 |
| Artist depiction of Portuguese explorers paying homage to the Benin King. "The King of Benin can in a single day make 20,000 men ready for war, and, if need be, 180,000, and because of this he has great influence among all the surrounding peoples. . . . His authority stretches over many cities, towns and villages. There is no King thereabouts who, in the possession of so many beautiful cities and towns, is his equal." - David van Nyendael Dutch traveler (1699). |
Artist depiction of Benin Kingdom in her heights! The Benin Empire (1440–1897) was a very prominent pre-colonial country in Africa. With territories expanding from Benin City across Yorubaland to Dahomey, Benin Republic, the kingdom had diplomatic relationship with European countries.
