# The Kingdom of Benin

> The Kingdom of Benin was an Edo state in what is now southern Nigeria, ruled by an oba dynasty founded by Eweka I in the 13th century and expanded into a major regional power under Oba Ewuare in the 15th century. Renowned for cast bronze and ivory court art, it traded with Portugal from 1486 before falling to a British force in 1897, which looted thousands of royal artefacts still contested today.

**Category:** History · **Updated:** 2026-07-23 00:55:07 · **Canonical:** https://nigeriastuff.org/a/kingdom-of-benin

## Key facts
- **Founded:** Oba dynasty established c. 13th century CE (Eweka I)
- **Capital:** Benin City (Edo)
- **Notable ruler:** Oba Ewuare the Great, r. c. 1440–1473
- **Peak extent:** c. 400 km by 200 km at its height
- **European contact:** Portuguese trading post at Ughoton from 1486
- **Ended:** Conquered by British punitive expedition, February 1897
- **Last independent Oba:** Ovonramwen Nogbaisi, exiled to Calabar
- **Legacy:** Benin Bronzes dispersed to museums worldwide; restitution ongoing

## Sources
- Kingdom of Benin — World History Encyclopedia (https://www.worldhistory.org/Kingdom_of_Benin/)
- The British raid on Benin, 1897 — National Museums Scotland (https://www.nms.ac.uk/discover-catalogue/the-british-raid-on-benin-1897)
- The Smithsonian Returns a Trove of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria — Smithsonian Magazine (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/benin-bronzes-going-back-to-nigeria-180980917/)

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