Esigie

Mortal-tier 15th Oba of Benin (~1504-1547 CE per Egharevba 1968). Acceded after civil war with his elder brother Arhuaran; his mother Idia rode to war on his behalf, the canonical foundation of the Iyoba (Queen Mother) office. Defeated the Idah (Igala) kingdom c.1515-1517. Allowed Portuguese Catholic missionaries; experimented with Christian-Edo religious syncretism; sent Edo emissaries to Portugal — the canonical first West African royal embassy to Renaissance Europe. Established the Iyoba office for Idia — the canonical Idia ivory pendant mask (British Museum + Met Museum) is iconographically the most-recognizable Benin court object globally.

Parentage

• Ozolua
• Idia

Children

• Orhogbua

Powers

• Defied the bird of disaster's prophecy and triumphed

Relations

• father: Ozolua
• father of: Orhogbua
• sibling: Arhuaran
• rival: Arhuaran

Sources

• Egharevba (1968)
• Bradbury (1957)
• Ryder (1969)
• Portuguese contemporary letters in the Lisbon archives
• Idia ivory mask BM + Met Museum