French Dahomey

{{Short description|French colony in West Africa (1894–1958); now Benin}}

{{Infobox country

|native_name = {{native name|fr|Colonie du Dahomey et dépendances}}

|conventional_long_name = Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies

|common_name = France

|status = Colony

|empire = France

|event_start = Protectorate

|year_start = 1894

|date_start =

|event_end = French Community

|year_end = 1958

|date_end = 4 December

|event_pre = Colonised

|date_pre = 1872

|event1 = French West Africa

|date_event1 = 27 October 1895

|event2 = French Union

|date_event2 = 4 September 1947

|event_post = Independence

|date_post = 1 August 1960

|p1 = Dahomey

|flag_p1 = Flag of Ghezo of Dahomey.svg

|s1 = French West Africa

|flag_s1 = Flag of France.svg

|s2 = Republic of Dahomey

|flag_s2 = Flag of Benin.svg

|image_flag = Flag of France.svg

|flag = Flag of France

|image_map = French west africa dahomey.png

|image_map_caption = Dark green: French Dahomey
Lime: Rest of French West Africa
Dark gray: Other French possessions
Darkest gray: French Third Republic

|national_anthem=La Marseillaise
File:La Marseillaise.ogg

|capital = Porto-Novo

|common_languages = French (official)
Bariba, Fon, Yoruba

|currency = French West African franc
CFA franc

|today=Benin

| iso3166code = omit

}}

French Dahomey, officially the Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies ({{langx|fr|Colonie du Dahomey et dépendances}}), was a French colony and part of French West Africa from 1894 to 1958.{{Cite web|url=http://www.discoverfrance.net/Colonies/Benin.shtml|title=French Colonies – Benin (formerly Dahomey)|last=Mills|first=Ian|date=2017-09-13|website=discoverfrance.net|access-date=2017-09-13}} After World War II, by the establishment of the French Fourth Republic in 1947, Dahomey became part of the French Union with increased autonomy. On 4 October 1958 the French Fifth Republic was established, and the French Union became the French Community. The colony became the self-governing Republic of Dahomey within the Community, and two years later on 1 August 1960, it gained full independence, renamed to Benin in 1975.

History

=Kingdom of Dahomey=

The Kingdom of Dahomey existed in the region from the 17th to 19th centuries.{{Cite web|url=http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories.asp?historyid=ad17|title=HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF BENIN|website=historyworld.net|access-date=2017-09-13}}

=Colony=

The French takeover and colonization of the Kingdom of Dahomey began in 1872. The First Franco-Dahomean War in 1890 further weakened it. The Second Franco-Dahomean War resulted in it becoming a French protectorate in 1894.{{Cite web|url=http://www.historynet.com/french-colonial-conquest-of-dahomey-in-1892.htm|title=French Colonial Conquest of Dahomey in 1892 {{!}} HistoryNet|website=historynet.com|date=5 September 2006|language=en-US|access-date=2017-09-13}}

A decree dated 22 June 1894 created the {{lang|fr|Colonie de Dahomey et dépendances}} ('Colony of Dahomey and Dependencies'), which was to be incorporated into French West Africa in 1904.

Under the French, a port was constructed at Cotonou, and railroads were built. School facilities were expanded by Roman Catholic missions. In 1946, Dahomey became an overseas territory, part of the French Union, with its own parliament and representation in the French national assembly.{{Cite news|url=http://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/pre-colonial-history/the-history-of-the-kingdom-of-dahomey/|title=The History of the Kingdom of Dahomey|work=Black History Month 2017|access-date=2017-09-13|language=en-US}}

On 4 December 1958, it became the Republic of Dahomey ({{lang|fr|République du Dahomey}}), self-governing within the French Community.

=Independence=

On 1 August 1960, the Republic of Dahomey gained full independence from France.

The republic's first president was Hubert Maga, who had been the Prime Minister during the overseas territory's last year under French rule.{{Cite web|url=http://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/History/Benin-history-timeline.htm|title=History of Benin (formerly Dahomey)|last=kästle|first=klaus|website=nationsonline.org|language=en-us|access-date=2017-09-13}}

French Dahomey

History

=Kingdom of Dahomey=

=Colony=

=Independence=

See also

References

Further reading