The 1873–74 Sagrenti War: Britain's Scorched Earth Against Ashanti

In 1873, British forces under Sir Garnet Wolseley launched a military campaign against the Ashanti Empire that would become known as the Sagrenti War. This episode unpacks the brutal three-month offensive that culminated in the burning of Kumasi — the Ashanti capital — on February 4, 1874. We explore Wolseley's meticulous planning, including the construction of a railway to move troops and supplies into the interior, and the use of African levies alongside British regiments. The war ended with the Treaty of Fomena, which forced the Ashanti to pay an indemnity, renounce claims to coastal states like Elmina, and abandon certain traditional practices. Yet the Golden Stool remained hidden, and the Ashanti resolve only hardened. Lucas and Luna also examine the lasting impact of the war on British colonial policy and Ashanti resistance, setting the stage for future conflicts like the 1900 War of the Golden Stool. #SagrentiWar #SirGarnetWolseley #AshantiEmpire #Kumasi #TreatyOfFomena #Elmina #BritishColonialism #GoldCoast #ScorchedEarth #YaaAsantewaa #GoldenStool #AfricanResistance #19thCentury #MilitaryHistory #ColonialWars #WestAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo