Chapter 03 of 5
The Punitive Expedition
The 1897 British invasion that burned a capital to the ground.
- Geopolitics
A Sovereign Friction
By the late 1800s, the Kingdom of Benin remained one of the few West African powers to resist British commercial dominance. The Oba protected his monopoly over rubber, palm oil, and ivory.
- Turning Point
The Phillips Mission
In 1897, British Acting Consul-General James Phillips set out for Benin City against the Oba's warnings. He arrived during the Ague festival, a sacred time when the King could see no foreigners.
- Flashpoint
The Benin Incident
Phillips and his party were intercepted by Benin's border guards, leading to a violent skirmish. Only two British officers survived to tell the tale.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
What was the stated British justification for the 'Punitive Expedition' of 1897?
Free ยท no account needed ยท Don't scroll. Drift.
๐ The Kingdom of Benin: The Stolen Bronzes
- 01The Oba and the EdoDiscover the divine origins and golden age of the Benin Kingdom.
- 02Mastery in MetalStep into the guild of royal casters and their lost-wax secrets.
- 03The Punitive ExpeditionThe 1897 British invasion that burned a capital to the ground.
- 04The Myth of Primitive ArtHow stolen artifacts were used to justify colonial narratives.
- 05The Long Walk HomeThe modern movement to return the Bronzes to their rightful soil.