Togo-Bè Kingdom

Kingdom of Togo-Bè
Kingdom of Togo-Bè
16th century–1884
Government	Monarchy
History
• Established	16th century
• Protectorate treaty	1884
Area
• Total	600 km2 (230 sq mi)
Today part of	Togo

The kingdom of Togo-Bè was a precolonial state located in the south of modern day Togo, founded by Ewe people. It was situated around the Togo lake and has possibly encompassed an area of 600 km². The foundation of the kingdom remains unclear and its history is widely disputed. Togo-Bè lost its independence when it became a protectorate of the German Empire on 5 July, 1884. A treaty was signed by its last ruling king Mlapa III and German explorer Gustav Nachtigal.[1] The treaty declared a German protectorate over a stretch of territory along the Slave Coast on the Bight of Benin. With the small gunboat SMS Möwe at anchor, the imperial flag was raised for the first time on the African continent. Consul Heinrich Ludwig Randad Jr., resident agent of the firm C. Goedelts at Ouidah, was appointed as the first commissioner for the territory.[2] The most important exports were slaves, until local slavery was declared illegal and was abolished by the French in 1848, but cotton, sisal fibre, cacao beans and different textiles were also traded. Because of the slave trade ban, its economy was ravaged and its kings lost most of the power, so it was easily colonized. Traditionally the kingdom was animist, but by 1884 had moved towards Christianity due to the influence of German missionaries operating in the region since 1847.[3]

The area of Togo-Bè was later integrated into German Togoland (1884–1916 ).

References

Heinz., Laumann, Dennis (2003). A historiography of German Togoland, or the rise and fall of a 'model colony'. OCLC 773723418.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
"5. Mittel und Prinzipien der japanischen Kolonialpolitik", Die japanische Kolonialpolitik, De Gruyter, pp. 81–87, 1910-12-31, doi:10.1515/9783111542720-007, ISBN 978-3-11-154272-0, retrieved 2021-05-27
Ekoue, Blamé (2020-01-31). "The West African kingdom that became a country". GGA. Retrieved 2021-05-27.

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[1] Heinz., Laumann, Dennis (2003). A historiography of German Togoland, or the rise and fall of a 'model colony'. OCLC 773723418.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[2] "5. Mittel und Prinzipien der japanischen Kolonialpolitik", Die japanische Kolonialpolitik, De Gruyter, pp. 81–87, 1910-12-31, doi:10.1515/9783111542720-007, ISBN 978-3-11-154272-0, retrieved 2021-05-27

[3] Ekoue, Blamé (2020-01-31). "The West African kingdom that became a country". GGA. Retrieved 2021-05-27.