How did Dahomey participate in the Atlantic slave trade?

The kingdom of Dahomey was a major supplier of enslaved people for the Atlantic slave trade during the 18th and early 19th centuries. As a highly militaristic and despotic state, Dahomey utilized a centralized, state-controlled system to manage this commerce, which was essential for acquiring European goods, particularly firearms.12

Dahomey’s involvement was characterized by the following:

• Expansion and Control: After conquering the coastal kingdom of Ouidah in 1727, Dahomey established itself as a dominant power on the "Slave Coast," placing the trade under strict royal authority.312
• Military Procurement: The kingdom’s power relied on a standing army, including a famous female contingent. Warfare was a primary method for capturing individuals to be sold into slavery, as the state required slaves to trade for the guns and ammunition necessary to maintain its military and political influence.12
• Transition: By the mid-19th century, as the slave trade declined due to international pressure and a British naval blockade, King Gezo shifted the economy toward the export of palm oil, which was produced by enslaved workers on royal plantations.1