Hangbe

Hangbe (or Hangbè, also Ahangbe or Na Hangbe) was a woman who served as the ruler of the Kingdom of Dahomey for a brief period before Agaja came to power in 1718. Oral traditions depict Hangbe variously as a regent or as a ruler in her own right. According to oral tradition, she became ruler upon the sudden death of King Akaba because his oldest son, Agbo Sassa, was not yet of age. The duration of her rule is unclear. She supported Agbo Sassa in a succession struggle against Agaja, who ultimately became king. Hangbe's legacy lives on in oral tradition, but little is known about her rule because it was largely erased from official history. It is possible that her gender and role as a woman in power contributed to her rule being erased from official history.