Randa Abdelfattah
👤 PersonAppearances Over Time
Podcast Appearances
Like with any kingdom, there's almost always a dark side. The Benin Kingdom had long participated in the slave trade in West Africa. And when the Europeans arrived, the Benin Kingdom began selling them enslaved people too, making them a part of the transatlantic slave trade.
Like with any kingdom, there's almost always a dark side. The Benin Kingdom had long participated in the slave trade in West Africa. And when the Europeans arrived, the Benin Kingdom began selling them enslaved people too, making them a part of the transatlantic slave trade.
Like with any kingdom, there's almost always a dark side. The Benin Kingdom had long participated in the slave trade in West Africa. And when the Europeans arrived, the Benin Kingdom began selling them enslaved people too, making them a part of the transatlantic slave trade.
In exchange for slaves, the Europeans would give the Benin kingdom... Brass manilas...
In exchange for slaves, the Europeans would give the Benin kingdom... Brass manilas...
In exchange for slaves, the Europeans would give the Benin kingdom... Brass manilas...
starting with the Portuguese. And eventually, by the 1800s, the British became one of the primary trading partners with the Benin Kingdom.
starting with the Portuguese. And eventually, by the 1800s, the British became one of the primary trading partners with the Benin Kingdom.
starting with the Portuguese. And eventually, by the 1800s, the British became one of the primary trading partners with the Benin Kingdom.
it got so bad that the Oba would periodically shut down trade, frustrating the British. And so the British tried to fix this by proposing a treaty in 1892, which historians say... Undermined Benin sovereignty.
it got so bad that the Oba would periodically shut down trade, frustrating the British. And so the British tried to fix this by proposing a treaty in 1892, which historians say... Undermined Benin sovereignty.
it got so bad that the Oba would periodically shut down trade, frustrating the British. And so the British tried to fix this by proposing a treaty in 1892, which historians say... Undermined Benin sovereignty.
In other words, the Oba would need British approval for dealing with anyone else. Yet, according to the British, the Oba signed this treaty, something historians like Wando Achebe call into question.
In other words, the Oba would need British approval for dealing with anyone else. Yet, according to the British, the Oba signed this treaty, something historians like Wando Achebe call into question.
In other words, the Oba would need British approval for dealing with anyone else. Yet, according to the British, the Oba signed this treaty, something historians like Wando Achebe call into question.
The answer is still, to this day, unclear. But another perspective from historians is that the Oba only had one question on his mind as the British were trying to explain this treaty. Were they declaring peace or war? The British reassured the Oba that it was a peace treaty. And so the Oba might have signed the treaty in the hopes that it would quell tensions, that it might prevent an all-out war.
The answer is still, to this day, unclear. But another perspective from historians is that the Oba only had one question on his mind as the British were trying to explain this treaty. Were they declaring peace or war? The British reassured the Oba that it was a peace treaty. And so the Oba might have signed the treaty in the hopes that it would quell tensions, that it might prevent an all-out war.