BENIN

History
Around present Abomey there existed from 1625 the kingdom of Dahomey. At about the same time the
French Compagnie de Indes settled in Ouïdah. The trade post was not succesful and was abandoned but in
1842 the French settled again on the coast. Their presence was a serious treat to the trade of Dahomey, in
particular the slave trade. In 1890 Behanzin, king of Dahomey Cotonou and Porto Novo attacked which was
the beginning of a war with France. In 1892 Behanzin was defeated. He took refuge to Abomey where he
was arrested by french troops in 1894. In the palace of Behanzin a banner with a heraldic achievement was
found. The shield was blue with a disc and a shark, both white. On both sides of the sheidl were palm-trees,
elepahnts tusks and snakes.
The kingdoms of Dahomey Allada and Porto Novo were united by the french into Benin Colony. The name
of the colony was changed into Dahomey in 1899 because the centre of the ancient kingdom of Benin, to
which some parts of Dahomy had belonged, had been situated around the confluence of the Benue and the
Niger, lacated in the British colony of Nigeria.
In 1946 Dahomey became a Departement Outremer and in 1959 an autonomous stae within the
Communauté Française. In 1958 a seal was adopted. In the upper half there are indigenous arms in saltire
and in the lower half a boat charged with six stars symbolizing the six provinces Atakora, Atlantique,
Borgou, Mono, Ouémé and Zou. On a scroll there is the inscription FRATERNITÉ . JUSTICE . TRAVAIL
(Brotherhood, Justice, Work).
On 1 August 1960 Dahamey bacme an independent republic. The arms of state became a heraldic version of
the seal. Arms and boat were placed on a shield surrounded by palm-leaves. The ribbon with the motto
came on the traditional place below the shield.
After a coup d’étatin 1963 a second republic was proclaimed. Bij decision of 9 December of the same year a
new achievement of state was adopted. The shield is white and is divide in four parts by a cross of red lines,
charged in the center with a diamond of the same color. In the first quarter there is a Somba-castle
symbolizing the creative spirit of the population of Dahomey. The Somba a re one of the peoples of the
country. In the second quarter is the cross of the Order of the Black Star of Benin. This order was founded
on1 Decmeber 1889 by king Toffo of Porto Novo. In 1894 it was taken over by the French and on 1 January
1964 it became the national order of Dahomey.
In the third quarter there is an oil-palm (Elæis guineensis - Aracaceæ) for the main trade-crop of the
country. In the fourth quarter there is a sailing vessel for the European influence reaching the country from
overseas.
On the shield are two cornucopia filled with breadfruit (Artocarpus communis, Moraceæ) and tw black
panthers support it. The motto is on a ribbon below.
On 30 November 1975 the name of the country was changed into “République Populaire du Bénin”. The
arms of state was chaged at the same time. It is a green disc with a red star like on the flag. The disc is
surrounded by a round, somewhat excentrically placed frame on which are maize-cobs winded round with a
red ribbon. On the bow are the initials of the Rrepublic in green letters: R.P.B..
On 1 April 1990 the form of government was chaged again into a republic and on the next 1 August the flag
and arms of the former Republic of Dahomey were restored.

Cross of the Order of the Black Star of Benin.

Heraldry
DÉPARTEMENT DU DAHOMEY 1946-1959

Seal: A native boat on the waves, charged with six mullets, in chief two native clubs and a bow-and-arrow
in saltire. In base a ribbon with the motto FRATERNITÉ JUSTICE TRAVAIL.
adopted 1958

RÉPUBLIQUE DU DAHOMEY 01.08.1960 - 30.11.1975

Arms: A native boat on the waves, charged with six mullets, in chief two native clubs and a bow-and-
arrow in saltire.
Garland: Palmleaves
Motto: FRATERNITÉ JUSTICE TRAVAIL.

