History of Africa

Season 3 Episode 10 - The Abura Crisis

Asantehene Osei Kwadwo attempts to reintegrate the lost Ashanti conquests of Wasa and Akyem. To do this, he must pry them away from their premiere ally - the Fante confederation. To show good will to the Fantes, he sends his close relatives, Osei and Danso, to the Fantes as hostages. However, when relations between the two states deteriorate and war seems to approach, Osei and Danso are suddenly put into grave danger. Yep, it's basically a political drama from 18th Century Ghana. Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 9 - The Kwadwoan Revolution

The late 18th Century was a period of revolutions throughout the world, and the Ashanti Empire was no different.After the unpopular asantehene, Kusi Obodom, is impeached and removed from power, a new king is elected by an assembly of citizens in Kumasi. The newly elected asantehene, Osei Kwadwo, will prove himself to be the most energetic, active, and radical reformer in Ashanti history.  His rule will go down in history as the Kwadwoan Revolution, and no institution in Ashanti society will go unchanged. From the institution of a meritocratic government, to the creation of two new legislatures, the Ashanti Empire would never be the same after Kwadwo's reign.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 8 - The Dahomey War

The Ashanti's Akwamu allies, after decades of gradual decline and infighting, are conquered by emerging Dahomey Empire. Later, when the Ashanti catch the Dahomey supporting their enemies in the south, the hawkish Ashanti nobleman Appiah Odankua urges the Asantehene to order a punitive invasion of Dahomey.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 7 - Kusi Obodom - The Enlightened King of Ashanti?

When the old Asantehene passes away, the regional governors and bureaucrats of the Ashanti Empire find that their tensions can no longer be contained to political meddling. The Ashanti are soon engulfed in a true civil war for the first time. The man who emerges from this war the victor, Kusi Obodom, will prove to be one of Ashanti's most well regarded, if not necessarily its most effective, ruler. Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 6 - Opoku Ware - The Empire Builder

With Osei Tutu killed in action, the Ashanti descend into an extended succession dispute. As chaos envelopes the Ashanti, their capital is sacked by a foreign invasion, leading to a compromise to enstool a new king. The new asantehene was a teenager named Opoku Ware. While nobody knew it yet, the teenage king would eventually go on to double the empire's territory and lead the Ashanti to an early peak.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 5 - The Ashanti Empire is Born at Feyiase

At the small village of Feyiase, the Ashanti and Denkyira armies would clash. The outcome changed the history of Ghana and the world.However, while Osei Tutu's leadership on the battlefield would be his most famous trait, his legacy runs even deeper than that. Join us as we discuss not only his conquests, but his forward thinking civic reforms that ensured that his empire would outlive him.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 4 - A New Ashanti Army

After returning to his capital of Kumasi after years in exile, the new king of the Oyoko Tribe, Osei Tutu, begins constructing a new army to fight the inevitable war against his Denkyira foes. He will be aided by his own group of Akwamu advisors and bodyguards, and will succeed in turning the Ashanti army from a collection of feudal mercenaries into a united, professional, tactically modern military. But what did this new Ashanti Army look like?Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 3 - The Kingdom of Kumasi

On this episode, we look at the humble beginnings of what would eventually become the Ashanti empire, including the origins of its dominant tribal family, the beginnings of Ashanti unity, and the foundation of its most important city. At this early state in the Ashanti Empire's metamorphosis, the Ashanti were still ruled by independent city states. However, one city state, Kumasi, was slowly establishing itself as the political, economic, and military hegemon of the Ashanti. Apologies if there was anymore background noise than usual, or if there are problems related to volume. As mentioned last episode, I'm undergoing a pretty intense change in my life right now, so your support of the show, whether financially or through your patience with these changes, is greatly appreciated.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 2 - The Denkyira Empire

During this episode, we will track the evolution of the town of Jukwaa from small trading post into the capital of the largest empire that southern Ghana had ever seen. We'll also closely examine and dissect the impact of the arrival of European merchants on the Ghanaian coast, the economic effect of trade with Europe on West Africa, and the origins of the slave trade.Notre Dame StoriesStories highlighting Notre Dame’s work to be a force for good in the world.Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Season 3 Episode 1 - Ghana’s Migration Period

Before the meteoric rise of the Ashanti Empire of southern Ghana could begin, first the region of Ghana had to be peopled. And, throughout the 10th to 14th centuries, the region was settled by multiple waves of new migrants, including the ancestors of the Akan, Dagomba, and Ga-Dangbe. Learn how, why, and to what affect these people migrated to Ghana, as well as the implications that these migrations had on the rest of West African history.Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices