King Béhanzin, born Kondo and later known as Gbehanzin, was the eleventh monarch of the Kingdom of Dahomey, modern-day Benin. He is remembered as the last independent ruler of his kingdom, and one of West Africa’s most rebellious leaders during the colonial invasion.
Béhanzin ascended the throne in January 1890 following the death of his father, King Glele. Upon his coronation, he took the name Béhanzin and quickly proved to be an intelligent, strategic, and courageous leader. At a time when European powers were rapidly colonizing the African continent, Béhanzin saw through their schemes, while many African rulers were being coerced into treaties that stripped them of sovereignty, he adopted a foreign policy of isolation, rejecting diplomatic gestures from colonial envoys and refusing to concede to French demands.
Even before becoming king, Béhanzin showed resistance. As crown prince, he once refused to meet with French envoy Jean Bayol, citing traditional rituals. This boldness would later define his leadership and his role in what became known as the Dahomey Wars.
The First Franco-Dahomean War
Tensions between Dahomey and France erupted in 1889 when Dahomean warriors attacked a village on the Ouémé River whose chief was under French protection. When the chief claimed the French tricolour flag would shield him, a Dahomey Amazon warrior beheaded him and wrapped his head in the flag, an act that symbolized open defiance.
France responded by militarizing Cotonou, a strategic coastal town, and arresting Dahomey officials. On March 4, 1890, Béhanzin led a massive pre-dawn assault on Cotonou, but the French, better armed and strategically fortified, repelled the attack. Hundreds of Dahomean warriors were killed in the assault.
Undeterred, Béhanzin sent forces to attack the French-protected kingdom of Porto-Novo. But once again, superior French firepower and battlefield tactics led to Dahomey’s defeat at the Battle of Atchoukpa. Despite the bravery of Béhanzin’s 9,000-strong army, they suffered over 1,500 casualties. By October 1890, Dahomey was forced to sign a treaty recognizing Porto-Novo as a French protectorate and ceding control of Cotonou.
The Second Franco-Dahomean War and the Fall of Abomey
After a brief peace, war resumed in 1892. Béhanzin launched attacks near Grand-Popo and Porto-Novo, attempting to reclaim Dahomey’s former territory. In response, the French escalated their military campaign and declared war once again.
The French framed their invasion as a civilizing mission, pointing to Dahomey’s use of human sacrifice and its all-female military regiment, referred to as “Amazons” by the French, as justification for conquest. They described the Dahomean people as “savages” and claimed they needed European civilization.
In reality, the war was about economic control and territorial expansion. The French, armed with superior weapons, better intelligence, and a strategy that included cutting down sacred trees and bribing Dahomean insiders, launched a full-scale invasion. General Alfred Dodds led the French troops through Porto-Novo and up the Ouémé Valley, skillfully avoiding direct confrontation until they reached within striking distance of Abomey.
Despite the valiant efforts of the Dahomean army, including accounts of Amazon warriors fighting with their bare hands after exhausting their ammunition, the French forces steadily advanced. Over 2,000 Dahomean soldiers were killed, compared to just 85 French casualties.
On November 5, 1892, with the royal palace under threat, Béhanzin sent a peace delegation, but the mission failed. Rather than allow his enemies to capture his capital, Béhanzin set fire to Abomey and retreated. On November 17, the French occupied the burnt capital and installed Béhanzin’s brother, Agoli-agbo, as a puppet king.
After retreating and attempting to rebuild his forces, Béhanzin ultimately surrendered on January 15, 1894. The French exiled him first to Martinique, then to Algeria, where he spent the rest of his life in captivity. He died in exile in 1906, far from the kingdom he had fought so hard to protect.
Years later, his remains were returned to Abomey, where he is now honored as a national hero. His throne and royal artifacts, made of wood, copper, iron, and silver, are held in the Musée du Quai Branly in France and are central to current discussions about the restitution of African cultural heritage.
Sources:
Béhanzin, King of Dahomey: 12 Years of Forced Exile in Martinique #1/2 From Abomey to Fort Tartenson
https://digitalhistories.kennesaw.edu/exhibits/show/faces_of_slavery_us_morocco/political-elites/sub-saharan-africa/king-behanzin
