Morris nevertheless references a large number of sources, including Stuart, and A. T. Bryant's extensive but uneven "Olden Times in Zululand and Natal", which is based on four decades of exhaustive interviews of tribal sources. The traditional leaders of the subject chiefdoms still held local administrative authority, and on the dissolution of the amabutho the young men would return to live in their community of origin. When Zulu elders including Senzangakhona himself discovered that Nandi was pregnant, they tried to deny it. Shaka fought as a warrior under Jobe, and then under Jobe's successor, Dingiswayo, leader of … KwaBulawayo. Age grades were responsible for a variety of activities, from guarding the camp, to cattle herding, to certain rituals and ceremonies. Shaka was victorious in battle, although his forces sustained heavy casualties, which included his head military commander, Umgobhozi Ovela Entabeni. He was the son of the Zulu tribe’s chief. Other notable figures to arise from the Mfecane include Soshangane, who expanded from the Zulu area into what is now Mozambique. Loyalty was also maintained through fear, as anyone who was suspected of rivaling Dingane was killed. 1787-1828) was an African warrior leader and creator of the Zulu military monarchy. And as they stemmed from ancient families it is entirely possible that states of that type existed in a more remote past. Using different informants and genealogical charts, A.T. Bryant arrived at similar conclusions. Shaka’s birth was considered a sin because his parents were from different clans. Thus, the sense of identity of these subject chiefdoms was not entirely lost, but remained an important element in the later politics of the Zulu kingdom. Zwide later murdered Dingiswayo, and, when the leaderless Mthethwa state collapsed, Shaka immediately assumed leadership and began conquering surrounding chiefdoms himself, adding their forces to his own and building up a new kingdom. During his brief reign more than a hundred chiefdoms were brought together in a Zulu kingdom which survived not only the death of its founder but later military defeat and calculated attempts to break it up. His father, Senzangakhona, was a minor chief of one of the Zulu-speaking clans and his mother, Nandi, was daughter of … When chiefdom submitted, he left local administration in the hands of the reigning chief or another member of the traditional ruling family appointed by himself. Sigidi kaSenzangakhona commonly knows as Shaka was a great Zulu king and conqueror. The hypothesis that several states of a new kind arose about the same time does not take account of the contrast between the short line of Shaka and the long pedigrees of his most important opponents – especially the coalition grouped around his deadly enemy Zwide (d. 1822). Shaka (ca. His career was a transforming influence in the history of southern and central Africa. He supplemented this with a mixture of diplomacy and patronage, incorporating friendly chieftains, including Zihlandlo of the Mkhize, Jobe of the Sithole, and Mathubane of the Thuli. Taking advantage of the absence of his armies, on 22 September 1828, his bodyguard Mbopha, and his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, stabbed Shaka near his military barracks at Dukuza. His life is the subject of numerous colourful and exaggerated stories, many of which are debated by historians. Their effects were felt even far north of the Zambezi River. According to Donald Morris, Shaka ordered that no crops should be planted during the following year of mourning, no milk (the basis of the Zulu diet at the time) was to be used, and any woman who became pregnant was to be killed along with her husband. Famine and chaos followed the wholesale extermination of populations and the destruction of herds and crops between the Limpopo and the Gariep River. Confirmation of such accounts can also be seen in modern archaeology of the village of Lepalong, an entire settlement built underground to shelter remnants of the Kwena people from 1827 to 1836 against the tide of disruption that engulfed the region during Shakan times.