A.: Argent, a thread-cross charged in fess point with a diamond Gules, in the first a Somba-fort proper; in
the second the cross of the order of the Etoile Noire du Bénin, proper; in the third an oil-palm (Elæis
guineensis - Aracaceæ) proper; in the fourth on a base Azure, a carrack in full sail Sable.
Crest: Two cornucopia Sable containing breadfruit (Artocarpus communis - Moraceæ) proper.
Supporters: Two panthers (Panthera pardus - Felidæ) proper.
Motto: FRATERNITÉ JUSTICE TRAVAIL.
Adopted 9.XII.1964
Ð See illustration in the head of this essay

RÉPUBLIQUE POPULAIRE DU BÉNIN 30.11.1975-01.07.1990

A.: Vert, a five-pointed star Gules in chief, in base a cogwheel issuant proper.
Garland: On a off-white bordure, six maize-cobs of dark-yellow colour, and a red ribbon charged with the
letters R.P.B. Vert. In base a bundle of rods proper.

RÉPUBLIQUE DU BÉNIN 01.07.1990 - present

A.: Argent, a thread-cross charged in fess point with a diamond Gules, in the first a Somba-fort proper; in
the second the cross of the order of the Etoile Noire du Bénin, proper; in the third an oil-palm (Elæis
guineensis - Aracaceæ) proper; in the fourth on a base Azure, a carrack in full sail Sable.
Crest: Two cornucopia Sable containing breadfruit (Artocarpus communis - Moraceæ) proper.
Supporters: Two panthers (Panthera pardus - Felidæ) proper.
Motto: FRATERNITÉ JUSTICE TRAVAIL
Adopted 01.08.1990
Ð See illustration in the head of this essay

Seal
The Seal of State
Constitué par un disque de cent vingt millimètres de diamètre, le Sceau de l’Etat représente: 
à l’avers, une pirogue chargée de six étoiles à cinq rais voguant sur des ondes, accompagnée au chef d’un arc
avec une flèche en palme soutenu de deux récades en sautoir et, dans le bas, d’une banderole portant la
devise « FRATERNITE – JUSTICE – TRAVAIL » avec, à l’entour, l’inscription « REPUBLIQUE DU BENIN »
au revers, un écu coupé au premier de sinople, au deuxième parti d’or et de gueules, qui sont les trois
couleurs du drapeau, l’écu entouré de deux palmes au naturel les tiges passées en sautoir. 

Emblem National Assembly

[1]
The Twelve Kings of Dahomey
Gangnihessou -1620

His symbols were the male gangnihessou-bird, a drum, and a hunting stick with throwing stick. (The bird
was a rebus for his name.)

Dakodonou 1620-1645

His symbols were an indigo jar (a reference to his murder of a certain indigo planter named Donou, whose
body he made sport of by rolling it around in his indigo jar and whose name he appended to his own
original name, ‘Dako’), a tinder box, and a war club

Aho Houegbadja 1645-1685

Houegbadja’s symbols were a fish (houe), fish trap (adja), and war club hoe (kpota)
In 1665 James, duke of York (the later James II of England) sent a crown European fashion to the king of
Ardra (a rival kingdom of Dahomey) to seal the diplomatic relations between England and Ardra. The ship
transporting the crown to Africa however, was captured at the African roads of Goerree by admiral Michiel
[2]
de Ruyter who handed it over to the Admiralty of Amsterdam on 1 December 1665.

Crown of Ardra
Coll. Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Inv. nr. ng-nm-816a

Houessou Akaba 1685-1708

Akaba’s symbols were the warthog and a saber

Dossou Agadja 1708-1732

Agadja’s symbol is a European caravel boat

Tegbessou 1732-1774

His main symbol is a buffalo wearing a tunic. His other symbols are the blunderbuss, a weapon he gave his
warriors - the first time in Dahomey that the royal army had ready access to firearms - and a door
decorated with three noseless heads, a reference to his victory over a rebellious tributary people, the Zou,
whose corpses he mutilated.

