Rulers and Warrioresses

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The Kingdom of Dahomey, a city-state in the early 1600s, became a powerful nation in West Africa two hundred years later. Its kings were known for their expansion plans and application of dualism, where all male roles had female counterparts. This gave rise to the strong influence of women as administrators, as well as elephant huntresses, palace guards, and finally, the famed warrioresses. Dahomey's kings relied on the fierce and fearless warrioresses, known as the agoji, to defend the nation until the end of the nineteenth century. King Behanzin and his elite agoji forces resisted French encroachment in the region until they were ultimately overpowered by the opponent's superior weapons. Dahomey became a French colony, but the contribution of the women defenders remains etched in national history.