Oyo Empire

Overview

The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire in West Africa. It was located in present-day western Nigeria. The empire grew to become the largest Yoruba-speaking state through the organizational and administrative efforts of the Yoruba people, trade, as well as the military use of cavalry. The Oyo Empire was one of the most politically important states in Western Africa from the late-16th to the early 18th century and held sway not only over most of the other kingdoms in Yorubaland, but also over nearby African states, notably the Fon Kingdom of Dahomey in the modern Republic of Benin on its west.

Wikipedia: Oyo Empire·CC BY-SA 4.0

Borders & accuracy

A paramount-chiefdom-style polity with tributary peripheries; exact extent is contested.

• SOURCEaourednik / historical-basemaps
• DETAILhistorical-basemaps
• SNAPSHOT1750
• POLITY TYPEtributary

Wars of this empire7

Conflicts whose belligerents name this polity, best-documented first.

• Yoruba Civil Wars1817–93
  World-changing
• Oyo Empire Expansion1600–1750
  Major conflict
• Oyo-Dahomey Wars1710–80
  Major conflict
• Oyo Conquest of Dahomey1726–48
  Major conflict
• Nupe Wars1531–1897
  Significant
• Borgu Wars1450–1830
  Regional
• Egba Revolt (Fall of Old Oyo Vassals)1796–1830
  Regional