First, the background
The Niger-Benin Empire existed roughly in the backward sub-Saharan region south of Sahara in West Africa, between 1100 and 1400.
This period was a turning point in African history and is considered the "Post-Iron Age", especially in West Africa, which experienced many challenges and changes such as land tensions, the development of commerce and trade, changes in political systems, and the introduction of Islam.
At this time, African societies began to gradually move away from primary societies into slave societies or decentralized societies, and at the same time faced the impact and challenges of external intervention.
In the historical evolution of the empire itself, the Niger-Benin Empire was formerly the Muri Empire, a black tribe that worshipped the serpent god Olebewa, whose leader was a king, called "Babulu" or "Bamaru", a dictator, and had great military power.
Around the 11th century AD, the Muri Empire was replaced by the gradual rise of the Benin River tribes. The Niger-Benin Empire rose off the coast of West Africa to become one of the most powerful kingdoms of its time.
The ruling class and the merchant class of the empire already had a certain degree of interdependence, and commercial activities were one of the important sources of the empire's economy.
The Niger-Benin Empire during this period faced challenges from Islamists, and although they did not fully accept Islam, they also began to be influenced by Islamic civilization in terms of culture, art, and architecture.
Agriculture and handicrafts replaced hunting and gathering as the dominant forms of production, giving people greater control over their food supply and creating more material wealth.
Trade and commercial activities, as the economy developed, business activities also began to rise. As more and more people engage in agriculture, handicrafts and other handicraft activities, goods need to be exchanged and sold, which in turn facilitates trade and commerce.
Islam, Christianity and other religions have successively introduced to the African continent. The spread of these religions promotes the transmission of culture and knowledge and has had a profound impact on the political, economic and socio-cultural aspects of African societies.
Slavery was widely used in Africa during this period, and slave labor became one of the main forms of agriculture and handicrafts, while also having a profound impact on the structure and development of society.
During this period, many societies gradually changed from tribal to city-state systems, and political systems began to change.
The Mande established the Mander Empire, while Muslim control over the Arman Hills region of Sahara in West Africa gradually strengthened, forming the Kingdom of the Sahel.
2. Political system
The Niger-Benin Empire was administered with royal power at its core, with the Emperor having supreme power. The emperor had a series of officials such as ministers, governors, and governors to manage the administrative regions at all levels.
These officials have a strict hierarchy and scope of responsibility, and are responsible for commanding, managing, suppressing, adjudicating, supervising, etc. The empire also established a complete bureaucratic system to manage various affairs, including finance, taxation, commerce, culture, education, health care, and so on.
The Niger-Benin Empire has a relatively complete legal system, governed by legislative, judicial and administrative parts, and attaches special importance to the pursuit of justice and the protection of the interests of the people.
The empire was also a slave state. The relationship between slave owners and free inhabitants was regulated by law. The empire also established a distinctive civil legal system, reflected in the relations between the various social classes.
The imperial judicial system consisted of emperors, ministers, and judges who tried a variety of cases, including trade disputes, land disputes, inheritance disputes, marriage disputes, etc. that occurred during this period.
The military power of the Niger-Benin Empire was in a somewhat strong position in West Africa. The leaders of the empire paid great attention to the armed forces, and each kingdom had its own weapons manufacturing plant and military factory to produce the weapons and armor needed by the soldiers.
The emperor also had his own guards and janissaries to ensure his safety. The empire also had its own navy for defense and trade protection along the coast.
The Niger-Benin Empire adopted a centralized system, with the emperor having supreme power, assisted by a series of central officials such as ministers, governors, and governors. This political system contributed to the stability and prosperity of the kingdom.
The success of the centralized system has had a wide impact not only in Africa, but also on a global scale.
The political system of the Niger-Benin Empire encouraged commerce and trade, promoting the prosperity of trade and commerce through various measures such as the establishment of port cities, the development of a market economy, the suppression of piracy and the security of trade.
These measures have created a safe and secure trading environment for African countries and international trade, and have promoted economic development.
The political system of the Niger-Benin Empire encouraged social mobility. It has established an efficient administrative system that includes mechanisms such as education and bureaucratic training, which enables people to be promoted and promoted through learning and successful work.
This mechanism produced a large number of talented and capable officials, ensuring the long-term stability and prosperity of the kingdom.
The political system of the Niger-Benin Empire also led to slavery. The supply of slaves in the kingdom came mainly from war, and slaves were seen as a resource used in agriculture, handicrafts, and commercial activities.
This system fostered anti-slavery movements in European cities such as Seville and Liverpool, which eventually led to the abolition of slavery.
The political system of the Niger-Benin Empire had a wide impact on the political situation in African countries at that time.
Political centralization promotes economic development and social mobility; The development of commerce and trade has enhanced the links between African countries and the world and promoted international trade.
The flaws of slavery were also exposed, and the anti-slavery forces learned lessons and achieved reforms in different countries.
3. Cultural characteristics
The people of the Niger-Benin Empire practice many religions, the most important of which are traditional African religions, Islam and Christianity.
Traditional African religions occupied an important place in the society of the Niger-Benin Empire and had a broad and profound impact on people's daily lives.
