A Description Of Benin Summary

In “A Description of Benin”, as written by John Barbot, we’re exposed to the inner workings of the royal hierarchy of 17th century Benin. Much like other forms of government during that time period, the King of Benin relied heavily on an organized bureaucracy. At the top tier were the Veadors; 3 highly qualified advisors that held judicial power over the nation and attended to the supplications of the common townsfolk. Regrettably, the supplicants often went unheard as a result of the avaricious desires of the Veadors. The middle tier of this hierarchy was made up of the Reis de Ruas. Although these men would be subject to the Veadors and the King, they were also considered the leadership of the different echelons of townsfolk. Some of these