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Asantehene
The is the title for the monarch of the historical Ashanti Empire as well as the ceremonial ruler of the Ashanti people today. The Ashanti royal house traces its line to the Oyoko (an '' Abusua'', or "clan") Abohyen Dynasty of Nana Twum and the Oyoko Dynasty of Osei Tutu Opemsoo, who formed the Empire of Ashanti in 1701 and was crowned Asantehene (King of all Asante). Osei Tutu held the throne until his death in battle in 1717, and was the sixth king in Ashanti royal history.Collins and Burns (2007), p. 140. The Asantehene is the ruler of the Ashanti people. The Asantehene is traditionally enthroned on a golden stool known as the '' Sika 'dwa'', and the office is sometimes referred to by this name.Asante empire ''Encyclopædia Britannica''. Retrieved 9 December 2017. The Asantehene is also the titular ruler of |
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II
Osei Tutu II (born Nana Barima Kwaku Duah; 6 May 1950) is the 16th List of rulers of Asante, Asantehene, enstooled on 26 April 1999. By name, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is in direct succession to the 17th-century founder of the Ashanti Empire, Osei Kofi Tutu I, Otumfuo Osei Tutu I. He is also the Chancellor (education), Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. A Freemason, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has served as the Grand Patron of the Freemasonry in Ghana#Grand Lodge of Ghana, Grand Lodge of Ghana, the Swordbearer (ceremonial), Sword Bearer of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Liberia. Biography Early life He was born on 6 May 1950 and named Nana Barima Kwaku Duah, the third son and youngest of five children (three sons and two daughters) of Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II, Asantehemaa (Queen-mother of the Ashanti). His father Nana Kwame Boakye-Dankwa was from Kentinkyere in Ashanti and was also the Brehyia Duke of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashanti People
The Asante, also known as Ashanti in English (), are part of the Akan people, Akan ethnic group and are native to the Ashanti Region of modern-day Ghana. Asantes are the last group to emerge out of the various Akan civilisations. Twi is spoken by over nine million Asante people as their native language. The Asante people developed the Ashanti Empire, along the Lake Volta and Gulf of Guinea. The empire was founded in 1670, and the capital Kumasi, Kumase was founded in 1680 by Asantehene Osei Kofi Tutu I on the advice of Okomfo Anokye, his premier. Sited at the crossroads of the Trans-Saharan trade, Kumase's strategic location contributed significantly to its growth. Over time a number of peculiar factors have combined to transform the Kumase metropolis into a financial centre and political capital. The main causal factors included the unquestioning loyalty to the List of rulers of Asante, Asante rulers and the Kumase metropolis' growing wealth, derived in part from the capital's lu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Golden Stool
The Golden Stool ( Ashanti-; full title, Sika Dwa Kofi "the Golden Stool born on a Friday") is the royal and divine throne of kings of the Asante people and the ultimate symbol of power in Asante. According to legend, Okomfo Anokye, High Priest and one of the two chief founders of the Asante Confederacy, caused the stool to descend from the sky and land on the lap of the first Asante king, Osei Tutu. Such seats were traditionally symbolic of a chieftain's leadership, but the Golden Stool is believed to house the spirit of the Asante nation—living, dead and yet to be born. Symbology and ritual Each stool is understood to be the seat of the owner's soul and when not in use it is placed against a wall so that other souls passing by may relax on it. The Golden Stool is the royal throne and must never touch the ground; instead it is placed on a blanket. During inauguration, a new king is raised and lowered over the stool without touching it. The Golden Stool is carried to the k ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashantiland
