Dahomey mothers: The all-female army that protected modern-day Benin

The Dahomey mothers or Amazons were a group of elite all-female soldiers, who were trained to kill and protect the Kingdom of Dahomey, in modern-day Benin.

They started by protecting the king, but would go on to fight against the French.

They are the fourth story in a new eight-part series, African Women who Changed the World, which aims to shed light on great African women whose stories deserve to be heard.

This BBC Africa series has been produced using historical and iconographic research, but includes artistic interpretation.

Illustrations: Manuella Bonomi

Producer and editor: Kat Hawkins