Oba Esigie was an Oba (king) of

Benin Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the nort ...

who ruled the ancient Benin Kingdom, now Benin City, Edo State,

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

(c.1504 – c.1550). At the time of his father Oba Ozolua's death, Esigie controlled Benin City and his brother Arhuaran controlled Udo, a town about northwest of Benin City that was nearly its equal in size and influence. Following a bitter power struggle with Arhuaran, and with major assistance and support from his mother Queen Idia, "Esigie gathered the Benin army at Unuame on the river Osse and from there launched an attack which finally destroyed the might of Udo and his half-brother Arhuanran" (Egharevba, 1968: 26). Esigie became Oba of Benin. Esigie later fended off an attack from the

Igala people The Igálá are one of the ethnic groups found in Nigeria. The Igala played significant roles in the formation of Nigeria having been made host to the capital of Nigeria at Lokoja in the past, with Lugard as the Governor. The Igala Kingdom expa ...

. Esigie started a tradition in Benin by investing his mother with the title of Iyoba (or ''Queen Mother'') and providing the Eguae-Iyoba (Palace of the Queen Mother) in lower Uselu for her use.Guinea Coast, 1400–1600 A.D. , Timeline of Art History , The Metropolitan Museum of Art
/ref> Esigie was responsible for the abolishment of the killing of the king's mother. He abolished it and crowned his mother the Eguae-Iyoba (Palace of the Queen Mother) making her the first Iyoba. Works of art commissioned by Esigie are held in prominent museums including the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

and the

British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...

References

External links

50 Great Africans - Oba Esigie & Oba Ewuare
Accessed 10 January 2007

Accessed 10 January 2007 {{Obas of Benin 16th-century monarchs in Africa Obas of Benin Edo people 16th-century Nigerian people