This photograph from a book published in 1898 is titled "Moorish women in Algeria" :
Catastrophes, wars, terrorism, ecological disasters, deadly diseases, poverty .... The list of tragedies - both personal and public - is endless. Every day and hour media, politicians, experts - and charlatans - bring us a never ending barrage of bad things. No wonder that many people feel depressed and weary. This blog tries - in a modest and personal way - to contribute to a more balanced view. After all, there is so much to appreciate and enjoy in life ...
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Africa. Show all posts
Friday, 29 November 2013
Sunday, 27 January 2013
An African king in the Caribbean
| King Behanzin and his two wives in Martinique. |
When Behanzin felt that his days were numbered, he appealed to the French government to be allowed to return to his former kingdom. The French did not grant him his wish, but he was allowed to travel to Algeria, where he died in 1906.
The kingdom of Dahomey played a major role in the Atlantic slave trade:
The Atlantic slave trade was the primary international trade from the kingdom for much of its history. The slave trade was heavily organized by the king himself and the money provided him with significant funds to purchase guns, iron, and cloth.[10] Although the king did make some money from domestic taxation, most of the funds to the king derived from the slave trade. The Dahomey coast was known in many European accounts at this time as the "Slave Coast" because of the active trade.[5] Dahomey contributed possibly as much as 20% of the total Atlantic slave trade making it one of the largest suppliers to the trade.
Dahomey remained a French colony until 1960, when it became the Republic of Dahomey, to be changed to Benin in 1975.
Labels:
Africa,
Benin,
Dahomey,
France,
Martinique,
slave trade
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)