The Asante Empire (Asante Twi: ), also known as the Ashanti Empire, was an Akan state that lasted from 1701 to 1901, in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from the Ashanti Region to include most of Ghana and also parts of Ivory Coast and Togo. Due to the empire's military prowess, wealth, architecture, sophisticated hierarchy and culture, the Asante Empire has been extensively studied and has more historic records written by European, primarily British, authors than any other indigenous culture of sub-Saharan Africa. Starting in the late 17th century, the Asante king Osei Tutu ( – 1717) and his adviser Okomfo Anokye established the Asante Kingdom, with the Golden Stool of Asante as a sole unifying symbol. Osei Tutu oversaw a massive Asante territorial expansion, building up the army by introducing new organisation and turning a disciplined royal and paramilitary army into an effective fighting machine. In 1701, the Asante army conquered Denkyira, giving the Asan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kwaku Dua I Panyin
Kwaku Dua Panin (born Fredua Agyeman; – 27 April 1867) was the eighth Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire from 25 August 1834 until his death. Early life Prince Kwaku Dua took part in the fighting against the Gyaman, a state north of Kumasi, from 1818 to 1819, and particularly distinguished himself in combat when he commanded a division in the battle of Katamanso in 1826. In 1834, Kwaku Dua Panin succeeded Osei Yaw Akoto. His wives included Nana Takyiau and her sister, Nana Konadu Somprema. Reign Witnessing the frequent human sacrifices in Ashanti, the Dutch were convinced that the Ashanti had vast manpower, some of which could be made available to the Royal Dutch Army. On 18 March 1837, Kwaku Dua Panin signed an agreement with King William I of the Netherlands to provide Ashanti recruits, a thousand of whom would join the Dutch East Indies Army within a year in exchange for guns. Jacob Huydecoper, a Gold Coast Euro-African from Elmina, opened a recruitmen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osei Yaw Akoto
Osei Yaw Akoto ( – 21 February 1834), was the seventh King of the Ashanti Empire reigning from 1824 until his death on 21 February 1834.T. C. McCaskie, ''State and Society in Pre-Colonial Asante'', Cambridge University Press, 2003, p. 69-70 Biography Immediately after his coronation, the Ashanti - who had won a crushing victory over a British army unit under his predecessor Osei Bonsu - were defeated by the British in July 1824. The Ashanti army had to withdraw to the capital Kumasi and the southern vassal states declared their independence. In 1826, the Ashantis suffered a second decisive defeat at Dodowa in another war with the British. Osei Yaw Akoto had launched his army into battle without sufficient preparation, and for the first time the British were using Congreve rockets as weapons. In 1831, the Ashantis, in a treaty with British Governor George Maclean, had to recognize the independence of their former vassal states in the south, and the Dagombas and Gonja in t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osei Bonsu
Osei Bonsu (born 1779 – 21 January 1824) also known as Osei Tutu Kwame was the List of rulers of Asante, Asantehene (King of the Ashanti Confederacy, Ashanti). He reigned either from 1800 to 1824 or from 1804 to 1824. During his reign as the king, the Ashanti fought the Fante people, Fante confederation and ended up dominating Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast trade. In Akan language, Akan, Bonsu means whale (the largest and most powerful "fish" in the sea), and is symbolic of his achievement of extending the Ashanti Empire to the coast. He died in Kumasi, and was succeeded by Osei Yaw Akoto. Other sources refer to him as Osei Tutu Kwame. He was a leader in war against the Fante of the southern Gold Coast in 1806–07 and against Gyaman in 1818–19. He halted British Empire, British expansionism in the Gold Coast region. Reign Early in his reign, the king suppressed a rebellion in the North-West provinces that was carried out by Muslim subjects who wanted to restore Os ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osei Kwame Panyin
Osei Kwame Panyin was the ruler of the Ashanti Empire from 1777 to 1801, holding the title of List of rulers of Asante, Asantehene. His reign was marred by uprisings, which would eventually lead to his suicide in 1803 to prevent an Ashanti civil war. Early life Osei Kwame Panyin was born at some point between 1762 and 1765, to a woman named Akyaama, and Safo Kantanka, the King of Mampong. During that time, the region was a founding part of the Ashanti Empire, and was known as the Islamic gateway to the empire due to its location in the north. Rulership Rise to power Prior to his death, the Ashanti King Osei Kwadwo had declared Panyin to be his successor. However, upon Okoawia's death in 1777, when Panyin was around 17 years old, Okoawia's family members and councillors decided to ignore the former ruler's wishes resulting in an uprising by Atakora Kwame. He led an army to the Ashanti capital, Kumasi, and the northern provinces rose up in support of Panyin. Shortly after Panyin was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Osei Kwadwo
