Benin

The struggle

The kingdom of Dahomey, with its famous women's regiments, was conquered by France in 1894 after two wars. Under colonial rule Dahomey supplied clerks and teachers across French West Africa and developed an unusually dense political class. Independence came on 1 August 1960; the country took the name Benin in 1975.

Key people

• Béhanzin

  1845–1906

  Last independent king of Dahomey; exiled by France

• Hubert Maga

  1916–2000

  First president

• Sourou-Migan Apithy

  1913–1989

  Deputy in Paris and leading nationalist