Esigie (also spelt Oseigie), originally known as Osawe, was the son of Oba Ozolua, who reigned in the late 15th century, and his second wife, Queen Idia. He was the sixteenth Oba who ruled the medieval Benin Kingdom, now Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria from c. 1504 – c. 1550. Works of art commissioned by Esigie are held in prominent museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum.
After Ozolua's death, Esigie controlled Benin City, while his brother Arhuaran controlled Udo, a town about 30 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of Benin City, that was nearly its equal in size and influence. Following a bitter power struggle with Arhuaran, and with major assistance and support from his mother Idia, Esigie gathered the Benin army at Unuame on the river Osse and from there launched an attack and overthrew Arhuanran. Esigie became Oba of Benin and would later fend off an attack from the Igala people.
