The growing power of the British initially helped the Fante re-establish their independence, and they re-formed an official Confederation in 1868, with a ground-breaking democratic constitution.

[1] It was from there that their three revered warriors and leaders, Oson, Odapagyan and Obonomankoma (meaning the whale, the eagle, and the elephant respectively) led them further south to their current location in the Central Region of Ghana.

[5] By the mid 15th century at the latest, however, the Fante had established an independent government led by an elected Brafo, rather than a monarchy like most of their neighbors.

[4][6] Fanti was the scene of regular conflict throughout the 17th century, with the Brafo and the ruling council leading the member states to war against neighboring kingdoms but also repeatedly falling into civil strife attempting to establish their control.

The Komenda Wars saw Fante largely on the sidelines, though Fetu was weakened and meddling by the British and Dutch prompted the Asihene of Abora to overthrow the Brafo.

Fante's alliance with Assin gave them an opportunity to control the Etsi kingdom in 1696, but when a Denkyiran invasion threatened their northern ally and the new Brafo refused to send help, a constitutional crisis broke out.

In nearly two decades of almost constant warfare, the confederacy permanently extended its control to Asebu and Agona, and may have conquered Fetu as well before losing it by mid-century.

[7] This was the period when the slave trade overtook the export of gold as the region's primary economic activity, and captives taken in these wars were often sold to European slavers at Anomabo, Cape Coast, and other ports.

[9] Neighboring kingdoms who were not conquered often allied with the Fante confederacy - Assin and Akwamu in the early 1700s; and Wassa, Twifo, Denkyira, Nzima, and Akyem by the 1730s as the Ashanti threat to the north grew.

[10] The 1740s saw a period of domestic political instability, as the priest-oracle of Nananom Mpow ordered five Brafos executed for corruption in three years, leaving no one eligible to fill the office.

[8] The chiefs and kings of other states in the confederation, called 'Caboceers' in European sources, came to Mankessim at least once a year for the Ahoba Kuma festival, where they formed a body that served as a parliament to make important decisions.

[8] The Nananom Mpow shrine grew into a regionally important site, enforcing oaths, providing oracles, and advising the ruling council.

[16] The 1850s, however, saw the British impose increasingly onerous taxes on the Fante at the same time as competition from European traders was putting many locals out of business.

[17] This led to a January 1868 meeting in Mankessim of the leading Fante Paramount Chiefs and representatives of their Akan allies Twifo and Asen.

The Confederation, joined by Denkyira and Wassa, marched 15000 men to Komenda to prevent the Dutch from taking control of the fort vacated by the British.

[22] Amfo Otu next turned to trying to take Elmina, the centre of Dutch power on the coast, where the Fante forces became bogged down in a long siege.

Now in control of the entire region, they approached the leaders of the Confederation and offered them money and also sowed distrust among the Fante paramount chiefs.