The Franco-Dahomey Wars

The Franco-Dahomey Wars were a series of conflicts fought between the Kingdom of Dahomey and France in the late 19th century.

The First Franco-Dahomean War took place in 1890 and ended in a French victory, with Dahomey forced to pay reparations and cede territory to France.

The Second Franco-Dahomean War took place in 1892 and resulted in the capture of the Dahomey capital of Abomey and the complete defeat of the Dahomey military.

The wars were sparked by French attempts to expand their colonial influence in West Africa, particularly in the region that is now modern-day Benin in West Africa.

The Dahomey military, including the famed all-female Dahomey Amazons, put up fierce resistance but ultimately could not withstand the superior weaponry and tactics of the French forces. The wars resulted in the colonization of Dahomey by France and the imposition of French colonial rule over the region.