Osei Kwadwo was the 4th Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire who reigned from 1764 to 1777. Osei Kwadwo was elected in replacement of Kusi Obodom who was removed out of power. The Kwadwoan Revolution fostered during the reign of Asantehene Osei Kwadwo which led to the growth of meritocracy in the Ashanti Empire. The Asantehene formed various institutions for the administration of the state. In foreign affairs, the Asantehene waged war on the Alliance in 1765 which led to the subjudication of Akyem. States such as the Assin and Banda were conquered into the empire as the Ashanti formed cooperative relations with the Fante until relations declined between both states starting from 1765. An Ashanti invasion of Krobo was foiled in 1772. Osei Kwadwo maintained peaceful relations with the Fante in the latter part of his reign. The Asantehene intervened in a civil disorder at Dagbon with the arrest of the Dagbon leader in 1772. Historians have debated whether Osei Kwadwo conquered Da ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kusi Obodom
Kusi Obodom was the 3rd Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire from 1750 to 1764. He was elected as the successor to Opoku Ware I as opposed to the nominee suggested by Opoku Ware I. Obodom's reign was inaugurated with a civil war in response to his election until stability ensued by 1751. Domestically, Obodom's administration instituted legal reforms such as the restoration of the full constitutional powers of the chiefs that had been limited by his predecessor. In foreign policy, the Asantehene sought to subdue the alliance made up of rebel provincial states and other groups that halted Ashanti dominance towards the Coast. At the latter part of his reign, the alliance disintegrated and Ashanti was able to bring down its influence. In 1764, Dahomey and the Oyo Empire supported the Akyem as well as other rebel subject states. Kusi Obodom's pursuit of the rebels brought Ashanti into conflict with Dahomey and Oyo through which the Ashanti army was defeated at the Battle of Atakpamé. Kus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Opoku Ware I
Opoku Ware I was the 2nd ''Asantehene'' of Oyoko heritage, who ruled the Ashanti Empire. Between 1718 and 1722, Opoku Ware became Asantehene during a period of civil disorder after the death of the 1st Asanthene. From 1720 to 1721, Opoku established his power. Throughout his reign, Opoku carried out a series of campaigns that expanded the Ashanti Empire across Ghana and eastern Ivory Coast. In domestic affairs, the Asantehene supported industry and manufacturing. He also carried out state reforms that include the creation of new offices for the administration of the state. At the latter part of his reign, Opoku Ware initiated a reform to reduce the power of the chiefs who administered the provinces of the empire. This reform led to a conspiracy that was repressed by the Asantehene. Opoku Ware died in 1750, unable to complete the reform. He was succeeded by Kusi Obodom. Ascension Sources vary for the death of Opoku Ware's predecessor Osei Kofi Tutu I. Scholars such as Wilks, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nana Oti Akenten
Nana Oti Akenten (ruled from 1630 – 1660) was the ruler of the Asante Oyoko clan which occupied parts of what is now Ghana. Nana Oti was the brother of Nana Kobia Antwi and their mother was Antwiwaa Nyame. Nana Oti sent his hunter called Bofoo Nyame on a trip and he discovered that the Agona family has already settled in a place called Kwaebrem which was later called Kwaabre. When the hunter learned that the area was productive, he went to tell Nana Oti. The settlement was then given the name Kumasi after the monarch, his family, and some of his followers opted to purchase that portion of the land from Agonaba Obaapanyin Adwoa Wiri. It was under his regime that a series of military operations against other Akan Akan may refer to: People and languages *Akan people, an ethnic group in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire *Akan languages, a language group within the wider Central Tano languages *Kwa languages, a language group which includes Akan *Central Tano language ... states came into ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
