Sabe (Savè), among the granite hills east of the Ouémé, is the north-western outpost of the Yoruba kingdoms of tradition, on the edge of the Bariba savanna.
Nothing is dated to 1200: whether a crowned king already rules here is not pinned.
Who he is
- Name
- Not known. Sabe's founder is one of the seven grandsons of Oduduwa in Samuel Johnson's list; no ruler can be dated.
- Title
- Onisabe (king of Sabe)
- Since
- not pinned
- Confidence
- low
What it holds
- Sabe and its hill villages (estimated)
Allies and rivals
Neighbour of Ketu to the south and of the Bariba to the north; nothing attested for 1200.
Wealth
Savanna farming; the routes north into Borgu.
Military
Hilltop refuges; nothing attested.
Threats
- Not attested
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1200No dated event.Depends on: Not applicable Stopped by: Not applicable
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Tradition only.
On the map: Estimated.
Primary sources for Yoruba towns
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Ife, Benin, Nri, the Yoruba towns and the Akan: archaeology and recorded tradition (no contemporary text; traditions written down from the 1890s). No text of any kind exists for the forest belt in 1200.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.