JAMB - History (2008 - No. 12)

The main cause of the decline of the Benin Kingdom in the 19th century was the

absence of a strong and effective army

bitter struggle for the throne by the ruling families

strained relations between Benin and Agbor

British abolition of the trans- Atlantic slave trade.

Civil strife broke out among rival claimants to the Benin throne thus weakening her central authority