Based on the provided search results, here is a summary of the Oyo Empire’s invasions of the Kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th century:
The Oyo Empire first invaded Dahomey in 1726 after King Agaja of Dahomey had conquered the coastal kingdom of Allada, which was a tributary to Oyo. The Oyo forces easily defeated Agaja, burned Dahomey’s capital of Abomey, and forced Agaja to retreat and hide until the Oyo army returned home.[6]
Oyo invaded Dahomey again in 1728, 1729 and 1730. In these invasions, Agaja employed a scorched earth strategy, burning food supplies and abandoning Abomey before the Oyo arrived. The Oyo army, facing a lack of supplies, had to return home each time.[6] However, in the 1730 invasion, the Oyo successfully ambushed Dahomey’s forces, significantly weakening Agaja’s army.[6]
After the 1730 invasion, a peace agreement was negotiated which set the boundary between Oyo and Dahomey at the Ouémé River. Dahomey was forced to become a tributary state to Oyo, sending gifts and paying an annual tribute. This tributary status lasted from the 1730s until 1823.[1][5][10]
In summary, the militarily superior Oyo Empire invaded Dahomey multiple times between 1726-1730, eventually forcing the Dahomey kingdom to become a subject state paying regular tribute to Oyo for nearly a century afterwards. The Oyo cavalry was a key factor in their victories over Dahomey’s infantry forces.[1][6]
Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oyo_Empire
[2] https://maa.cam.ac.uk/schools/resources/african-collections-schools-resources/kingdoms-oyo-and-dahomey
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dahomey
[4] https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/pre-colonial-history/the-history-of-the-kingdom-of-dahomey/
[5] https://africankingdoms.co.uk/dahomey-2/
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaja
[7] https://www.britannica.com/place/Dahomey-historical-kingdom-Africa
[8] https://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers17-07/010056146.pdf
[9] https://www.africanhistoryextra.com/p/the-kingdom-of-dahomey-and-the-atlantic
[10] https://www.worldhistory.org/Oyo_Empire/
[11] https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/benin-oyo-and-dahomey/
[12] https://www.britannica.com/place/Oyo-empire
[13] https://quizlet.com/gb/786770697/ocr-history-paper-2-african-kingdoms-oyo-and-dahomey-flash-cards/