Tragic Facts About Sarah Forbes Bonetta, The Stolen Princess
Strong, intelligent, and best known as Queen Victoria’s African goddaughter, Sarah Forbes Bonetta led an extraordinary life. Her experiences, however, were far from idyllic. Born an African princess and captured as a slave,she was later raised as the queen’s ward in English high society, But if her time in England revealed anything, it’s that any cage, no matter how gilded, is still just a cage…
1. She Was Born With A Different Name
Though history remembers Queen Victoria's feisty goddaughter as “Sarah Forbes Bonetta,” that wasn't actually her name, at least not at her birth.
Born in 1843 in Oke-Odan, a West African village in what’s present-day Nigeria, her family originally called her "Omoba Aina," which roughly translates “Princess Aina” in English.
Unfortunately, this princess didn’t spend her early years living in the lap of luxury. Her situation was far more grim.
2. Her Formative Years Were Chaotic
Aina had a tumultuous start to life. When she was just five years old, armies belonging to the nearby Kingdom of Dahomey invaded and attacked her home in Oke-Odan. Completely defenseless, many of the residents there lost their lives.
When the dust cleared on the chaos, little Aina looked around...and abruptly came to a horrific realization.
3. She Witnessed Unspeakable Horrors
Although she was still breathing, both of her parents didn't make it out of the brutal attack. On top of that, she lost her home, her community, and her sense of security, and she had to bear witness to all of it. The phrase “earth-shattering” probably doesn’t even begin to cover it, and it would affect her for the rest of her life. But in the end, she suffered an even worse fate.
4. Her Enemies Enslaved Her
Although Aina and a very few others managed to survive the raid, the Kingdom of Dahomey and other ideas about what to do with them. In particular, King Ghezo of Dahomey held her and others captive, forcing her to serve as his child slave.
The situation was dire, and once Aina actually got to know the man she was dealing with...well, it didn't get better.
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