Agaja

Agaja

▪ king of Dahomey
also spelled  Agadja 
born c. 1673
died 1740, Allada, Dahomey [now Benin]

      third ruler of the West African kingdom of Dahomey (1708–40), who was able to extend his kingdom southward to the coast and who consolidated and centralized it through important administrative reforms.

      The first part of Agaja's reign was by far the more successful. From 1708 to 1727 he carried out a series of expansionist wars, culminating in the takeover of the kingdom of Allada in 1724 and of the important coastal trading state of Whydah (Ouïdah) in 1727. In the second half of his reign, however, he was subject to the invasions of the powerful Oyo (Oyo empire) kingdom to the northeast.

      The Oyo first invaded Dahomey in 1726, easily defeating Agaja's forces and burning his capital, Abomey, before returning home. They invaded Dahomey again in 1728, 1729, and 1730. Agaja and his men retreated or hid as the Oyo burned and pillaged. Finally, in 1730, Agaja was forced to come to terms and pay tribute. He also gave up his opposition to the slave trade, though he did insist on a royal monopoly. From 1730 until his death he maintained his capital at Allada, south of his former capital; once his territory seemed secure he concentrated on administrative reform, especially the creation of a bureaucracy under royal control. Internal dissension developed after 1735, however, partly because of the chiefs' resentment over the royal monopoly of the slave trade, and in 1737 this trade became free. Meanwhile, Agaja was evidently not able to keep up the annual tribute to the Oyo, who invaded his kingdom once more the year before his death.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Jacob Elet — was a Dutch Chief factor for the Dutch West India Company on the Slave Coast of West Africa during the eighteenth century who is especially known for having visited in 1733 Agaja, the king of Dahomey, and for having kept a diary chronicling the… …   Wikipedia

  • Agadja — Roi d Abomey Règne 1708 1732[1] Dynastie Rois d Abomey Prédécesseur Houessou Akaba Successeur Tegbessou Biograph …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Dahomey — Dahomean, Dahoman /deuh hoh meuhn/, adj., n. /deuh hoh mee/; Fr. /dann aw may /, n. former name of Benin (def. 1). * * * ▪ historical kingdom, Africa       kingdom in western Africa that flourished in the 18th and 19th centuries in the region… …   Universalium

  • History of Africa — Pre Colonial African States …   Wikipedia

  • Ouidah —   Commune and city   Basilica of Ouidah …   Wikipedia

  • Ojigi (Oyo) — Ojigi (also Ojiji) was Alafin of the Yoruba Oyo Empire in what is now Nigeria from 1724 1735. Alafin Ojigi s rule began Oyo s great age of conquest . His reign is also considered the peak of imperial success, and Ojigi enjoyed the strong support… …   Wikipedia

  • Savi — was the capital of the Kingdom of Whydah prior to its capture by the forces of Dahomey in 1727.Prior to the conquest of the city it had a circumference of about four miles. There were British East India Company, Dutch West India Company, French… …   Wikipedia

  • Ajaland — refers to the area inhabited by the Aja people in Benin and Togo, West Africa. In the late 16th and early 17th century this area was a major center of the Atlantic Slave Trade. It was largely split between the Kingdom of Whydah and the domain of… …   Wikipedia

  • Ouidah — Le fort portugais de Ouidah Administration Pays   …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Benin — /be neen /, n. 1. Formerly, Dahomey. a republic in W Africa: formerly part of French West Africa; gained independence in 1960. 3,197,000; 44,290 sq. mi. (114,711 sq. km). Cap.: Porto Novo. 2. Bight of, a bay in N Gulf of Guinea in W Africa. 3. a… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”