Osei Tutu Research Paper

Osei Tutu I served as a military leader who ruled over Kumasi as well as the Asante Union from 1701 to 1717. He was one of the co-founders, the other being his chief priest Okomfo Anokye, of the Ashanti. Okomfo Anokye was a cleric whose spiritual authority over the people aided in his founding of the empire. Anokye politically advised Osei Tutu throughout his adult life. The Ashanti were highly disciplined and powerful people that lived in West Africa. Osei Tutu led an alliance of Ashanti states against the regional hegemon, completely defeating the Denkyira. Then, he induced the rulers of other Ashanti city states to pledge allegiance to Kumasi as their capital. Osei Tutu’s reign proved to be very prosperous for the Ashanti people. Kumasi, …show more content…
In said constitution, the Asantehene (also the Kumasihene) was the head, with the kings of the states of the Union forming the “confederacy” or Union Council. Lastly, a key objective for forming the Asante Union had always been to overthrow the Denkyira. In order to achieve this goal, Osei Tutu spent a lot of time shaping his army. He placed strong emphasis on the military organization of the Asante Union. He supposedly borrowed money from the Akwamu to help make the army more efficient. With the Asante Union firmly established and its military in place, Osei Tutu moved onto wage wars with goals of expansion and revenge. He avenged his uncle’s death by defeating the Dormaa and brought some recalcitrant states in line before focusing on the Denkyira, which he later defeated. The absolute defeat of neighboring kingdoms came in 1701 and enabled the Asante people to increase trade with the Europeans due to much eliminated competition. Osei Tutu I died in 1717 in a war against the Akyem. Before the “struggle”, Osei Tutu underestimated the Akyem due to their small numbers and wasn’t careful in his actions- a decision which proved to be fatal when he was shot while crossing River Pra in a