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• Benin was a large and varied kingdom. Some people lived in villages and small towns, but most people lived and worked in Benin City.

• The most important person in the kingdom was the king, known as the Oba.

• Hundreds of men and women lived at the royal court, and looked after the Oba and his family.

• The people of Benin traded with merchants from Europe and with other African kingdoms. Instead of using money they exchanged goods.

• The people of Benin believed that their Oba was a god. He lived apart from the ordinary people inside the royal court in Benin City.

• The Oba held meetings with his officials and he led religious ceremonies. But he also had some free time to spend with his family in their palace.

• The Oba owned all the land in his kingdom. He gave orders to his chiefs on how his kingdom should be run and he decided when his armies should go to war. Sometimes he rode into battle at the head of his troops.

• Everyone had to show great respect to the Oba. People approached him on their knees and nobody could look at him without his permission.

• Palace chiefs ran the royal court, organised the craft workers and made agreements with European merchants. They came from rich families and their jobs were passed down from father to son.

• Town chiefs were chosen to do their jobs because they were good rulers. They governed the ordinary people.

• Another important figure was the mother of the Oba. The first great Queen Mother or 'Iyoba' was Queen Idia, the mother of Oba Esigie.

• She helped her son to defeat his enemies and gain control of the River Niger. As a reward, Esigie gave her a palace of her own.

• People believed that the Queen Mother had magical powers.

• Benin was famous for its craft workers. Specialists in a craft (like ivory-carvers) formed groups called guilds. All the members of a guild lived and worked together.

• There were more than 40 guilds in Benin City and each guild had to perform a special duty for the Oba. Doctors, drummers, acrobats and dancers had their own guilds too.

• Many people in Benin lived in villages in the rainforest. They grew vegetables and they built their houses from mud, wood and palm leaves.

• Men from all over the kingdom served the Oba as soldiers. Warriors went into battle armed with swords, spears and crossbows, and by the 1600s they had guns as well.

• Some brave boys trained as hunters. They started their training very young and the bravest of all became elephant hunters.

• The people of Benin worshipped many gods.

• They told stories about their gods and held ceremonies in their honour.

• Some of these ceremonies are still performed today by the Edo people.

• People believed that the Obas of Benin were the direct descendants of Osanobua, the creator god.

Find out about some important gods according to Edo legends below.

Click on the items below to find out more about the goods people traded.