Ashanti–Fante War

Ashanti–Fante War
Part of the Anglo-Ashanti Wars
Date 1806–1807 Location Present-day Republic of Ghana Result Ashanti victory
Belligerents
Ashanti Empire Supported By:  United Kingdom	Fante Confederacy Holland
Commanders and leaders
Osei Bonsu	Kwadwo Otibu

The Ashanti–Fante War (1806–1807) was a war fought between the Ashanti Confederacy and the Fante Confederacy in the region of what is now the present-day Republic of Ghana.

The Ashanti Confederacy was a major Akan kingdom in West Africa and within the Gold Coast. The Fante were a related Akan group that was based mainly along the coastal regions of the Gold Coast. Rivalry between the Ashanti and Fante had long existed, historically, the Fante being considered a breakaway group of the original Akan clan, but by the beginning of the 19th century, this rivalry had escalated to hostility. At the time, the British were the traditional European allies of the Fante, whereas the Dutch sided with the Ashanti.

The war began when the Ashanti king, known as the Asantehene, brought charges of robbing graves on a number of Fante subjects from the town of Assin. Fleeing Ashanti lands, these accused people were granted refuge by the Fante. Ashanti king Osei Bonsu sent out an army against the Fante. At Abora, four miles from the Fante town of Cape Coast, a battle was fought, in which the Ashanti were victorious and they captured the accused. The meagre Fante forces had faced a much larger Ashanti army, but fought bravely. Ashanti troops went on to attack the Dutch fort at Kormantine (Fort Amsterdam). The British then tried to appease the belligerent Ashanti. Colonel Torrane, British commander of the Fante town of Cape Coast, handed over Kwadwo Otibu, the old and blind Assin king to the Asantehene, despite the very real possibility of his being executed by the Ashanti, which he later was.

See also

• Ashanti Empire
• Ga–Fante War

References

• Adu Boahen: Politics in Ghana, 1800–1874. In: History of West Africa, London 1974, ISBN 0-582-64552-2.