African kingdoms timeline
Political Economic Social Religous Military Rise Decline
Songhai Kongo Dahomey Oyo Benin
900s - Gaos 1350s-1400: 1300-1500s: Oyo 1620-50 – 1100s –
power becomes Formation of founds following Houegbadja mythical
migrations from founds the beginnings of
established in Kingdom of Kongo
Ile-Ife kingdom of Benin kingdom
songhai at Mbanza Kongo
Dahomey
1530s: Nupe 1200 – Eweka
1321-24: Mansa 1482: Arrival of invaders occupy 1708 – Ahosu becomes Oba
Musa of Mali Portuguese fleet Oyo-Ile and Oyo’s Agaja succeeds to
goes on under Diogo Cão; power recedes power 1280 – Benin
pilgrimage to develops
1608: Alafin Abipa 1724 – Agaja copper casting
Mecca 1484: the
re-establishes Oyo conquers the
manikongo- 1450s – Oba
power at Oyo-Ile. kingdom of Allada
1325: Mosque of Nzinga a Nkuwu Ewuare’s
Jinjeregber built accepts baptism. 1680s: Oyo begins 1727 – Agaja reforms
at Timbuktu raiding southwards conquers Hueda
1506-9: Civil war 1481-1504 –
1336: Timbuktu between pro- and 1728: Invades 1728 – Oyo reign of Oba
Dahomey following invades Dahomey Ezuola who
accepts Mali’s anti-Christian
Dahomey’s and warfare expands
rule Early pretenders to the Benin’s territory
expansion of power begins
throne – Afonso I at Hueda and Allada. continuously until
1433-4: Mali the Christian 1740 1485 –
loses control of candidate wins out 1754: The Basorun Portuguese first
Timbuktu to the in 1509 Gaha seizes power 1733 – Agaja arrive in Benin
Tuareg in a coup by the Oyo creates the
mesi against the Yovogan position 1490 –
1542: Afonso dies Portuguese
Sonni Ali took
power of the Alafins.
and is succeeded establish
power in 1464,
1740 – Agaja
by Pedro I 1774: Gaha is dies; succeeded trading post at
following Sonni Gwaton
deposed by the by Tegbesu, who
Souleyman Dam;
1545: Pedro I is Alafin Abiodun. has been a
he became known 1500 – there
successed by hostage in Oyo
as Sonni Ali ‘Ber’ are by now
Diogo I; relations 1793-1817: A series
(the ‘Great’). three churches
deteriorate with of rebellions leads to 1748 – Tegbesu
the secession of the agrees to pay in Benin
1464-93 Sonni the Portuguese.
important province of tribute to Oyo,
Ali's reign Ilorin in 1817. which continues 1510 –
1548: Jesuit until 1823 Portuguese
missions arrive in 1823: Ilorin joins the based in Sao
In 1468, Sonni Ali
Mbanza Kongo and Sokoto Caliphate, 1774 – Tegbesu is Tome trade
captured Timbuktu,
which had formed in succeeded by slaves with
a major centre of create a rift
1804 in what is now Kpengla, who Benin
Islamic
Northern Nigeria tries to
Political Economic Social Religous Military Rise Decline
Songhai Kongo Dahomey Oyo Benin
900s - Gaos 1350s-1400: 1300-1500s: Oyo 1620-50 – 1100s –
power becomes Formation of founds following Houegbadja mythical
migrations from founds the beginnings of
established in Kingdom of Kongo
Ile-Ife kingdom of Benin kingdom
songhai at Mbanza Kongo
Dahomey
1530s: Nupe 1200 – Eweka
1321-24: Mansa 1482: Arrival of invaders occupy 1708 – Ahosu becomes Oba
Musa of Mali Portuguese fleet Oyo-Ile and Oyo’s Agaja succeeds to
goes on under Diogo Cão; power recedes power 1280 – Benin
pilgrimage to develops
1608: Alafin Abipa 1724 – Agaja copper casting
Mecca 1484: the
re-establishes Oyo conquers the
manikongo- 1450s – Oba
power at Oyo-Ile. kingdom of Allada
1325: Mosque of Nzinga a Nkuwu Ewuare’s
Jinjeregber built accepts baptism. 1680s: Oyo begins 1727 – Agaja reforms
at Timbuktu raiding southwards conquers Hueda
1506-9: Civil war 1481-1504 –
1336: Timbuktu between pro- and 1728: Invades 1728 – Oyo reign of Oba
Dahomey following invades Dahomey Ezuola who
accepts Mali’s anti-Christian
Dahomey’s and warfare expands
rule Early pretenders to the Benin’s territory
expansion of power begins
throne – Afonso I at Hueda and Allada. continuously until
1433-4: Mali the Christian 1740 1485 –
loses control of candidate wins out 1754: The Basorun Portuguese first
Timbuktu to the in 1509 Gaha seizes power 1733 – Agaja arrive in Benin
Tuareg in a coup by the Oyo creates the
mesi against the Yovogan position 1490 –
1542: Afonso dies Portuguese
Sonni Ali took
power of the Alafins.
and is succeeded establish
power in 1464,
1740 – Agaja
by Pedro I 1774: Gaha is dies; succeeded trading post at
following Sonni Gwaton
deposed by the by Tegbesu, who
Souleyman Dam;
1545: Pedro I is Alafin Abiodun. has been a
he became known 1500 – there
successed by hostage in Oyo
as Sonni Ali ‘Ber’ are by now
Diogo I; relations 1793-1817: A series
(the ‘Great’). three churches
deteriorate with of rebellions leads to 1748 – Tegbesu
the secession of the agrees to pay in Benin
1464-93 Sonni the Portuguese.
important province of tribute to Oyo,
Ali's reign Ilorin in 1817. which continues 1510 –
1548: Jesuit until 1823 Portuguese
missions arrive in 1823: Ilorin joins the based in Sao
In 1468, Sonni Ali
Mbanza Kongo and Sokoto Caliphate, 1774 – Tegbesu is Tome trade
captured Timbuktu,
which had formed in succeeded by slaves with
a major centre of create a rift
1804 in what is now Kpengla, who Benin
Islamic
Northern Nigeria tries to
