The Agojie: Dahomey's Fearsome Women Warriors In the 19th century, the West African kingdom of Dahomey commanded both awe and fear, thanks in large part to the Agojie—an elite corps of women warriors who shattered conventional gender roles and became legend. Numbering in the thousands at their peak, these women were rigorously trained in endurance, hand-to-hand combat, and weaponry. Recruits were tested in brutal ways—scaling thorn-covered walls, executing prisoners without hesitation, and engaging in ferocious battle drills designed to strip them of fear. Loyal only to the king, they lived celibate lives, devoted entirely to war. Under King Ghezo (1818–1858), the Agojie reached the height of their power, forming the backbone of Dahomey’s military. They played a key role in raids on rival territories, capturing prisoners who were either assimilated, sacrificed, or sold into the transatlantic slave trade—a stark reminder of Dahomey’s complex legacy. European observers, awestruck by their discipline and aggression, likened them to the mythical Amazons of Greece. Despite their fearsome reputation, the Agojie ultimately met their match in the Franco-Dahomean Wars (1890–1894). Armed with superior firepower, the French crushed Dahomey’s forces after a brutal campaign. Though they fought valiantly, even leading desperate last stands, their era ended with Dahomey’s fall to French colonial rule. Today, the memory of the Agojie endures—not only as symbols of strength and defiance but also as warriors bound to a kingdom whose power was inseparable from the slave trade. Their legacy is one of both pride and contradiction, a testament to the fierce women who once stood at the heart of Dahomey’s military machine.