Oyo Empire

Oyo Empire
Ilú-ọba Ọ̀yọ́
Protectorate of the British Empire (1888-1896)
c. 1300–1896
Oyo Empire at its furthest extent
Capital		Oyo-Ile
Languages		Yoruba
Religion		Yoruba religion
Government		Monarchy
Alaafin
•	c. 1300	Oranyan
•	1888–1905	Adeyemi I Alowolodu
Legislature		Oyo Mesi and Ogboni
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	c. 1300
•	Disestablished	1896
Area
•	1680	150,000 km² (57,915 sq mi)
Succeeded by Southern Nigeria Protectorate
Today part of		Nigeria  Benin  Togo

 Benin  Togo

The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today Western and North central Nigeria, . Established in the 15th century, the Oyo Empire grew to become one of the largest West African states. It rose through the outstanding organizational skills of the Yoruba, wealth gained from trade and its powerful cavalry. The Oyo Empire was the most politically important state in the region from the mid-17th to the late 18th century, holding 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 to the west.

The origins of the Oyo Empire lie with Oranyan (also known as Oranmiyan), the last prince of the Yoruba Kingdom of Ile-Ife (Ife). Oranyan made an agreement with his brother to launch a punitive raid on their northern neighbors for insulting their father Oduduwa, the first Ooni of Ife. On the way to the battle, the brothers quarreled and the army split up. Oranyan's force was too small to make a successful attack, so he wandered the southern shore until reaching Bussa. There the local chief entertained him and provided a large snake with a magic charm attached to its throat.