Ewuare I was the king of the Benin Empire for the latter half of the 15 th Century AD. His rise to power was a violent and bloody one, and the result of a vicious coup against his own brother which destroyed much of the capital of Benin.

Despite the violent start to his reign, Ewuare earned his title of ‘The Great’ by rebuilding much of Benin City, reforming political structures, becoming a patron of the arts, and expanding the territory of the empire. He increased and expanded trade with other nations, which helped him to foster the arts and it is due to him that ivory and wood carving became more popular.

He was an indisputably real historical figure, but he was such a powerful man that many believed he held magical powers, which is attested to in much of the artwork of the era. An annual festival called the Igue festival was originally held to renew his magical powers but it is still celebrated in Benin to this day.