Kpojito
Thekpojitowas thequeen motherandconsortof thepre-colonial African kingdomofDahomey(modern-dayBenin,West Africa).
History
[edit]Beginning in the early eighteenth century, thekpojitowas a wife of the king's father, often born of common origin, or intoslavery.She rose in rank by merit to serve as thecoregentof the ruling king, and sometimes his predecessor.[1]
A kpojito shared power with local princes (serving as their protégé andkingmaker), and had the authority to resolve religious disputes through her skill as a priestess to thevodun(gods).[1][2][3]The most famouskpojitowasHwanjile,who reigned with KingTegbesuin the mid-eighteenth century.[1][4]
References
[edit]- ^abcBay, Edna G. (1995)."Belief, Legitimacy and the Kpojito: An Institutional History of the 'Queen Mother' in Precolonial Dahomey".The Journal of African History.36(1): 1–27.ISSN0021-8537.
- ^Kreisel, Cynthia Sharrer (2008-01-01)."Hwanjile, Kpojito".The Oxford Encyclopedia Women in World History.Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acref/9780195148909.001.0001/acref-9780195148909-e-475.
- ^Kaplan, Flora; Walthall, Anne (2008-01-01)."Monarchy".The Oxford Encyclopedia Women in World History.Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acref/9780195148909.001.0001/acref-9780195148909-e-710.
- ^Bay, Edna G.; Achebe, Nwando (2008-01-01)."West Africa".The Oxford Encyclopedia Women in World History.Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acref/9780195148909.001.0001/acref-9780195148909-e-1143.
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