Agadja
Encyclopedia
Dossou Agadja was the fifth King of Dahomey
. He succeeded Houessou Akaba, and ruled from 1708 to 1740. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9003975/Agaja#21591.hook
Akaba's only son, Agbo Sassa, was only ten years old when Akaba died, so as Akaba's brother, Agadja took the throne to become the fifth king. He refused to let Agbo Sassa reclaim the throne when he came of age and forced him into exile.
Agadja's reign was characterized by continual warfare. The Yorùbá
soldiers of the Oyo Empire
defeated the army of Abomey
; Agadja parlayed peace terms including the payment of tribute. For the next hundred years, the Kingdom of Abomey
paid the King of Oyo
an annual tribute in young men and women destined for slavery
or death in ceremonies, as well as cloth, guns, animals and pearls.
The kingdom of Abomey
grew during Agadja's reign, however; it conquered Allada
in 1724, and in 1727 conquered the kingdom of Savi
, including its major city, Ouidah
. Agadja's victory over Ouidah
came in part as a result of his use of a corps of women shock-troopers, called Dahomey Amazons
by the Europeans after the women warriors of Greek myth, in his army. The Amazons
became a dynastic tradition. When Abomey
conquered Savi
and Ouidah
, it gained direct access to the sea and took over the lucrative slave trade with the Europeans. As a result, Agadja's symbol is a European caravel
boat.
In 1733 Agadja was visited by a party headed by the Dutchman Jacob Elet
who had come to negotiate the release of three employees of the Dutch West India Company
that had been taken hostage in the attack on Jakin of 1732.
Agadja was succeeded by Tegbessou
.
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
. He succeeded Houessou Akaba, and ruled from 1708 to 1740. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9003975/Agaja#21591.hook
Akaba's only son, Agbo Sassa, was only ten years old when Akaba died, so as Akaba's brother, Agadja took the throne to become the fifth king. He refused to let Agbo Sassa reclaim the throne when he came of age and forced him into exile.
Agadja's reign was characterized by continual warfare. The Yorùbá
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
soldiers of the Oyo Empire
Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
defeated the army of Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
; Agadja parlayed peace terms including the payment of tribute. For the next hundred years, the Kingdom of Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
paid the King of Oyo
Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
an annual tribute in young men and women destined for slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
or death in ceremonies, as well as cloth, guns, animals and pearls.
The kingdom of Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
grew during Agadja's reign, however; it conquered Allada
Allada
Allada is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Atlantique Department of Benin.Allada was the capital of the most powerful king in Ajaland before it fell to the armies of Dahomey....
in 1724, and in 1727 conquered the kingdom of Savi
Savi
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...
, including its major city, Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
. Agadja's victory over Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
came in part as a result of his use of a corps of women shock-troopers, called Dahomey Amazons
Dahomey Amazons
The Dahomey Amazons or Mino were a Fon all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey which lasted until the end of the 19th century...
by the Europeans after the women warriors of Greek myth, in his army. The Amazons
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
became a dynastic tradition. When Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
conquered Savi
Savi
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...
and Ouidah
Ouidah
Ouidah , also Whydah or Juda, is a city on the Atlantic coast of Benin.The commune covers an area of 364 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people.-History:...
, it gained direct access to the sea and took over the lucrative slave trade with the Europeans. As a result, Agadja's symbol is a European caravel
Caravel
A caravel is a small, highly maneuverable sailing ship developed in the 15th century by the Portuguese to explore along the West African coast and into the Atlantic Ocean. The lateen sails gave her speed and the capacity for sailing to windward...
boat.
In 1733 Agadja was visited by a party headed by the Dutchman Jacob Elet
Jacob Elet
Jacob Elet was a Dutch Chief factor for the Dutch West India Company on the Slave Coast of West Africa during the 18th century who is especially known for having visited in 1733 Agaja, the king of Dahomey, and for having kept a diary chronicling the trip....
who had come to negotiate the release of three employees of the Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
that had been taken hostage in the attack on Jakin of 1732.
Agadja was succeeded by Tegbessou
Tegbessou
Tegbessou was the sixth King of Dahomey. He succeeded Agadja, and ruled from 1740 to 1774.Tegbessou's reign was characterized by internal intrigues and a failed foreign policy; he killed many coup-plotters and political enemies, refused to pay tribute to the Yorubas, and lost many battles in the...
.