page_title: Ashanti Empire
section_title: Resources
hierarchical_section_title: Ashanti Empire / Economy / Resources
caption_attribution_description: Español: Máscara de oro macizo que perteneciera al tesoro del rey ashanti Kofi Kolkalli. Mide 17,5 cm; pesa 1,5 kg. Arte popular africano
context_page_description: The Asante Empire was an Akan empire and kingdom from 1701 to 1957, in what is now modern-day Ghana. It expanded from Ashanti to include the Brong-Ahafo Region, Central Region, Eastern Region, Greater Accra Region and Western Region of present-day Ghana. Due to the empire's military prowess, wealth, architecture, sophisticated hierarchy and culture, the Ashanti Kingdom has been extensively studied and has more books written by European, primarily British authors than any other indigenous culture of Sub-Saharan Africa.
  Starting in the late 17th century, the Ashanti king Osei Tutu and his adviser Okomfo Anokye established the Ashanti Kingdom, with the Golden Stool of Asante as a sole unifying symbol. Osei Tutu oversaw a massive Ashanti territorial expansion, building up the army by introducing new organisation and turning a disciplined royal and paramilitary army into an effective fighting machine. In 1701, the Ashanti army conquered Denkyira, giving the Ashanti access to the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean coastal trade with Europeans, notably the Dutch.
  The Ashanti Empire fought several wars with neighboring kindgoms and lesser organized tribes such as the Fante.
context_section_description: The lands within the Ashanti Kingdom were also rich in river-gold, cocoa and kola nuts, and the Ashanti were soon trading with the Portuguese at coastal fort Sao Jorge da Mina, later Elmina, the Songhai, and with the Hausa states.
caption: Golden mask property of Asantehene, Kofi Karikari
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