Great zimbabwe weakened due to a decline in the gold trade ten-year drought that resulted in crop failure malaria epidemic that killed 50 percent of the population lack of strong leaders

A decline in gold trade
Great Zimbabwe's land was rich in mineral resources, from gold, copper, and iron. In the 12th Century, a gold mine was located 40 kilometers from the city. The discovery of the mines led merchants, i.e., Arabs and Indians across the Indian ocean to flock to the city to obtain gold.