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Dakodonou, Dakodonu, Dako Donu or Dako Danzo was an early king of the Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, ruling from around 1620 until 1645. Oral tradition recounts that Dakodonu was the son (or grandson) of Do-Aklin, the founder of the royal dynasty of Dahomey, and the father to Houegbadja, often considered the founder of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In addition, it is said that Dakodonu killed a local chieftain and founded the capital city upon the site. However, some recent historical analysis contends that Dakodonu was added into the royal line in the 18th century to legitimize the rulin

Key facts

Monarch.name
Dakodonu
Monarch.title
King of Dahomey
Monarch.image
File:Symbole de Dako Donou roi du Dahomey au mur de la place Goho à Abomey au Bénin.jpg
Monarch.caption
Symbol of Dako Donou's jar of indigo and war club on the wall of Place Goho in Abomey in Benin in 2020
Monarch.reign
c.1620–c.1645
Monarch.predecessor
Do-Aklin
Monarch.successor
Houegbadja
Monarch.royal house
Aladaxonou
Monarch.death_date
1645

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Wikidata facts

Show 2 more facts
date of death
1645-01-01
date of birth
1600-00-00
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Article

6 sections
Contents
  • Name
  • Founding of Abomey Kingdom
  • Dakodonu and legitimation of the royal lineage
  • Constructions by Dakodonu
  • See also
  • References

Dakodonou, Dakodonu, Dako Donu or Dako Danzo was an early king of the Kingdom of Dahomey, in present-day Benin, ruling from around 1620 until 1645. Oral tradition recounts that Dakodonu was the son (or grandson) of Do-Aklin, the founder of the royal dynasty of Dahomey, and the father to Houegbadja, often considered the founder of the Kingdom of Dahomey. In addition, it is said that Dakodonu killed a local chieftain and founded the capital city upon the site. However, some recent historical analysis contends that Dakodonu was added into the royal line in the 18th century to legitimize the ruling dynasty over the indigenous inhabitants of the Abomey plateau.

==Name== One legend tells that Dakodonou's original name was Dako but he adopted his new name Dakodonou after killing Donou (who was either a farmer or an indigo painter) in a pot of indigo and rolling his corpse around its blue tomb.

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