Kingdom of Ardra
The Kingdom of Ardra, also known as the Kingdom of Allada, was a coastal West African kingdom in southern Benin. While historically a sovereign kingdom, in present times the monarchy continues to exist as a non-sovereign monarchy within the republic of Benin.
Kingdom of Ardra | |||||||
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| 12th/13th century–1724 | |||||||
| Capital | Allada | ||||||
| Ethnic groups | Aja | ||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||
| King of Ardra | |||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | 12th/13th century | ||||||
• Conquered by Dahomey | 1724 | ||||||
| Population | |||||||
• 16th century | ~200,000 | ||||||
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| Today part of | Benin | ||||||
| History of Benin |
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| History of the Kingdom of Dahomey |
| Early history |
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| Modern period |
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It was named for its capital, the modern Allada, which was also the main city and major port of the realm.
The city and kingdom were supposedly founded by a group of Aja migrants from Tado, a settlement along the Mono River, in the 12th or 13th century. Its kings "ruled with the consent of the elders of the people". The state reached the peak of its power in the 16th and early 17th centuries, when it was an important source of slaves for the Atlantic trade. By the mid-15th century, the city of Allada had a population of approximately 30,000 people, while the state as a whole had a population of nearly 200,000 people by the 16th century.