|
Ouidah , historically also called Whydah , Juda,〔Kein, Sybil, ''Creole'', p227〕 Juida by the French and Ajudá by the Portuguese,〔http://www.red.unb.br/index.php/ textos/article/viewArticle/5714〕 formally the Kingdom of Whydah (so named for the Whydah Bird of Paradise), is a city on the Atlantic coast of the Republic of Benin. The commune covers an area of and as of 2002 had a population of 76,555 people. ==History== In local tradition Kpase is supposed to have founded the town.〔Robin Law, Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving 'Port', 2004, p.21〕 This probably happened towards the end of the sixteenth century.〔Robin Law, Ouidah: The Social History of a West African Slaving 'Port', 2004, p.24-25〕 The town was originally known as ''Glēxwé'', literally 'Farmhouse', and was part of the Kingdom of Whydah. Whydah troops pushed their way into the African interior, capturing millions of people through tribal wars, and selling them to the Europeans and Arabs.〔Ouidah Museum, Benin - ''"Depart pour D'Autres 'Ceux', Convoi De negres: homes, femmes et enfants, conduits enchaines par des metis Arabes"''〕 By 1716, when the massive English slave ship ''Whydah Gally'' arrived to purchase 500 slaves from King Haffon to sell in Jamaica, the Kingdom of Whydah had become the second largest slave port in the Trade Triangle. The Kingdom was ruled by King Haffon, who received his coronation crown as a gift from Portugal, until, in 1727, the ''"WHYDAH IN AFRICA: the beginning of this month, Agaja the king of Dahomey came down unexpectedly with an army, and soon became master of this place, and the country adjacent (); the defoliation which ensued was so great, that it is impossible to be represented! The factory at Saber, once the king's town and Seat of Trade, was burnt to the ground, and in it a great quantity of merchandise. Forty Europeans were carried into captivity, to the King of Dahomey's camp at Ardrah, but after having been detained about 14 days, seven of them were released and are now returning hither; they gave a melancholy account of their treatment. This country, which was the pleasantest in all these parts, is now laid waste by fire and sword, and made a wilderness!"'' The land which constituted the Kingdom of Whydah became a mere city in the new Kingdom of Dahomey. The Portuguese, English, Dutch and French all constructed forts in the city to protect their interests in slaving. The Portuguese had reached the town which they called ''Ajudá'' in 1580 and the Portuguese Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá, now housing The Whydah () Museum, dates from 1721 and remained with Portugal until 31 July 1961. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Ouidah」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|