Ashanti Kingdom History: The Empire That Wore Gold
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My father is from the Ashanti region of Ghana. Growing up, he told me stories about the Ashanti Kingdom — the golden stool, the kente cloth, the warriors who fought the British three times and won twice. I grew up proud of that heritage.
When I started Afropop Socks, I wanted to celebrate that history properly. Here's what every person who wears our Kente cloth designs should know about the Ashanti Kingdom.
The Origins of the Ashanti Kingdom
The Ashanti Kingdom was founded in the late 17th century by Osei Tutu I, who united the Akan clans of the forest region of what is now Ghana. According to tradition, the kingdom was legitimised by the Golden Stool — a sacred stool that descended from the sky and landed in Osei Tutu's lap. The Golden Stool represents the soul of the Ashanti nation.
At its peak, the Ashanti Kingdom controlled a territory larger than modern Ghana, with a population of over 3 million people. It was one of the wealthiest and most powerful kingdoms in West Africa.
The Ashanti and Gold
The Ashanti Kingdom was built on gold. The forest region of Ghana sits on some of the richest gold deposits in the world. The Ashanti controlled the gold trade and became extraordinarily wealthy. Ashanti chiefs wore gold jewellery, sat on gold stools, and carried gold-handled swords.
The gold is reflected in Kente cloth — the gold (yellow) colour in Kente represents the wealth and royalty of the Ashanti Kingdom. When you wear gold Kente cloth, you're wearing the colour of Ashanti kings.
The Ashanti and the British
The Ashanti fought four wars against the British between 1823 and 1900. They won the first two. The British finally defeated the Ashanti in 1900 and exiled the Asantehene (Ashanti king) to the Seychelles. But the Ashanti never surrendered their culture or their identity.
Today the Ashanti Kingdom still exists within modern Ghana. The Asantehene is still one of the most respected traditional rulers in Africa. The Golden Stool is still kept in Kumasi, the Ashanti capital.
Ashanti Heritage at Afropop Socks
The Afropop Socks Kente cloth collection celebrates Ashanti heritage through bold wearable design. Every pair comes with a cultural story card explaining the history of Kente cloth and the Ashanti Kingdom.
When you wear Afropop Kente cloth socks, you're wearing the heritage of one of the greatest kingdoms in African history.
Wear your cultural heritage every day.
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About the Author
Isaac Prempeh is the founder of Afropop Socks and a British-Ghanaian entrepreneur based in London. He grew up in a Ghanaian family surrounded by Kente cloth and Adinkra symbols and founded Afropop Socks in 2019 to bring African cultural heritage into everyday fashion. Afropop Socks is now stocked at the Smithsonian NMAAHC, Tate Modern, V&A Museum, Natural History Museum, Barbican Centre, Selfridges, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and MoMA New York.
Isaac writes from personal experience of Ghanaian and British-African heritage. All cultural information in this article has been verified against academic sources.