[41]. Having died without an heir, Dingane succeeded him, but Shaka's prophecy haunted him and ever after that, he was wary of white people. That year, Henry Francis Fynn and Francis Farewell visited Shaka. Shaka's army set out on a massive programme of expansion, killing or enslaving those who resisted in the territories he conquered. A standard general reference work in the field is Donald Morris's "The Washing of The Spears", which notes that the sources, as a whole, for this historical era are not the best. These and other sources such as A.T. Bryant gives us a more Zulu-centred picture. Supposedly if he killed Magaye, it would appear to be out of jealousy because Magaye was so handsome and "Shaka himself was ugly, with a protruding forehead". Shaka's half-brother Dingane assumed power and embarked on an extensive purge of pro-Shaka elements and chieftains, running over several years, in order to secure his position. His father was the chief or monarch of the Zulu, but “Zulu” meant something very different at that point. Because they feared Shaka, leaders like Zwangendaba, Mzilikazi, and Shoshangane moved northwards far into the central African interior and in their turn sowed war and destruction before developing their own kingdoms. [16] He also had two prominent front teeth. Later, probably at the time of the Great Famine, known as the Madlantule (c.1802), Shaka was taken to the Mthethwa people, where shelter was found in the home of Nandi's aunt. If a chiefdom resisted, it was conquered and either destroyed or, like the Thembu and Chunu, driven off as landless refugees. Shaka thus spent his earliest years at his father's esiKlebeni homestead near present Babanango, in the hallowed locality known as the EmaKhosini or Burial-place of the Kings, where Senzangakhona's forebears, the descendants of Zulu (Nkosinkulu), had been chiefs for generations. Born in 1787, Shaka was the son of Senzangakhona, ruler of a small chiefdom, the Zulu. A frontal assault by their opponents failed to dislodge them, and Shaka sealed the victory by sending his reserve forces in a sweep around the hill to attack the enemy's rear. His households were thus not dominated by wives but by stern senior women of the royal family. Information about Shaka's early years is gleaned entirely from oral sources. Numbers of the young women of the kingdom were assembled at the military settlements. Here, growing up as a fatherless child, Shaka seems to have been the victim of humiliation and cruel treatment by the Langeni boys. He further claims that even though these stories have been repeated by "astonished and admiring white commentators," the Zulu army covered "no more than 19 kilometres (12 mi) a day, and usually went only about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi). But, as Dingiswayo's favourite, he seems to have been granted an unusual amount of freedom to carve out a bigger principality for himself by conquering and assimilating his neighbours, including the Buthelezi clan and the Langeni of his boyhood days. DVD, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, personal reflection, personal essay, or argumentative essay, "History of Shaka (Tshaka), King of the Zulu", "The Zulu are coming to Civilization 6 in the Rise and Fall expansion", "Notices of the Cape And Southern Africa, Since The Appointment, As Governor, Of Major-Gen. Sir Geo. [34][35] Further unquantifiable deaths occurred during mass tribal migrations to escape his armies. The royal women. Facts about Shaka Zulu: Shaka Zulu was born in 1787. The Gaza Empire. He named his great place KwaBulawayo (`at the place of the murder'). The earliest are two eyewitness accounts written by European adventurer-traders who met Shaka during the last four years of his reign. It is claimed that Shaka was born into Senzangakhona's household but that the couple were not yet married according to traditional custom. The loyalties of his people were severely strained as the frequent cruelties of their great king increased steadily. Those who objected to going without sandals were simply killed. As the horns curved inward around the enemy, the main body would advance killing all those who could not break through the encompassing lines. The initial Zulu maneuvers were primarily defensive, as Shaka preferred to apply pressure diplomatically, with an occasional strategic assassination. When Dingiswayo was murdered by Zwide, Shaka sought to avenge his death. Omer-Cooper's "The Zulu Aftermath", which advances the traditional Mfecane theory.[32]. Shaka was a son of Senzangakhona, ruler of an insignificant small chiefdom, the Zulu. The increased military efficiency led to more and more clans being incorporated into Shaka's Zulu empire, while other tribes moved away to be out of range of Shaka's impis. Shaka Zulu, a contemporary engraving from Wiki commons When Shaka Zulu was born, around the year 1787, Senzangakhona was the nominal chief of the Zulu, a small band of about 1500 members. The founders of the states which Omer-Cooper called "Zulu-type states," including the Ndebele, the Gasa, the Ngoni, and the Swazi had all been closely associated with Zwide. The effects from Dutch pressure on the western African frontier by the end of the As you continue reading, you will at some point find yourself … The Zulu line – "a royal house of doubtful pedigree" – was very short in comparison to the Langene, Ndwandwe, Swazi, and Hlubi