Africa's Amazon Queens

I doubt that there is any community in Africa which is exclusively Matriarchal. But I came across one African Kingdom whose success was as a result of it's Female powerhouse army!  I just want to share my new found fascination in the Dahemian Female Army of 1841. Dahomey has been documented as the last African Kingdom to collapse due to European colonization in Africa.  And the Kingdom’s prosperity was attributed to its powerful army some said was invincible. 

And it wasn’t just any army. The Dahomey army initially was 25,000 man strong with 5,000 women! These women were referred to as Amazons, and they were feared more than their male counterparts in the army. They were referred to as Amazons due to their semi mythical similarities to Greek Amazons. These Amazon queens served as royal body guards when not in combat. And they were handpicked by King Behanzin Bowelle himself.

The women were recruited based on their strength and health and sexual purity; they were all virgins. Some of the women enrolled voluntarily. And others were forced into it by their husbands who complained to the king about their wives. 

The training regimen was rigorous. One of the training drills includes charging, three times, barefoot into thorny areas while nude from the waist. And this was coupled up with gymnastics to keep fit. The training emboldened these women to the point that they believed that they were invincible. 

By 1894 there were 4000 amazons in 3 different brigades, ready to give up their lives for their king! These women of Dahomey were what preserved the honour of the Kingdom! fascinating!

I can only imagine what they may have looked like. And what fascinates me is that the Dahomey Kingdom was located in what is modern day Benin. When I think of women who are power houses I think of Nigerian women. This was primarily because of their demeanor and physique. 

I am amazed. Part of me wishes that I was a descendant of these Amazon Dahomey women!