The Ashanti Wars
In some ways similar to the Europeans who settled in North American colonies, the Europeans who colonized Africa found numerous indigenous tribes which fought over territory, took slaves from other tribes, and maintained long held enmity. The Europeans sided with some tribes in opposition to others, leading to continuous wars, rebellions, and atrocities throughout the colonial period. There were simply too many wars to cover them all, but the Ashanti wars were in many ways descriptive of them all. The Ashanti wars were a series of conflicts between the Ashanti people and Great Britain, which was supported by other native tribes.
The Ashanti Empire dominated the region of West Africa which became the British colony of the Gold Coast, through trade with other African states and military superiority. The Ashanti practiced slavery, with slaves usually acquired through the capture of enemies during wars, and also practiced human sacrifice, including the ritual sacrifice of slaves as part of their master’s funeral rites. Early contact with Europeans allowed the Ashanti to be armed with firearms through the trading of gold for weapons. After the arrival of the British to the Gold Coast many of the coastal tribes, enemies of the Ashanti, turned to the British for protection.
The British fought two wars with the Ashanti in the first half of the nineteenth century, supporting the Fante and Ga tribes, historic enemies of the Ashanti. In 1867 the British created the colony of the Gold Coast, expanding it five years later by purchasing the Dutch Gold Coast, and in 1873 launched an expedition against the Ashanti. The expedition was a response to an Ashanti invasion of the territory purchased from the Dutch, who had maintained the peace between themselves and the Ashanti. The British responded with a force including British regulars, colonial troops, and support from the Fante.
The Ashanti were defeated in the field in several battles and the Ashanti capital was razed by the British troops. The British then dictated the terms of a treaty which included reparations in gold to be paid by the Ashanti. The British also stipulated the end of the practice of human sacrifice. The Ashanti accepted the terms and signed the treaty, but in practice continued many of their traditions, including those forbidden in the treaty. In 1891 the British absorbed the Ashanti into a protectorate, which the Ashanti refused. Another attempt in 1895 was likewise refused. Although the Ashanti attempted to negotiate the British launched another expedition.
The Ashanti leaders were forced to accept the British protectorate and were then exiled to the Seychelles. A final war occurred in 1900, when the British representative to the colony demanded to be allowed to sit on the Golden Stool, the sacred throne of the Ashanti. Troops were dispatched to locate the stool and bring it to him. The Ashanti attacked the search parties and the British responded with another military expedition. On New Year’s Day 1902 the Ashanti lands became part of the Gold Coast colony, and Ashanti autonomy was dissolved, though the British did not locate the Golden Stool until it was discovered by accident in 1920.