How did life differ for the people of Benin?
People in the Benin kingdom led different lives.
The powerful Oba, the kings of the Kingdom of Benin, and his family lived a lifestyle full of luxury in the palaces of Benin City.
The ordinary people who worked for the many guilds (groups of specialist craft workers) or lived in the small rainforest villages led more ordinary lives.
Important words
Important words on daily life in the Kingdom of Benin.
| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| Guilds | Groups of specialist craft workers that crafted using the same material such as brass or ivory. |
| Ivory | A hard material made from the tusks of elephants or other animals. |
| Kingdom | A country ruled by a king. |
| Lavish | A very rich lifestyle full of luxury. |
| Merchants | A person who bought and sold goods. |
| Oba | The Kings of the Kingdom of Benin. |
| Royal court | The people that surround the king. They live and work around the Oba to help make decisions. |
Watch: What role did trade have in the Kingdom of Benin?
Explore the role trade had in the development of the Kingdom of Benin.
In West Africa, the Kingdom of Benin grew strong through trade – buying, selling and swapping things with others.
From the 14th century, the people of Benin traded with nearby kingdoms and villages. Together, they exchanged goods such as ivory and cloth, which brought wealth and helped the kingdom grow.
From the 16th century, Benin traded with Europeans – including the Portuguese and, later, the British. This brought in goods such as metals and beads.
Trade gave the Obas – the kings of Benin – the metal their craftsmen used to make artworks for the palace. These showed the power of each king.
For hundreds of years, the Benin people traded palm oil, used to make soap and candles. By the end of the 19th century, they also sold rubber for tyres and clothing. These goods were so valuable that Britain wanted to control them.
In 1897, the British attacked Benin and made it part of the British Empire. All trade was then controlled by Britain.
For hundreds of years, trade connected Benin to other lands, bringing wealth to the kingdom and strengthening the power of the Obas. But eventually, those same connections also weakened the kingdom and in the end it lost its independence.
Where did people live and work in the Kingdom of Benin?
Benin was a large and varied kingdom (a country ruled by a king).
Some people lived in villages and small towns, but most people lived and worked in Benin City.
The people of Benin sold goods to merchants (a person who bought and sold goods) from Europe and with other African kingdoms.
Instead of using money they exchanged bronze rings and goods.
What was the royal court like in the Kingdom of Benin?
The people of Benin believed that their Oba was a god.
He lived inside the royal court (the people that surround the king) in Benin City.
The Oba led religious ceremonies.
The Oba also owned all the land in his kingdom (a country ruled by a king).
He decided when his armies should go to war.
Sometimes he rode into battle at the head of his troops.
What other people were in the royal court of the Kingdom of Benin?
Palace chiefs ran the royal court and helped run the kingdom, their jobs were passed down from father to son.
They met with traders from other kingdoms or Europe and helped sign trade agreements.
Town chiefs ruled the ordinary people in the smaller towns and villages.
The first great Queen Mother or 'Iyoba' was Queen Idia, the mother of Oba Esigie.
She helped her son gain control of the River Niger, as a reward, Oba Esigie gave her a palace of her own.
People believed that the Queen Mother had magical powers.
What jobs did people do in the Kingdom of Benin?
Benin was famous for its craft workers.
Specialists in a craft formed groups called guilds (groups of specialist craft workers that crafted using the same material such as brass or ivory).
There were more than 40 guilds in Benin City and each guild had to perform a special duty for the Oba.
Men were also soldiers.
Warriors went into battle armed with swords, spears and crossbows.
Some boys trained as hunters, they hunted different animals from antelope and they had special guilds that hunted elephants for their ivory (a hard material made from the tusks of elephants or other animals).
Many people worked in the Benin guilds that produced artworks and crafts.
Lots of trade happened with other African peoples and European peoples.
What kind of gods did people worship in the Kingdom of Benin?
The people of the Kingdom of Benin believed the Oba was a living god.
He was connected to the other gods they worshipped and had divine powers.
The people of Benin worshipped many gods:
Ogun was God of iron and warriors.
Osun was God of medicine and magic.
Osanobua created the world.
Olokun was God of riches and the Ocean.
Think like a historian
Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to the questions. You could even write it down on a piece of paper or discuss it with somebody else if you want to.
Why was trade important to people’s lives?
How did the chiefs help to run the kingdom?
They believed some traded materials had magical power to drive away evil, they also used cowrie shells as a form of money to show how rich they were. Selling ivory allowed them to buy materials like metals that were not found in the kingdom.
Running a kingdom involved making lots of decisions and this is too much for one person alone. Chiefs helped the Obas to make trade agreements and with other decisions. Each town also needed governing, an Oba could not do this for every town because there were too many to visit.
Activities
Activity: What did people trade?
Click on the items below to find out more about the goods people traded.
Quiz – Life in Benin
Grown-ups corner
Are you a parent, carer or teacher?
Take a look at some of the links below on KS2 History which are packed full of knowledge, videos, quizzes and activities.
KS2 History: The story of the Benin bronzes
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 History: Non-European Societies
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
KS2 Ancient Greece
BBC Bitesize for Teachers
Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade game! game
Play Horrible Histories: Raid and Trade KS2 History
More on Kingdom of Benin
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