The Fierce Warriors Who Inspired ‘The Woman King’ Have A Rather Unsettling Real-Life Backstory

In the heart of western Africa, a band of fierce female warriors once fought to defend their jungle kingdom. And at a time when most women were restricted to the role of mother and wife, they wielded great power and influence within their communities. More than 100 years after their dissolution, the story of the Dahomey Amazons has reached the silver screen.

The Woman King

Released to critical acclaim, The Woman King tells a fictionalized account of the all-female military units which patrolled the Kingdom Of Benin. And while the characters may have had the Hollywood treatment, much of the story remains true to its sources. So who were these women that European explorers likened to the Amazons of Greek myth?

The Dahomey Amazons

Like their legendary counterparts, the Dahomey Amazons — or Agojie, to give them their proper name — were a force with which to be reckoned. But while their prowess on the battlefield proved that women could be just as ferocious as men, their legacy is a complex one. And for every tale of heroism associated with these complex warriors, there is a darker side to the story.

Shrouded in mystery

Even the roots of the Agojie, it turns out, are shrouded in mystery. According to some historians, the concept of female warriors was first introduced to the Kingdom of Dahomey during the reign of King Houegbadja, in the 1600s. Some decades previously, the Fon people had established a homeland in western Africa, located in modern-day Benin.

Dakodonu

According to legend, Dakodonu, one of the early rulers of Dahomey, was given permission to settle on a stretch of land now known as the Abomey Plateau. When he asked for more, the story goes, the chief of another tribe mocked him, sarcastically offering up his own belly as the site for the proposed construction.