Yaa Asantewaa

The Queen Mother of the Ashanti Empire who led the final major uprising against British colonial rule in Ghana, the 1900 Ashanti Uprising.

Yaa Asantewaa: The Lioness of Ashanti Resistance

Yaa Asantewaa (c. 1840–1921) was the Queen Mother of Ejisu in the Ashanti Empire (modern-day Ghana). She became the leader of the Ashanti Uprising (1900–1901) against British colonial forces, which sought to depose the Ashanti king and seize the Golden Stool—a sacred symbol of sovereignty. Her leadership marked one of the last major African resistance movements against European colonization.

When British Governor Frederick Hodgson demanded the Golden Stool in 1900, Asantewaa rallied warriors across the Ashanti Confederacy. She personally led troops in the siege of the British fort at Kumasi, using guerrilla tactics and psychological warfare. Though the British eventually captured her and exiled her to the Seychelles, her defiance inspired future anti-colonial movements. Today, she is honored in Ghana as a national heroine. Learn more at Wikipedia or read this historical account.