This article is about the Oba of Benin. For the Itsekiri traditional ruler, see Olu Esigie.
Esigie
Oba of Benin
An Edo figure from the reign of the oba Esigie (c. 1504 – 1550) Brooklyn Museum
Oba of Benin
Reign
1504 AD – 1550 AD
Predecessor
Ozolua
Successor
Orhogbua
Died
c. 1550 Benin City
Spouse
Elaba
Father
Ozolua
Mother
Queen Idia
Esigie (also spelt Oseigie), originally known as Osawe, was the son of Oba Ozolua, who reigned in the late 15th century, and his second wife, Queen Idia. He was the sixteenth Oba who ruled the medieval Benin Kingdom, now Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria from c. 1504 – c. 1550.[1][2] Works of art commissioned by Esigie are held in prominent museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum.
After Ozolua's death, Esigie controlled Benin City, while his brother Arhuaran controlled Udo, a town about 30 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of Benin City, that was nearly its equal in size and influence.[3][4] Following a bitter power struggle with Arhuaran, and with major assistance and support from his mother Idia, Esigie gathered the Benin army at Unuame on the river Osse and from there launched an attack and overthrew Arhuanran.[5] Esigie became Oba of Benin and would later fend off an attack from the Igala people.[6][7][8]
Esigie started a tradition in Benin by abolishment of the killing of the king's mother, giving Idia the title of Iyoba (or Queen Mother), and providing the Eguae-Iyoba (Palace of the Queen Mother) in lower Uselu for her use.[9][10][11] Idia was responsible for many cultural innovations that still hold strong in Benin's cultural history; she notably dressed as a man marched alongside her son and led Benin to victory in the Idah battle of 1515. When Idia died, her protege and Esigie's wife Elaba would go to support the Oba until his death c. 1547.
^"Oba esigie".
^Hunter, David J. (2013-08-01). "A Response to Rudolf Klein: A Battle May Have Been Won but Perhaps Not the War". Journal of Health Politics, Policy and Law. 38 (4): 871–877. doi:10.1215/03616878-2210512. ISSN 0361-6878. PMID 23645872.
^Ojaruega, EE (2015-09-11). The place of Urhobo folklore in Tanure Ojaide's poetry. Tydskrif vir Letterkunde Association. OCLC 923960138.
^"West African Journal of Archaeology". 1976.
^OKAKA, C.E.; AKHIGBE, J.E. (1999-01-01). "Helminth parasites of some tropical freshwater fish from Osse River in Benin, southern Nigeria". Tropical Freshwater Biology. 8 (1). doi:10.4314/tfb.v8i1.20861. ISSN 0795-0101.
^"A Wife of the King", Saint Margaret, Queen of the Scots, Palgrave Macmillan, doi:10.1057/9781137035646_10
^Nevadomsky, Joseph. The costume and weapons of the Benin brass horseman. OCLC 57828940.
^http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/ht/08/sfg/ht08sfg.htm Guinea Coast, 1400–1600 A.D. | Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
^"Śāntimāhātmya:kiṁvā sādhu Iyoba hyāceẽ ākhyāna /". Hebrew and Judeo-Arabic Printing in Baghdad Online. doi:10.1163/9789004192621.hpi-411. Retrieved 2023-02-01.
^"The Untold Tale between Oba Esigie and Iyoba Idia of Benin". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 2019-06-04. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
Esigie (also spelt Oseigie), originally known as Osawe, was the son of Oba Ozolua, who reigned in the late 15th century, and his second wife, Queen Idia...
Idia was the mother of Esigie, who reigned as Oba (king) of the Edo people from 1504 to 1550. Historians do know that Idia was alive during the Idah war...
Olu Esigie was an Itsekiri traditional ruler. He succeeded his father Ogiame, Olu Ojoluwa after his demise. He was crowned Ogiame Esigie, the 5th Olu of...
fifteenth century, he left behind two sons to dispute the royal succession: Esigie controlled Benin City, the kingdom's metropolitan center, while his brother...
fifteenth century, he left behind two sons to dispute the royal succession: Esigie controlled Benin City, the kingdom's metropolitan center, while his brother...
located at Akpakpava in Benin City, Edo, Nigeria. It was founded by Oba Esigie (son of Queen Idia) and Portuguese missionaries. It is commonly called the...
Kingdom of Benin in West Africa that probably represents Idia, mother of Oba Esigie, made during the early sixteenth century at the Benin court. Many Benin...
beads. Esigie engaged in two major conflicts. First, his half-brother fought a protracted civil war over the line of succession that would crown Esigie, the...
Itsekiri people in the kingdom. He was the son to Olu Esigie and succeeded his father Olu Esigie as the 6th Olu of Warri. He was born Prince Eyomasan....
two sons, Esigie and Arhuahan and that at the end of his reign there was a war regarding royal succession between the two brothers and Esigie became the...
landscape. In about 1502, there was a development in Benin Kingdom, Oba Esigie was on the throne and since succession to the throne was from father to...
Kingdom who reigned around c. 1550 AD – c. 1578 AD. He was the son of Esigie and the grandson of Ozolua. Orhogbua was educated in a Portuguese colonial...
more Portuguese traders to the city gates. In the early 16th century, Oba Esigie expanded the kingdom eastwards, after defeating an invasion and attempted...
by Oba Ugbe, the brother of Oba Orhogbua (both brothers were sons of Oba Esigie of the ancient Benin Kingdom). Originally, it was ruled by the descendants...
"golden ages" in Benin metal workmanship occurred during the reigns of Esigie (fl. 1550) and of Eresoyen (1735–1750), when their workmanship achieved...
Johnson as Queen Omelve Sam Dede as King Attah Ayegba Paul Obazele as Oba Esigie Saidi Balogun as Oracle Odunlade Adekola as Prince Ayegba "TTop 20 films...
Bida. Of the Igbirra and Idah from the North and East, the war which Oba Esigie fought in 1515-1516 with the Attah of Idah would have also contributed to...
influence came from Igala being under suzerainty of Benin during the reign of Esigie. Researchers have found that some Igala masks were actually from the Jukun...
didn't cry at birth. While his brother, Prince Osawe, who later became Oba Esigie, was born in the afternoon by Queen Idia and cried first. As a compensation...
in the 1480s. The king of Portugal developed a close alliance with Oba Esigie, who was the first Oba of Benin to have spoken Portuguese. Ewuare greatly...
the Idia mask of Benin. It is believed to have been commissioned by King Esigie of Benin in memory of his mother. To honor his dead mother, the king wore...
descendants of Okere with the local population in the kingdom. Itsekiri Esigie Unknown - 1597 (aged 27+) 1570 1597 5th Olu.He succeeded his father. Itsekiri...
School V; Eben/New Benin II, Esigie Primary School I; Eben/New Benin II, Esigie Primary School II; Eben/New Benin II, Esigie Primary School III; Eben/New...
likewise honors the Oba's paternal ancestors; and Ugie Oro, celebrating Oba Esigie's victory over the Idah Kingdom in the 16th century. Finely carved ivory...
ruler (c.1600) Kingdom of Benin (complete list) – Ozolua, Oba (1480–1504) Esigie, Oba (1504–1547) Orhogbua, Oba (1547–1580) Ehengbuda, Oba (1580–1602) Burkina...
within the Benin Palace Royal Grounds until 1897. During the reign of Oba Esigie (1504 – 1550), bronze casting evolved into elaborate art forms such as plaques...
establishment of administrative dignitaries. In particular, Ewuare's grandson Oba Esigie (1504–1550) eroded the power of the uzama and increased contact and trade...
Global Information