Military of the Ashanti Empire

rdf:langString Military of the Ashanti Empire

rdf:langString Ashanti army

rdf:langString Ashanti–Fante War, the Anglo-Ashanti wars

rdf:langString Ashanti Military Field Marshal , by Thomas E. Bowdich.

rdf:langString Denkyira, Fante Confederacy, Ga-Adangbe alliances, Akyem, Kingdom of Dahomey, the Danes and British Empire.

rdf:langString capable of 200,000 men.

rdf:langString The Ashanti Empire was an Akan empire and kingdom from 1701 to 1957, in modern-day Ghana. The military of the Ashanti Empire first came into formation around the 17th century AD in response to subjugation by the Denkyira Kingdom. It served as the main armed forces of the empire until it was dissolved when the Ashanti became a British crown colony in 1901.In 1701, King Osei Kofi Tutu I won Ashanti independence from Denkyira at the Battle of Feyiase and carried out an expansionist policy. The Ashanti army prior to the 18th century used predominantly bows with poisoned arrows, swords, spears and javelins. King Osei Tutu I instituted reforms in the army such as the adoption of military tactics used by other Akan kingdoms. Through trade with Europeans at the coast, the Ashanti acquired firearms and artillery. By the 19th century, the army was primarily equipped with muskets and rifles. Transportation across water bodies was achieved through the use of canoes. The army was also accompanied by military engineers. Cavalry was not adopted alongside the Ashanti infantry. In order to mobilize personnel for the army, volunteers and contingents from tributaries were supplemented with a core of professional soldiers. The Ashanti developed various tactics such as encirclement and pincer movement.