3.5 Importance of military Flashcards
When does the first use of firearms date to?
Oba Esigie
Evidence for firearms not being used.
None of the C16 chroniclers mentions the existence of firearms.
Evidence for firearms being used.
Egharevba argues the Portuguese mercenaries had firearms which was decisive in the Idah invasion.
The use of firearms was limited to who in the Benin Kingdom?
The Oba and his commanders.
When was the Idah invasion?
1515-16
How were armies managed/owned in Benin?
Armies were privately owned.
Who were the two units of royal regiment?
- Ekaiwe (royal troops)
- Isienmwenro (royal guards)
Who were the four leaders of the Benin army?
- Oba
- Iyase
- Ezomo
- Edogun
What was the roles of the Iyase?
- General commander of combined armies
- Responsible for the town chiefs (eghaevbo n’ore)
When did the Iyase first get the responsibility of leading troops into battle?
Early C16 under Esigie.
What did the State Council decide under Ehengbuda about the iyase?
- The iyase not allowed to reside near the palace
- Not allowed to return after conquering a large town
- No other iyase allowed to be appointed under his death.
What was the Ezomo position?
- Usually a reward to an outstanding warrior.
- In charge of the metropolitan regiment in Edo.
What was the Edogun?
The war chief and commander of the royal troops.
What weapons did Benin have?
bows & poisoned arrows
spears
swards
assegais
crossbow
How was the army organised?
Warriors were separated in divisions of swordsmen, archers, spearmen, crossbowmen.
What was the assegais?
A slender iron-tipped spear.
How big an army could the oba raise?
Could mobilise 20,000 soldiers in a day.
Could raise an army of 80-100k men.
Why did the Benin warriors not use horseback?
Because of the density of the rainforest.
How did warriors sustain themselves on campaign?
They would loot local farms.
Give an example of a defensive fortification?
Ewuare dug a moat around Edo.
What changed in the C17 and C18?
The iyase displaced the oba as the supreme military commander.
When did iyase Ogina rise in revolt against Oba Ohuan?
early years of C17
How did the obas try to regain control?
- Exersising a royal monopoly over European trade.
What was the main difficulty faced by the obas in reestablishing control over Benin?
His power depended on the army, which was controlled by the iyase.
