NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Dahomey Amazons

The Dahomey Amazons were a Fon all-female military regiment of the Kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin) which lasted until end of the 19th century. They were so named due to their similarity to the semi-mythical Amazons of Ancient Greece. Jump to: navigation, search Fon is a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin or Dahomey, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 2,000,000 people. ... Jump to: navigation, search Dahomey was an African kingdom situated in what is now Benin. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Greek mythology, the Amazons were either an ancient legendary nation of female warriors or a contemporary land of women at the outer edges of the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search Ancient Greece is the term used to describe the Greek-speaking world in ancient times. ...

History

Dahomey Amazons in around 1890

King Houegbadja (who ruled from 1645 to 1685), the third King of Dahomey, is said to have originally started the group which would become the Amazons as a corps of royal bodyguards after building a new palace at Abomey. Houegbadja's son King Agadja (ruling from 1708 to 1732) developed these bodyguards into a militia and successfully used them in Dahomey's defeat of the neighbouring kingdom of Savi in 1727. European merchants recorded their presence, as well as similar female warriors amongst the Ashanti. For the next hundred years or so, they gained reputation as fearless warriors. Though they fought rarely, they usually acquitted themselves well in battle. Much of the conflict in that place and period was conducted for the purpose of obtaining slaves from other tribes in order to sell to American and European slave traders. Photo (c. ... Aho Houegbadja was the third King of Dahomey. ... // Events January 10 - Archbishop Laud executed on Tower Hill, London. ... Events February 6 - James Stuart, Duke of York becomes King James II of England and Ireland and King James VII of Scotland. ... Abomey is a town in Benin, formerly the capital of the ancient kingdom of Dahomey. ... Jump to: navigation, search Dossou Agadja was the fifth King of Dahomey. ... Jump to: navigation, search // Events March 23 - James Francis Edward Stuart lands at the Firth of Forth July 1 - Tewoflos becomes Emperor of Ethiopia September 28 - Peter the Great defeats the Swedes at the Battle of Lesnaya Kandahar conquered by Mir Wais In Masuria one third of the population die... Events February 23 - First performance of Handels Orlando, in London June 9 - James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia. ... Jump to: navigation, search Events June 11 - George, Prince of Wales becomes King George II of Great Britain. ... Ashanti may refer to: The Ashanti people, an ethnic group Ashanti, a region of Ghana Ashanti Shaquoya Douglas, a singer HMS Ashanti, two Royal Navy warships Ashanti Gold, a chocolate based liqueur by Peter Heering. ...

From the time of King Ghezo (ruling from 1818 to 1858), Dahomey became increasingly militaristic. Ghezo placed great importance on the army and increased it's budget and formalized its structures. The Amazons were rigourously trained, given uniforms, and equipped with guns (obtained via the slave trade). By this time the Amazons consisted of between 4000 and 6000 women, about a third of the entire Dahomey army. King Ghezo (right), with his son the future King Glele in 1863 Ghezo was the ninth King of Dahomey (now Benin), considered one of the greatest of the twelve historical kings. ... 1818 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ...

European encroachment into west Africa gained pace during the latter half of the 19th century, and in 1890 the Dahomey King Behanzin started fighting French forces (mainly made up of Yoruba, who the Dahomeans had been fighting for centuries). The French, bolstered by the Foreign Legion, were armed with superior weaponry, including machine guns, and casualties were ten times worse on the Dahomey side. After several battles, the French prevailed. The Legionaires later wrote about the "incredible courage and audacity" of the Amazons. Behanzin in 1894 Behanzin is considered (if Adandozan is not counted) eleventh King of Dahomey (now Benin). ... Jump to: navigation, search The YorÃ¹bÃ¡ are estimated to be the second largest ethnic group in Nigeria, after the combined Hausa and Fulani. ... A foreign legion is a military force originally established by a monarch, consisting of foreigners who are not normally subjects of the king. ...

The last surviving Amazon died in 1979. Jump to: navigation, search This page refers to the year 1979. ...

Customs

The uniform and armaments of the Amazons

Members could enrol voluntarily, or were involuntarily enrolled if their husbands complained to the King about their behaviour. Membership of the Amazons was supposed to hone any aggressive character traits for the purpose of war. During their membership they were not allowed to have children or be part of married life. Many of the Amazons were virgins. The regiment had a semi-sacred status, which was intertwined with the Fon belief in Vodun. Color picture of one of the Dahomey Amazons This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Jump to: navigation, search Fon is a major West African ethnic and linguistic group in the country of Benin or Dahomey, and southwest Nigeria, made up of more than 2,000,000 people. ... The term Voodoo (Vodun in Benin; also Vodou or other phonetically equivalent spellings in Haiti; Vudu in the Dominican Republic) is applied to the branches of a West African ancestor-based religious tradition with primary roots among the Fon-Ewe peoples of West Africa, in the country now known as...

The Amazons were trained in a way reminiscent of Sparta, toughening themselves up with intense physical exercise and overcoming pain. Discipline was emphasised. In the latter period, the Amazons were armed with Winchester rifles, clubs and knives. Units were under female command. Captives were often decapitated. Jump to: navigation, search Sparta (Greek Î£Ï€Î¬ÏÏ„Î·) was a city in ancient Greece, whose territory included, in Classical times, all Laconia and Messenia, and which was the most powerful state of the Peloponnesus. ...

Customs

Further reading