State

Benin Empire

Also known as Kingdom of Benin, Benin Kingdom, Benin

The Benin Empire, also called the Kingdom of Benin, was a state in the forest region of present-day southern Nigeria ruled by the oba from Benin City. It reached its height between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries, trading with the Portuguese and other Europeans and producing the famous Benin Bronzes. Benin was a regional rival of the Oyo Empire, and its independence ended with the British expedition of 1897.

Benin Empire
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Mentioned in 5 profiles

Benin EmpireFoundation, Socioeconomy, Military, Governance, Impact, Decline, SummaryOyo EmpireImpactKingdom of DahomeyFoundation, Impact, Decline, SummaryFrench West AfricaImpact, SummaryYoruba religionOrigins, Legacy, Summary

Mentioned in 18 state histories

Kingdom of AkureKingdom of OwoKingdom of AlladaIgala KingdomKingdom of AgborEsan chiefdomsWarri KingdomKingdom of NikkiKingdom of SabeKingdom of KetuDendi kingdomKingdom of Dahomeyand 6 more

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Benin Empire. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/benin-empire
MLA
“Benin Empire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/benin-empire. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Benin Empire.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/benin-empire.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Benin Empire’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/benin-empire (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