Episode 2 of 3
Occupation of Benin City
- When
- 17 or 18 February 1897
- Where
- Benin City
British forces invaded and occupied Benin City in February 1897, destroying the palace and removing sacred art.
The invasion began on 9 February 1897. Sources differ on the exact date of the occupation: Egharevba and several later writers give 17 February 1897, whereas Ryder and Igbafe date it to 18 February. The capital was put to the torch, and substantial parts of the palace were destroyed. Sacred and royal art was removed as booty.
Sources
- Benin Expedition of 1897 Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-12
- Ovonramwen Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-02
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.