mino Warriors
Dahomey Role in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
Dahomey Doc
Vodun