List of rulers of Asante

King of Ashanti
Asantehene ma Asanteman
Incumbent
Osei Tutu II since 26 April 1999
Details
Style	His – Your Majesty
First monarch	Osei Tutu Opemsoo 1701 to 1717
Formation	c. 1670
Residence	Manhyia Royal Palace
Website	The Ashanti Monarchy

The Asantehene is the absolute monarch of the Kingdom of Ashanti and Ashantiland and of the Ashanti (or Asante) people's ethnic group. The Ashanti royal house traces its line to the Oyoko (an Abusua, meaning 'clan') Abohyen Dynasty of Nana Twum and the Beretuo Dynasty of Osei Tutu Opemsoo, who formed the Empire of Ashanti in 1701 and was crowned Asantehene (King of all Ashanti).^[1] Osei Tutu held the Ashanti throne until his death in battle in 1717, and was the sixth king in Asante royal history.^[2]

The Asantehene is the ruler of the Ashanti people ethnic group and the Kingdom of Ashanti and Ashantiland the homeland of the Ashanti people ethnic group, historically a position of great power. The Asantehene is traditionally enthroned on a golden stool known as the Sika 'dwa, and the office is sometimes referred to by this name.^[3] The Asantehene is also the titular ruler of Kumasi, capital of Ashanti. The Asante state, or Asanteman (also known as the Kingdom of Ashanti, Ashantiland, Ashanti and Asante, Empire of Ashanti or Ashanti Confederacy), comprises the Ashanti region. The Ashanti Empire and Confederacy comprised part of present-day Ashantiland (southern Ghana) and portions of present-day eastern Côte d'Ivoire between the 17th and 20th centuries.^[3][4]

The current Asantehene is Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II, born Nana Kwaku Dua, who ascended as the 16th Asante king in April 1999. Osei Tutu II was one of seven descendants who were eligible to the heir presumptive.^[5]

The Asantehene is also automatically the lifetime patron of the Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club.

Elections and regents

During the period between the death of an Asantehene and the election of a successor, the Mamponghene, the Asantehene's deputy, acts as a regent.^[6] This policy was only changed during a time of civil war in the late 19th century, when the Kwasafomanhyiamu or governing council itself ruled as regent.^[6] The succession is decided by a series of councils of Asante nobles and other royal family members.^[6]

The colonial era and Ashanti independence

Map of Ashantiland (1st left) and the Kingdom of Ashanti (2nd left) and Ashanti Region (2nd right) with its administrative districts (1st right).

The Ashanti Confederacy was made a British protectorate in 1902, and the office of Asantehene was discontinued. In 1926, the British permitted the repatriation of Prempeh I – whom they had exiled to the Seychelles in 1896^[7][8] – and allowed him to adopt the title Kumasehene, but not Ghana Asantehene. However, in 1935, the British finally granted the Ashanti self-rule as the Kingdom of Ashanti and Ashantiland, and the title of Asantehene was revived.^[9]

On 6 March 1957, the Kingdom of Ashanti and Ashantiland entered a state union with Ghana, the Northern Territories, the Gold Coast Crown Colony and the British Mandate of Togoland to form the modern state of Ghana. The office of Asantehene is now a sub-national absolute constitutional monarchy, and is protected by the Ghanaian constitution.

List of rulers

All rulers in the lists below were members of the Oyoko Abohyen Dynasty.

Kwaamanhene of the Kwaaman State

Kumasehene of the Kumaseman State

Asantehene of the Kingdom of Ashanti (Ashanti Empire)

All regents were members of the Beretuo Dynasty who were and still are the holders of the title Mamponghene.

Upon the death of the Asantehene, it is the task of the Mamponghene to act as the regent, or Awisiahene.^[10]

Name	Reign	Notes
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu Opemsoo	1701–1717
Regent 1717 to 1720 Amaniampon, the mamponghene
Otumfuo Nana Opoku Ware Katakyie	1720–1750
Otumfuo Nana Kusi Oboadum	1750–1764	Forced to abdicate.
Regent 1764 Safo Kantanka, the mamponghene
Otumfuo Nana Osei Kwadwo Okoawia	1764–1777
Regent 1777 Atakora Kwame, the mamponghene
Osei Kwame Panyin	1777–1803
Otumfuo Nana Opoku Fofie	December 1803–March 1804
Osei Tutu Kwame Asiba	1804–21 January 1824	Known as Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu Kwame Asiba Bonsu from 1807.
Otumfuo Nana Osei Yaw Akoto	1824–21 February 1834
Otumfuo Nana Kwaku Dua I	25 August 1834–27 April 1867
Otumfuo Nana Kofi Karikari	28 May 1867–26 October 1874	Forced to abdicate.
Regent 1874 Kwabena Dwomo, the mamponghene
Otumfuo Nana Mensa Bonsu	1874–8 March 1883	Forced to abdicate.
Asante Civil War 1883-1888
Otumfuo Nana Kwaku Dua II'	28 April 1884–11 June 1884	Died after short illness.
Interim Council 1884-1887. Chairman Owusu Kofi 11 June 1884 to November 1884. Chairman Akyampon Panyin November 1884 to 1887.
Regent 1887 to 26 March 1888 Owusu Sekyere II, the mamponghene
Otumfuo Nana Prempeh I	26 March 1888–12 May 1931	Original throne name was Kwaku Dua III Asamu. Arrested by the British 1896. Exiled 1900. Released 12 September 1924. Restored as kumasehene 12 November 1926.
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II	22 June 1931–27 May 1970	Using title kumasehene at first, asantehene 31 January 1935.
Otumfuo Nana Opoku Ware II	6 July 1970–26 February 1999	Ruled as Ashanti King or Asantehene
Regent 26 February 1999 to 26 April 1999 Osei Bonsu II, the mamponghene
Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II	26 April 1999–present	current Asantehene

References

Further reading

• Robert B. Edgerton, 1995, The Fall of the Asante Empire. The Hundred-Year War for Africa's Gold Coast. New York: The Free Press. ISBN 0-02-908926-3
• Alan Lloyd, 1964, The Drums of Kumasi, London: Panther.
• Ernest E. Obeng, 1986, Ancient Ashanti Chieftaincy, Ghana Publishing Corporation. ISBN 9964-1-0329-8
• Kevin Shillington, 1995 (1989), History of Africa, New York: St. Martin's Press.

External links

• BBC News | Africa | Opoku Ware II | Rites for Ashanti king
• Ashanti Kingdom at the Wonders of the African World, at PBS
• Kingdom of Ashanti Kings And Queens Of Asante.Retrieved 2012-11-08.

Asantehene Genealogical Tree Timeline History
Genealogical tree of the Asantehenes the Emperors of the Ashanti people and Ashanti City-State and Ashantiland and Empire of Ashanti