Politics of Benin century until the colonial period, the Kingdom of Dahomey (whose borders encompassed more than present day Benin) was ruled by an "Oba". The French were the colonial power from 1892 to 1960, when independence was finally achieved. Between 1960 and 1972, a series of military coups in Benin (known until 1975 as the Republic of Dahomey) brought about many changes of government. The last of these brought Major Mathieu Kérékou to power as the head of a regime professing strict Marxist-Leninist principles. The Revolutionary Party of the People of Benin (PRPB) remained in complete power until the beginning of the
Dahomey Amazons Nawi claimed to have fought the French in 1892. Nawi died in November 1979, aged well over 100. Dahomey Amazons were represented in the 1987 film "Cobra Verde" by German director Werner Herzog. Ghezo's Amazons play a significant role in the novel "Flash for Freedom!" by George MacDonald Fraser. The unit is also depicted in (a special edition of, and now DLC of) PC game "". In the African Kingdoms expansion to "Age of Empires II", Gbeto are the Malian unique unit. In either game, the Dahomey/Gbeto are the only female military units. A segment of "QI" Series 7 Episode