Introduction to Benin and West Africa kingdoms

Exploring the kingdoms of West Africa

Map of West Africa highlighting different West African kingdoms. — Image caption,
This map shows the location of the different West African kingdoms.

There have been many kingdoms in West Africa across history.

They used their natural resources such as gold to create wealth and produce works of art from clay and metals.

Over time, some were replaced by new kingdoms and others were conquered by European nations.

Important words

Keyword	Definition
Conquered	Where someone or a group use an army to take control of a kingdom.
Nation	A country of people.
Settled	People who have largely stayed in one place.
Ornament	An object used to make somewhere look nicer or as part of religious worship.
Architect	A person who designs buildings.
Interpreter	A person who translates speech from one language into another.

Which other kingdoms were in West Africa?

Find out about some of the kingdoms of West Africa in the table below.

Name of kingdom	Fact
Nok	Its people were farmers, potters and metalworkers who settled near the River Niger.
Ife	It began as a settlement in the rainforests.
Ancient Ghana, Mali and Songhai	This kingdom became rich by selling gold.
Benin	Was at its most powerful in 1400s and 1600s.
Asante	This kingdom became well-known for its gold craft work.

Historians know about the history of the kingdoms of West Africa as there are still many artefacts and historical sites that they can look at today. They can be used to find out about how people lived, what they believed in and how their societies were organised.

Tomb of Askia the Great. It is made from mudbrick and plaster with wooden stakes that give it a spiky appearance. — Image caption,
This is the tomb of Askia the Great who was a powerful ruler of Songhai. It is made from mudbrick and plaster with wooden stakes that give it a spiky appearance. It is part of a complex including two mosques, a cemetery and an assembly ground.

What things did people in the kingdoms make?

Skilled potters and metalworkers worked with brass or gold.
Potters in the kingdom of Nok made sculptures from a type of clay called terracotta.
Brass-workers in the kingdom of Ife made brass figures of gods, humans and animals. Their art influenced the culture of Benin.
In the Asante kingdom, goldsmiths made ornaments to show their king was rich.

A photograph of a sculpted head. — Image caption,
Brass workers in the kingdom of Ife were famous for their sculptures. This one shows the head of an Ooni (ruler) of Ife.

A Nok clay head. — Image caption,
Craftspeople in the Kingdom of Nok made terracotta clay figures.

Examples of West African art

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Image caption,
A head made of terracotta clay from the Nok region. This was made between 600BC and AD250.
Image caption,
A brass and zinc figure of a Yoruba king from the Ife Kingdom made in the 11th to 12th century. They were a large influence on Benin arts and crafts.
Image caption,
The Asante Kingdom was known for its goldsmiths and jewellery making. Some gold objects were taken by the British when the kingdom was attacked. Some have since been returned.

Who was Mansa Musa?

A map showing Mansa Musa with an Arab traveller — Image caption,
This map shows Mansa Musa with an Arab traveller. Mansa Musa is wearing a golden crown and holds a large gold coin in his hand.

Mansa Musa was a rich Muslim king of Mali.
He travelled to the holy city of Mecca with thousands of men carrying gold to give to people along the way.
He brought teachers and architects back to Mali from his travels.
Mansa Musa also built many mosques and schools in Timbuktu and Gao.

Listen: Ibn Battuta’s visit to Mali

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In 1352, an Arab traveller called Ibn Battuta visited Mali. He arrived at the city of Niani where Mansa Suleyman, grandson of Mansa Musa, had his palace. Suleyman was not a great ruler like Musa, but he lived in style! Find out what Ibn Battuta saw.

What happened to the African kingdoms?

An Asante chief dressed in robes and crown. — Image caption,
The Asante people hold special ceremonies called durbars. This photograph shows an Asante chief at a durbar.

By the 1890s, many countries in Europe were competing for land in Africa.
They also wanted goods, like gold, oil and rubber.
From 1897, Benin and other west African kingdoms were ruled by European countries.
From the 1950s many African countries won their independence.
Today, the ancient kingdom of Benin is part of Nigeria and Asante is in Ghana.
Many people in West Africa still remember their ancient traditions.

Think like a historian

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Have a look at the thinking points below and think about your answer to each question. You could even write them down on a piece of paper or discuss them with somebody else if you want to.