Kingdom of Whydah
The Kingdom of Whydah (/ˈhwɪdə, ˈhwɪdˌɔː/ known locally as; Glexwe / Glehoue, but also known and spelt in old literature as; Hueda, Whidah, Ajuda, Ouidah, Whidaw, Juida, and Juda (Yoruba: Igelefe; French: Ouidah) was a kingdom on the coast of West Africa in what is now Benin. It was a major slave trading area which exported more than one million Africans to the United States, the Caribbean and Brazil before closing its trade in the 1860s. In 1700, it had a coastline of around 16 kilometres (10 mi); under King Haffon, this was expanded to 64 km (40 mi), and stretching 40 km (25 mi) inland.
Kingdom of Whydah Glexwe, Xwéda | |||||||
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| Status | Country | ||||||
| Capital and largest city | Savi (also known as Tanvir) 6°25′N 2°06′E | ||||||
| Official languages | Yoruba | ||||||
| Ethnic groups | Xwela-Xweda people | ||||||
| Religion | Vodun | ||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||
| History | |||||||
• Established | c. 1580 | ||||||
• Conquest by Dahomey | 1727 | ||||||
| Currency | Cowrie, Gold | ||||||
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| Today part of | Benin | ||||||
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| History of the Kingdom of Dahomey |
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The Kingdom of Whydah was centered in Savi. It also had connection to the city of Ouidah. The last ruler of Whydah was King Haffon, who was deposed in 1727, when Whydah was conquered (and annexed) by the Kingdom of Dahomey.