Dahomey

1600–1904 kingdom in West Africa

The Kingdom of Dahomey (Fon: Danhɔmɛ, lit. 'In the Belly of Chief Dan') was a West African kingdom located within the present-day Republic of Benin that existed from approximately 1600 until 1904. It developed on the Abomey Plateau among the Fon people in the early 17th century and became a regional power in the 18th century by expanding south to conquer key cities like Whydah belonging to the Kingdom of Whydah on the Atlantic coast, which granted it unhindered access to the Atlantic Slave Trade. Ending tributary status to the Oyo Empire, Dahomey became a key regional state for much of the middle 19th century.

From Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA. More on occurri.