Kumasi
Now the capital city of the Ashanti Region in Ghana, Kumasi was the capital of the Asante Kingdom from the 10th century to the 20th century. Between the 15th and 19th centuries, the Asantes boasted of wealth, dominance over trade and lands, as well as, strong warriors who fought to protect their kingdom from both local and foreign threats.
By the early 19th century, the British had established themselves well in the Gold Coast and had taken control over the coastal areas winning the trust of the Fantis who had become allies. Despite having control over a great part of the Gold Coast, the British needed to defeat the Asantes to weaken their dominance and eventually take over the entire colony. This, among other factors, would result in over 100 years of battle between the British and the Asantes which is today known as the Anglo-Ashanti wars. In the Third Anglo-Ashanti War of 1874, parts of Kumasi were destroyed by British troops until 1926 when the Asantes regained ceremonial control over Kumasi. By 1935, they had full control.