Kpengla 1774-1789

His main symbol is the akpan bird, a trade gun (flintlocks became the standard issue to the Dahomean army
during his reign), and a Dahomey Amazon striking her head against a tree (a reference to a humorous war
story stemming from one of his military campaigns).

Agonglo 1789-1797

His symbol is the pineapple.

Adandozan 1797-1818

Adandozan's symbols were a baboon with a swollen stomach, full mouth, and ear of corn in hand (an
unflattering reference to his enemy, the King of Oyo), and a large parasol (‘the king overshadows his
enemies’).
 Throne or royal seat
from Cana village, Benin. End 18th-beginning19th cent.
[3]
Coll Musée du Quai Branly inv. nr. 71.1893.45.8

The holy village of Cana regularly was the scene of royal ceremonies and rituals. Some kings had a
secondary palace there. This seat is of Yoruba style and shows the king with his attendants, sitting under
and umbrella.

Ghezo 1818-1858

Ghezo’s symbols are two birds on a tree, a buffalo, and a clay jar sieve with holes in it held by two hands, a
symbol of unity.

King Gezo’s throne

Benin, Abomey, beginning 19th century.
Coll. Musée du Quai Branly inv. nr. 71-1895-16.8
Royal seat placed on a platform for the ceremonies for the deceased kings and the ditribution of gifts (ato).
The style of the throne is influenced by akan (Ghanese) and Portuguese examples.

Drawing by Jaume Ollé

Flag of king Gezo

Glélé 1858-1889

Glélé’s symbols are the lion and the ritual knife of the adepts of Gu (Vodun of fire, iron, war, and
cutting edges)

Club with ivory lion

Coll. Musée du Quai Branly, Paris
 Ritual Sword
Coll: ?

Behanzin 1889-1894

His symbols are the shark, the egg (a rebus of his name), and a captive hanging from a flagpole (a
reference to a boastful and rebellious Nago practitioner of harmful magic from Ketou whom the king
hanged from a flagpole as punishment for his pride).

Achievement of Behanzin

Arms: Azure, an egg and a shark, Argent.

Supporters: Palms, snakes and elephant’s tusks.
* King Béhanzin (*1844, †1906, king 1889-1892 ), successor of the king
Gléle, had a flag (Ratio 43 : 59) with a light blue field. The shield is
yellow with a dark grey shark, and a white egg and tusks; green palm;
light green snakes, and the ribbon white. Some inscriptions suggest
manufacture by one of the many portuguese who had long had
commercial relations along the coast. The french general Alfred Dodds
captured the flags in the Dahomey royal Palace at Abomey on 18
November 1892. It was sent to the Musée de l'Armée in Paris, being
transferred in 1932 to the Musée Colonial (the Musée des Arts Africains
et Océaniens, closed in 2003). The flag is reported in the issue 145 of the
Flag Bulletin. That museum has an engraving by Albert Vallon, showing
a French mission being received by the king Gezo (1818-1858), with a
 different flag, which suggests that each king may have had his own flag.
That used by Gezo is shown above. (Data: FOTW)

* The picture from the Musée de l’Armée however suggests the cloth yellow and the shield blue which is
more what we would expect and which is also more in line with the engraving shown. The motto reads:
REI BEHANZIN DE DAHOMEY which is portuguese for ‘King Behanzin of Dahomey’. We hope the Musée
Quai Branly will publish a color picture of the flag (and of the other flags which can be seen on the view).

Armed Forces

Emblem of the Armed Forces

Arms of the General Staff

Gendarmerie
 Back to Main Page

© Hubert de Vries 2008.05.21. Updated 2010-02-24; 2011-03-13; 2011-12-28; 2014-08-25; 2015-08-10

[1]
Data from: Wikipedia
[2]
Brus, René: Kronen van de Wereld. Amsterdam, 1992
[3]
Gift of General Dodds, adversary of Béhanzin