A Brief History Of The Ashanti Kingdom Of Ghana And Its Glory | Liberty Writers Africa
January 12, 2021 2984
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During the 17th century, in what is
now known as Ghana, the Ashanti Empire became more popular in the West African
region. The Ashanti or Asante, as some would call them, were a subgroup of
people who spoke the Akan language, and were made up of small chiefdoms.
They established their nation-state
around Kumasi in the late 1600s, soon after their first encounter with the
Europeans. The Ashanti kingdom became more popular among Europeans and
outsiders because of the wars and endless skirmishes which arose when the
Europeans sought access to the famous gold deposits which led to the area being
called the Gold Coast.
At this time, it was the Portuguese
who were the predominant Europeans in West Africa. With time, they designated
Ashanti an important trading outpost, providing wealth and weapons which
enriched the small state and allowed it to dominate its neighbours. However, at
the turn of the 18th, Ashanti was simply one of the numerous Akan-speaking
Portuguese trading outposts within the region.
The political landscape evolved when
Osei Tutu, the Asantehene (paramount chief) of Ashanti from 1701 to 1717, and
his priest Komfo Anokye, brought together the independent smaller states into
the most powerful political and military state within the coastal region. He
organised the Asante union, a group of Akan-speaking people loyal to his
authority and dominion.
He also made Kumasi his capital city
and created a constitution, also reorganising and centralising the army. Most
importantly, he created the Golden Stool, which came to represents the ancestor
to all the people of Ashanti. It was upon this stool that Osei Tutu legitimised
and entrenched his rule and that of the royal dynasty that came after him.
The Ashanti Empire grew on account of
the huge gold deposit it sat on. Osei Tutu appropriated the goldmines as royal
possessions. Gold dust became the legal tender at the time within the empire.
It was so frequently accumulated by the citizens, particularly by the emerging
middle class.
However, even the poor and low class
in the society even used gold dust as ornaments on their apparels and other
possessions. Larger gold ornaments were
reserved for the royal family and the nobility. Once in a while, they were
smelt and fashioned into beautiful jewelleries and statuary.
While early Ashanti economy largely
depended on gold exports in the 1700s, it soon evolved into a major exporter of
slaves. In the early days of the slave trade, it focused north, with most
captives sent to Mande and the Hausa traders who exchanged the slaved for goods
from North Africa and indirectly from Europe too. Around 1800, the trade in human has moved to
the south due to the Ashanti traders trying to meet up with the high demands of
the British, Dutch, and French buyers. In exchange, the Ashanti got luxury
items and firearms from the Europeans.
The consequences of this trade in
humans were dire. Right from 1790 to around 1896, the kingdom was in a
continuous state of war and conflict which involved its expansion or defence of
its domain. Most of these conflicts afforded the empire to gain more slaves for
export. But the constant battles also weakened the empire against the British
who eventually became the main enemy.
From 1823 to 1873, the shanti kingdom
strongly resisted the invasion by the British. This was to change around 1874
when the British forces successfully run over the empire, briefly capturing the
capital city, Kumasi. The Ashanti people strongly rebelled against British rule
but the empire was again captured in 1896. When another uprising occurred in
1900, the British colonialists deposed and exiled the Asantehen and totally
annexed the empire, renaming it the Gold Coast colony in 1902.