In 1625 indigenous slave traders, known as the Fon, founded the kingdom of Dahomey. They subsequently conquered the neighboring kingdoms of Dan and Allada and extended their kingdom to the coast near Porto Novo. A trading post was set up in 1857 by the French at Grand-Popo. The Dahomey King, Behanzin, was defeated by the French when conflict broke out following dispute by the French against continued Dahomey slavery. In 1892 Dahomey became a French protectorate and was absorbed into French West Africa in 1904. Independence from the French was gained on 1 August 1960 and the country was renamed Benin in 1975.

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