When France sent ambassador Jean-Marie Bayol to Dahomey to secure a deal for the kingdom's rich natural resources, he was greeted by an elite force of all-women warriors known as the Agooji.

We see women in the African context who were the first fighters ... What did you admire about these warrior women? They were valiant fighters who didn’t ascribe to cultural norms.

The Leeds-based Royal Armouries has launched Warrior Women, which delves into the stories of spies, soldiers, monarchs and rebels who have played a significant role in conflicts. The museum said ...