Denkyira or Denkyera was a powerful nation of Akan people that existed before the 1620s, in what is now modern-day Ghana. Like all Akans, they originated from Adanse Kingdom. Before 1620, Denkyira was called Agona. The ruler of the Denkyira was called Denkyirahene and the capital was Jukwaa. The first Denkyirahene was Mumunumfi.[1]
Denkyira | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1500 (16th century)–1701 (18th century) | |||||||||
 Denkyria in 1700ce at its greatest extent | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Capital | Dunkwa-on-Offin | ||||||||
| Common languages | Twi dialect of Akan | ||||||||
| Religion | Asante Ancestor worship religion and mythology | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
• 1637 to 1695 | Boa Amponsem I | ||||||||
• 1695 to 1701(last of indep. Denkyira) | Ntim Gyakari | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 1500 (16th century) | ||||||||
• Renamed Upper Denkyira and Twifo/Heman/Lower Denkyira of Central Ashantiland on the Ashantiland Peninsula | 1957 | ||||||||
• Dissolved into Ashanti Kingdom | 1701 (18th century) | ||||||||
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History
editThe capital was initially Jukwaa, but it was later moved to Abankeseso.[2] The Denkyira state capital is now Dunkwa-on-Offin. Denkyira became powerful through gold production and trade with Europe.
In the 1690s, wars took place between Denkyira and the Asen and Twifo-Heman. The goal of these struggles was to keep open the trade routes to the coast and trade with the Fante State and Europeans.[3]
The Denkyira state together with the Fante states dominated the trade with Europeans in Western Ghana while the Akwamu dominated trade with Europeans in Eastern Ghana.
The Denkyira state dominated the neighboring states apart from the Fante, Akwamu and Akyem.[4] The Kwaaman were subjects and tributary to Denkyira Kingdom until 1701 the unitary state came together with the help of Okomfo Anokye, the Ashanti defeated Denkyira at the Battle of Feyiase, and Denkyira became a tributary to the Ashanti Empire.[5] This was led by Ntim Gyakari the then Denkyirahene who is a son of Kwaaman hene and later Ashanti hene Otumfou Osie Tutu.
In 1868 Denkyira entered the Fante Confederacy to align with the powerful Fante Union. The Fante Confederacy had also at this time become allies of the British. The Ashanti Empire also were allies of the Dutch.
A recent ruler of the Denkyira was Odeefuo Boa Amponsem III until his death was announced on 2 December 2016.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Shmuel Noah Eisenstadt; Michel Abitbol; Naomi Chazan (1988). The Early State in African Perspective: Culture, Power and Division of Labor. Brill Academic Publishers. ISBN 90-04-08355-3.
- ^ McCaskie, T. C. "Denkyira in the Making of Asante" in Journal of African History Vol 48 (2007) no. 1, p. 1
- ^ McCaskie. "Denkyira". p. 1.
- ^ Akan Laws and Customs. Taylor & Francis.
- ^ Dickson, Kwamina B. (1969). A Historical Geography of Ghana. CUP Archive. ISBN 9780521071024.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20161220073817/http://www.atlfmonline.com/component/k2/item/7341-denkyirahene-reported-dead Denkyirahene reported dead
External links
edit- Denkyira Archived 22 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine
- Tribes of Ghana