The kingdom of Benin began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa. By the 1400s they had created a wealthy kingdom with a powerful ruler, known as the Oba. The Obas lived in beautiful palaces decorated with shining brass.

Gradually, the Obas won more land and built up an empire. They also started trading with merchants from Europe.

For 200 years Benin was very successful, but in the 1600s the Obas started to lose control of their people. By the 1800s Benin was no longer strong or united. The kingdom came to a sudden end in 1897, when a British army invaded and made it part of the British Empire.

How did the kingdom begin?
Around the year 900 groups of Edo people began to cut down trees and make clearings in the rainforest. At first they lived in small family groups, but gradually these groups developed into a kingdom.

The kingdom was called Igodomigodo. It was ruled by a series of kings, known as Ogisos, which means ‘rulers of the sky’.

In the 1100s there were struggles for power and the Ogisos lost control of their kingdom.

The Edo people feared that their country would fall into chaos, so they asked their neighbour, the King of Ife, for help. The king sent his son Prince Oranmiyan to restore peace to the Edo kingdom.

Oranmiyan chose his son Eweka to be the first Oba of Benin. Eweka was the first in a long line of Obas, who reached the peak of their power in the 1500s.

Oba Ewuare was the first of five great warrior kings. His son Oba Ozolua was believed to have won 200 battles. He was followed by Oba Esigie who expanded his kingdom eastwards to form an empire and won land from the Kingdom of Ife. Ozolua and Esigie both encouraged trade with the Portuguese. They used their wealth from trade to build up a vast army.

The fourth warrior king was Oba Orhogbua. During his reign, the empire reached its largest size. It stretched beyond the River Niger in the east and extended west as far as present-day Ghana.

Oba Ehengbuda was the last of the warrior kings. But he spent most of his reign stopping rebellions led by local chiefs. After his death in 1601, Benin’s empire gradually shrank

Bini has become irrelevant in today's scheme of things. The entire population of Bini people is not up to that of my local government area in Anambra

gidgiddy:
Bini has become irrelevant in today's scheme of things. The entire population of Bini people is not up to that of my local government area in Anambra

We are and will continue to be relevant,
No Niger delta without mentioning Edo state

gidgiddy:
Bini has become irrelevant in today's scheme of things. The entire population of Bini people is not up to that of my local government area in Anambra

what's the meaning of this rubbish u just typed.

You want others to be tolerant of u but u are intolerant of others.

gidgiddy:
Bini has become irrelevant in today's scheme of things. The entire population of Bini people is not up to that of my local government area in Anambra

your entire tribe was under Benin as slaves until we dashed you people to ijaw

Osagyefo98:



what's the meaning of this rubbish u just typed.

You want others to be tolerant of u but u are intolerant of others.

Afonja he goat from edo state

dreamwords:

Afonja he goat from edo state

mynd44 do the needful pls



I don't support or encourage rubbish....

You want others to be tolerant of u but u can't give others breathing space to express their views.

Edodefender:
your entire tribe was under Benin as slaves until we dashed you people to ijaw

You people only had an empire because Igbos were not interested in ruling other people. You guys shouldn't mess with us Igbos, at over 45 million people, we are one of the largest tribes in Africa. I'm not sure the entire Edo people in the world are up to up to 5 million.

gidgiddy:
Bini has become irrelevant in today's scheme of things. The entire population of Bini people is not up to that of my local government area in Anambra

favor99 is this true?

Edodefender:
your entire tribe was under Benin as slaves until we dashed you people to ijaw

y pick fight with ipob man




I'm igbo there was never a time igbos were enslaved btw

Osagyefo98:



what's the meaning of this rubbish u just typed.

You want others to be tolerant of u but u are intolerant of others.

Thanks bro, I appreciate that. There so many people like him on nairaland. Imagine, no one insulted or said anything negative about his ethnic group, but he just insults Benin anyhow for no reason, unprovoked

OgaBuhari:
favor99 is this true?

No it’s not. Bini population is like 3 million, all of Edo population in Nigeria is about 6 million.
Don’t mind trolls that have their own agendas

OP cleverly avoided the Oduduwa controversy yet pig-Ibos still shoved their snouts in here to try and scatter the thread

Bini was more than a kingdom. Bini was an Empire and their influence was felt right inside Igbo territories.

Edodefender:
your entire tribe was under Benin as slaves until we dashed you people to ijaw

Lol
The last time Igbos matched to Edo they took it without firing a single shot.
Britain fought Igbos for decades in one of the fiercest war against slavery ever. When they finally won they couldn't subjugate us and their rules collapse like park of cards.
Your inconsequential likes should be thankful that Igbos don't give a damn about others or conquering them, you could have been hearing stories of your Igbo Lords.

Again, you should read the story of how Bini kindergarten kingdom was defeated by Igala woman.