Benin Expedition of 1897
| Benin Expedition of 1897 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Scramble for Africa | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Benin Empire | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Harry Rawson |
Ovonramwen Asoro N' lyokuo Ologbosere | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,200 | Unknown | ||||||
The Benin Expedition of 1897 was a punitive expedition by a British force of 1,200 men under Sir Harry Rawson. It came in response to the ambush and slaughter of a 250-strong party led by British Acting Consul General James Phillips of the Niger Coast Protectorate. Rawson's troops captured Benin City and the Kingdom of Benin was eventually absorbed into colonial Nigeria. The expedition freed about 100 Africans enslaved by the Oba. The expedition had significant impacts on the Kingdom of Benin, including the looting of cultural artefacts and the exile of the Oba.