Akaba
Encyclopedia
Houessou Akaba was the fourth King of Dahomey
. He succeeded his father, Aho Houegbadja
, and ruled from 1685 to 1708.
and a saber.
According to legend, Akaba was sent by his father to ask one of the hostile neighbors, named Da, for a piece of land. If he had refused, he could have been punished, but he was clever enough not to refuse. Akaba later asked Da for more land, which Da gave grudgingly, planning to kill Akaba by ruse. He dug a deep hole and lined it with spikes on a road Akaba normally took. Akaba's dogs, leading his way, fell into the hole instead of their master; Akaba knew that Da was behind the murder attempt. Furious, he asked Da for yet another piece of land. Da replied sarcastically "you can build your house on my belly" (i.e., "over my dead body"). Akaba killed Da in anger. He then proceeded to pose the cornerstone of the palace he intended to build upon Da's disemboweled body. It is from the palace "Da Homeh" that the military empire of Dahomey
drew its name.
Akaba had to build his own palace because of a particular custom of the Abomey
royal family. At the death of each of the kings of Abomey, his palace became a funeral temple for the worship of the departed royal ancestor. The kings were buried in their bed chambers; a large number of their wives (usually set at 41) were 'allowed' to 'accompany' the deceased king on his 'voyage to Allada
'; they were either dispatched with knives and buried with the king or immured in a sealed chamber next to his burial place. The burial chamber became the location of food and drink offerings by the descendants to a small bronze asen
, a metal pole topped with a small circular alter for receiving the offerings. According to Fon tradition, the asen originated in Allada and were brought to Abomey before the 17th century.
Houessou Akaba's reign was characterized by war and military expansion. His enemies, the Nago (Western Yoruba
) kings, attacked Abomey
and burned the town. But the warriors of Abomey ultimately defeated the Nago armies and the kingdom extended to include the banks of the Oueme River
. Akaba failed, however, to capture Porto-Novo
.
in 1708. Because his only son, Agbo Sassa, was only 10, Akaba was succeeded by his brother, Dossou Agadja
.
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
. He succeeded his father, Aho Houegbadja
Houegbadja
Aho Houegbadja was the third King of Dahomey. He succeeded his uncle, Dakodonou, and ruled from 1645 to 1685.Houegbadja was the first of the dynasty to set up the kingdom in Abomey proper: he founded the city by building his palace near the area of Guedevi, a few kilometers to the northwest of...
, and ruled from 1685 to 1708.
Biography
Akaba's symbols were the warthogWarthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
and a saber.
According to legend, Akaba was sent by his father to ask one of the hostile neighbors, named Da, for a piece of land. If he had refused, he could have been punished, but he was clever enough not to refuse. Akaba later asked Da for more land, which Da gave grudgingly, planning to kill Akaba by ruse. He dug a deep hole and lined it with spikes on a road Akaba normally took. Akaba's dogs, leading his way, fell into the hole instead of their master; Akaba knew that Da was behind the murder attempt. Furious, he asked Da for yet another piece of land. Da replied sarcastically "you can build your house on my belly" (i.e., "over my dead body"). Akaba killed Da in anger. He then proceeded to pose the cornerstone of the palace he intended to build upon Da's disemboweled body. It is from the palace "Da Homeh" that the military empire of Dahomey
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
drew its name.
Akaba had to build his own palace because of a particular custom of the Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
royal family. At the death of each of the kings of Abomey, his palace became a funeral temple for the worship of the departed royal ancestor. The kings were buried in their bed chambers; a large number of their wives (usually set at 41) were 'allowed' to 'accompany' the deceased king on his 'voyage to Allada
Allada
Allada is a town, arrondissement, and commune located in the Atlantique Department of Benin.Allada was the capital of the most powerful king in Ajaland before it fell to the armies of Dahomey....
'; they were either dispatched with knives and buried with the king or immured in a sealed chamber next to his burial place. The burial chamber became the location of food and drink offerings by the descendants to a small bronze asen
Asen
Asen has several different meanings:* Asen dynasty, a dynasty which ruled the Second Bulgarian Empire between 1187 and 1280* ASEN - The Australian Student Environment Network...
, a metal pole topped with a small circular alter for receiving the offerings. According to Fon tradition, the asen originated in Allada and were brought to Abomey before the 17th century.
Houessou Akaba's reign was characterized by war and military expansion. His enemies, the Nago (Western Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
) kings, attacked Abomey
Abomey
When UNESCO designated the royal palaces of Abomey as a World Heritage Site in 1985 it statedFrom 1993, 50 of the 56 bas-reliefs that formerly decorated the walls of King Glèlè have been located and replaced on the rebuilt structure...
and burned the town. But the warriors of Abomey ultimately defeated the Nago armies and the kingdom extended to include the banks of the Oueme River
Ouémé River
The Ouémé River is a river in the countries of Benin and Nigeria. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean near the large city of Cotonou, Benin .Also known as the Weme River, this river has its source in the Atakora Mountains of Benin...
. Akaba failed, however, to capture Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo
Porto-Novo is the official capital of the West African nation of Benin, and was the capital of French Dahomey. The commune covers an area of 110 square kilometres and as of 2002 had a population of 223,552 people.Porto-Novo is a port on an inlet of the Gulf of Guinea, in the southeastern portion...
.
Family
Akaba died of smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1708. Because his only son, Agbo Sassa, was only 10, Akaba was succeeded by his brother, Dossou Agadja
Agadja
Dossou Agadja was the fifth King of Dahomey. He succeeded Houessou Akaba, and ruled from 1708 to 1740. Akaba's only son, Agbo Sassa, was only ten years old when Akaba died, so as Akaba's brother, Agadja took the throne to become the fifth king...
.