The architectural style of the Niger-Benin Empire is dominated by handmade adobe walls, brick walls, wooden buildings, etc., pursuing the perfect combination of practicality and aesthetics.
The walls of the ancient city of Ojoni are one of the representative buildings. The wall is 8 meters high and 14 kilometers long, and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The art forms of the Niger-Benin Empire are rich and diverse, ranging from characteristic music and dance performances to diverse handicrafts such as fabrics, pottery, wood carvings and more.
The locals also have a wealth of myths and legends and create unique works of art based on them.
The diet of the Niger-Benin Empire mostly used corn, rice, beans, roots, meat and fish as the main ingredients, supplemented by spices and seasonings to enhance the taste.
The potato paste and fish soup of the Niger-Benin Empire are among the most common delicacies on local tables.
The Niger-Benin Empire has a variety of festivals, the most representative of which are the "Tomb Sweeping Festival" and the "Musk" Festival.
The former is a family gathering where relatives and friends go to the graves of ancestors to offer food, drinks and other gifts to their ancestors, praying that they will bless themselves and their families.
The latter is an annual grand parade and dance event, in which each tribe organizes its own team.
The people of the Niger-Benin Empire practice many religions, the most important of which are traditional African religions, Islam and Christianity. In other African regions, such as Egypt and Morocco, Islam predominates, and the Christian faith has a large proportion of adherents.
The architectural style of the Niger-Benin Empire was dominated by handmade adobe walls, brick walls, wooden buildings, etc.; In North Africa, such as Egypt, Morocco and other places, ancient buildings built of stone, such as pyramids and mosques, are especially representative.
The art forms of the Niger-Benin Empire are rich and diverse, ranging from characteristic music and dance performances to diverse handicrafts such as fabrics, pottery, wood carvings and more.
In other African regions, such as Egypt and Morocco, the expressions such as pyramids, stone pillars, and sculptures are more diverse.
4. Economic situation
The economic system and economic development of the Niger-Benin Empire are very complex.
During this period, the economy of the Niger-Benin Empire was mainly based on agriculture, and agricultural products mainly included cotton, timber, palm oil, peanuts, etc. In addition, the empire operated ports, commerce, and trading activities.
The Niger-Benin Empire established a relatively complete set of trade and commercial networks earlier, forming city-states centered on trade relations, of which Agomba, Yamusokro and Wagg were important commercial cities.
Economically, the empire practiced a "natural economy" system, that is, barter was the dominant one, and no money was involved.
The Niger-Benin Empire was very developed economically, with its manufacturing and trade sectors.
In terms of manufacturing, the empire produced many handicrafts such as sculptures, pottery, textiles, etc., which were transported to other regions for trading through trade and commercial channels.
In terms of trade, the empire also established its own shipping network to support commercial activities.
The economic activity of the Niger-Benin Empire saw a large number of merchants and craftsmen, most of whom were freelance self-employed rather than landowners or lords.
The trade and commercial activities of the Niger-Benin Empire were a very important aspect of its economic development and one of the important aspects of its influence on Africa at that time, as well as on the Arab world and Europe across the Sahara Desert.
The city-states established their own trade and commercial networks with each other, forming city-states centered on trade relations, of which Agomba, Yamusokro and Wag were important commercial cities.
Through maritime and overland trade, the empire developed trade exchanges with the Arab region and Europe, and made profits from the buying and selling of various commodities, such as timber, palm oil, peanuts, and so on.
Trade and commerce saw the emergence of a large number of merchants and craftsmen, most of whom were freelance self-employed rather than landowners or lords.
It has contributed to the economic development of sub-Saharan Africa, which has continuously transported goods to the surrounding region, while also bringing new technologies and cultures.
The trade activities of the Niger-Benin Empire in the Arab region and Europe also provided them with the opportunity to march into the African continent, which in turn affected African society as a whole.
The culture of the Niger-Benin Empire was also disseminated in trade and commerce, such as the fact that many of its handicrafts were sent to other regions for trading, preserving African cultural heritage and promoting cultural diversity.
The Niger-Benin Empire made a lot of profits through maritime and overland trade, exchanges and trade with surrounding areas as well as European and Arab regions, especially in terms of timber, palm oil, peanuts, gold and other products.
The handicrafts of the Niger-Benin Empire were quite distinctive and large-scale, such as sculptures, pottery, textiles and other products had a wide market in Africa at that time, and the handicrafts manufactured by them were sent to other regions for trading, which in turn promoted the development of the handicraft industry throughout Africa.
The trade and commercial activities of the Niger-Benin Empire had a profound impact on the development of African economies, establishing a relatively complete trade network for various city-states at that time, promoting intra-regional trade and exchanges, and promoting the economic development of the entire African region.
At the same time, through trade activities with the Arab region and Europe, it also had an impact on the Arab and European economies.
The culture of the Niger-Benin Empire was also widely disseminated in trade and commerce.
The handicrafts made by him were sent to other regions for trading, transmitting Africa's cultural heritage and promoting the cultural diversity of African society at that time; At the same time, the empire also introduced Arab and European cultures to Africa through trade and commerce.