In West Africa, Dahomey centralized under kings with a standing army including the Amazons female warriors. It controlled slave trade routes while building a bureaucratic state. Conflicts with neighbors and Europeans marked its history. French conquest followed.

The rise of the Kingdom of Dahomey in 1600 is documented through Fon oral histories and praise songs that celebrate royal power and cultural identity. These narratives have significantly influenced West African performance poetry, highlighting the role of oral traditions in shaping collective memory and cultural expression.