Editing Dahomey (section)

==Politics==
Early writings often presented the kingdom as an [[absolute monarchy]] led by a [[Despotism|despotic]] king. These depictions were often deployed as arguments by different sides in the slave trade debates, mainly in the [[United Kingdom]], and as such were probably exaggerations.<ref name=Bay-1998 /><ref name=Law-1986 /> Recent historical work has emphasized the limits of monarchical power in the Kingdom of Dahomey.<ref name=Monroe /> Historian John C. Yoder, with attention to the Great Council in the kingdom, argued that its activities do not "imply that Dahomey's government was democratic or even that her politics approximated those of nineteenth-century European monarchies. Such evidence supports the thesis that governmental decisions were molded by conscious responses to internal political pressures as well as by executive fiat."<ref name=Yoder>{{cite journal|last=Yoder|first=John C.|title=Fly and Elephant Parties: Political Polarization in Dahomey, 1840–1870|journal=The Journal of African History|year=1974|volume=15|issue=3|pages=417–432|doi=10.1017/s0021853700013566|s2cid=162286376 }}</ref> The primary political divisions revolved around villages with chiefs and administrative posts appointed by the king and acting as his representatives to adjudicate disputes in the village.<ref name="Herskovits (Vol. I)" />

===King===
{{main|King of Dahomey}}
[[File:Gezo (2).jpg|thumbnail|King [[Ghezo]] displayed with a royal umbrella]]
The King of Dahomey (''Ahosu'' in the [[Fon language]]) was the [[Sovereignty|sovereign power]] of the kingdom. All of the kings claimed to be part of the ''Alladaxonou'' dynasty, claiming descent from the royal family in [[Allada]]. Much of the succession rules and administrative structures were created early by Kings [[Houegbadja]], [[Akaba of Dahomey|Akaba]], and [[Agaja]]. Succession through the male members of the line was the norm, with the kingship typically (but not always) going to the oldest son.<ref name=Law-1997/> The king was selected largely through discussion and decision in the meetings of the Great Council, although how this operated was not always clear.<ref name=Bay-1998 /><ref name=Yoder /> The Great Council brought together a host of different dignitaries from throughout the kingdom yearly to meet at the [[Annual Customs of Dahomey]]. Discussions would be lengthy and included members, both men and women, from throughout the kingdom. At the end of the discussions, the king would declare the consensus of the group.<ref name=Yoder />

===Royal court===
Key positions in the King's court included the ''migan'' (Prime Minister), the ''mehu'' (Finance Minister), the ''yovogan'', the ''tokpo'' (Minister of Agriculture), the ''agan'' (general of the army), the ''kpojito'' (or queen mother), and later the ''chacha'' (or viceroy) of Whydah. Each of these cabinet positions{{Em dash}}which, with the exception of the ''kpojito'', were headed by men{{Em dash}}had a female counterpart to complement them.<ref>{{cite book | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=sW-wCQAAQBAJ  | title= Indigenous African Institutions|edition=2nd |author= George Ayittey| publisher= Brill |page= 203 |isbn= 978-9047440031|date= 2006}}</ref> The ''migan{{Em dash}}''a combination of ''mi'' (our) and ''gan'' (chief){{Em dash}}was a primary consul for the king, a key judicial figure, and served as the head executioner. The ''mehu'' was similarly a key administrative officer who managed the palaces and the affairs of the royal family, economic matters, and the areas to the south of [[Allada]] (making the position key to contact with Europeans).