Fante Confederacy
Fante Confederacy | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15th century–1873 | |||||||||
| Capital | Mankessim | ||||||||
| Common languages | Fante | ||||||||
| Religion | Worship at the sacred grove of Nananom Mpow | ||||||||
| Government | Commonwealth | ||||||||
| Brafo | |||||||||
| Legislature | Mfante Ahenfo Nhyiamu | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Founding of Mankessim | 15th century | ||||||||
• Invasion by the Ashanti Empire | 1807-1816 | ||||||||
• Expulsion of the Ashanti Military | 1831 | ||||||||
• Proclamation of the Fante Confederacy | 1868 | ||||||||
• Proclamation of the Protectorate of the Gold Coast | 1873 | ||||||||
| Currency | Cowries | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Ghana | ||||||||
The Fante Confederacy (also called a confederation, federation, and other similar terms) powerful alliance of small kingdoms and autonomous city-states in what is now coastal Ghana, united by the Fante people. Centered on the political and spiritual hub of Mankessim, the confederacy emerged in the late 17th century as a major regional force. It expanded through diplomacy, warfare, and trade alliances to incorporate multiple neighboring states and played a decisive role in shaping the Gold Coast's political landscape. At its height, the Fante Confederacy controlled key coastal trade routes and ports such as Anomabo, which became the most important center on the coast.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the Fante played a crucial role as middlemen in the Atlantic trade, controlling access between inland states and European merchants along the coast. Ports such as Anomabo flourished under Fante control, becoming key centers for the export of enslaved people and goods. Their strategic position allowed them to mediate regional commerce, exert influence over inland trade routes, and shape diplomacy between European powers and African states.