Igala–Benin War (1515 – 1516)
Part ofEuropean exploration of Africa
Benin kingdom warriors
Date 1515–1516 Location Present dayNigeria Result Benin-Portuguese victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Benin Portuguese Empire	Igala Kingdom Traitor from Benin
Commanders and leaders
Queen Idia Oba Esigie	Ata of Igala Chife Ohliah †
Strength
Unknown, but Portuguese forces were deployed	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

TheIgala–Benin War was a short conflict between theIgala Kingdom and theKingdom of Benin that lasted from 1515 to 1516.

The Igala–Benin War was declared when theprevious Oba of Benin converted toChristianity to trade with thePortuguese Empire. Some Benin nobles who were unhappy with the decision betrayed theOba for the Ata ofIgala.^[1]

The Igala–Benin War's outcome was significantly influenced by two key factors. Firstly, the war took a dramatic turn when the servant ofQueen Idia managed to assassinate the Igala general,^[2] disrupting their command structure and weakening their forces. Secondly, under the reign ofOba Esigie, theBenin Kingdom benefited fromPortuguese firepower andmilitary assistance, giving them a significant advantage in terms of weaponry and tactics.^[2] These combined factors played a crucial role in Benin's victory and the relatively easier path to success during this historicalconflict.

The war played a significant role in theAfro-Portuguese relations in the 16th century. It also played a role in slavery by the Europeans since theBenin Kingdom sold slaves to thePortuguese and otherEuropean merchants.^[3]

• Akure–Benin War

• Falola, T.; Salau, M.B. (2021).Africa in Global History: A Handbook. De Gruyter Reference (in Italian). De Gruyter.ISBN 978-3-11-067801-7. Retrieved21 September 2023.
• Gunsch, K.W. (2017).The Benin Plaques: A 16th Century Imperial Monument. Routledge Research in Art History. Taylor & Francis.ISBN 978-0-429-67946-9. Retrieved21 September 2023.
• French, H.W. (2021).Born in Blackness: Africa, Africans, and the Making of the Modern World, 1471 to the Second World War. Liveright.ISBN 978-1-63149-583-0. Retrieved21 September 2023.

• 1515 in Africa
• 1516 in Africa
• Conflicts in 1515
• Conflicts in 1516
• Military history of Nigeria
• Kingdom of Benin
• Wars involving the states and peoples of Africa
• Portuguese Empire
• Wars involving Portugal

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• CS1 Italian-language sources (it)