Civil war and revival under Oba Akenzua I of Benin

In the last decade of the 17th century a split between the Iyase and town chiefs and the palace chiefs led to a lengthy civil war in which Benin City was again sacked and burned. The war ended in the reign of Akenzua I, who restored royal authority, reintroduced primogeniture and the Edaiken title, made the Ezomo (an Uzama) army commander in place of the Iyase, and revived prosperity — aided by firearms the Dutch began selling in quantity at the end of the 17th century.