lines. When the Mthethwa forces were defeated and scattered temporarily, the power vacuum was filled by Shaka. [15] Dingane ruled for some twelve years, during which time he fought, disastrously, against the Voortrekkers, and against another half-brother, Mpande, who, with Boer and British support, took over the Zulu leadership in 1840, ruling for some 30 years. The "loins" would be committed wherever the enemy impi threatened to break out of the, Zulu king Shaka is referenced in Jamaican, Shaka has been featured as a playable leader for the Zulu civilization in all six, This page was last edited on 18 December 2020, at 01:06. H F Fynn, who knew him well, found him intelligent and often amiable, and mentioned occasions that leave no doubt that Shaka was capable of generosity. Shaka Zulu first learned to fight when he was a child. By means of much drilling and discipline, Shaka built up his forces, which soon became the terror of the land. And their leader was Shaka - King of the Zulu. Freed from the restrictions that limited most chiefs, Shaka acted as an undisputed, almighty ruler. The exact location is unknown. Discipline. [11], Another decisive fight eventually took place on the Mhlatuze river, at the confluence with the Mvuzane stream. A number of regiments extending several ranks deep formed a dense body known as the chest (isifuba), while on each side a regiment moved forward forming the horns. Michal Lesniewski has criticised Wylie for some[which?] [17][18] He also drilled the troops to carry out encirclement tactics. They spent two whole days recuperating in one instance, and on another they rested for a day and two nights before pursuing their enemy. The second major clash was against the British during 1879. [16] He was tall and his skin tone was dark brown. "[22] It was composed of three elements: The expanding Zulu power inevitably clashed with European hegemony in the decades after Shaka's death. [13], Dingane and Mhlangana, Shaka's half-brothers, appear to have made at least two attempts to assassinate Shaka before they succeeded, with perhaps support from Mpondo elements and some disaffected iziYendane people. Born c. 1787, Shaka Zulu had a difficult childhood and was discriminated. Each settlement contained a section of royal women headed by a formidable woman, usually one of Shaka's aunts. He was responsible for protecting them from wild animals. Isaacs was aided in this by Henry Francis Fynn, whose diary (actually a rewritten collage of various pap… [10] In this way a greater sense of cohesion was created, though it never became complete, as subsequent civil wars attest. His 10-year-long kingship resulted in a massive number of deaths, mostly due to the disruptions the Zulu caused in neighbouring tribes, although the exact death toll is a matter of scholarly dispute. Their major victory at the Battle of Isandlwana was the most prominent one, but they also forced back a British column at the Battle of Hlobane, by deploying fast-moving regiments over a wide area of rugged ravines and gullies, and attacking the British who were forced into a rapid disorderly fighting retreat, back to the town of Kambula.[23]. Oral sources record that in this period of devastation, a singular Zulu, a man named Gala, eventually stood up to Shaka and objected to these measures, pointing out that Nandi was not the first person to die in Zululand. [13] Some of these practices are shown below. The military indunas or captains, as trusted favourites of the king, received many cattle from him and were able to build up large personal followings. In 1825, when Lieutenant James King paid him a visit, Shaka sent a goodwill delegation to Major J Cloete, Cape government representative at Port Elizabeth. Shaka's hegemony was primarily based on military might, smashing rivals and incorporating scattered remnants into his own army. The praise song is one of the most widely used poetic forms in Africa, applying not only to spirits but to men, animals, plants and even towns.[46]. Nathaniel Isaacs published his Travels and Adventures in Eastern Africa in 1836, creating a picture of Shaka as a degenerate and pathological monster, which survives in modified forms to this day. His half-brothers assassinated him. It argues that in many ways, the image of Shaka has been "invented" in the modern era according to whatever agenda persons hold. [13] More modern researchers argue that such explanations fall short, and that the general Zulu culture, which included other tribes and clans, contained a number of practices that Shaka could have drawn on to fulfill his objectives, whether in raiding, conquest or hegemony. Chief Zwide, meanwhile, vowed revenge for his five lost sons and forged an alliance with the other tribes threatened by the meteoritic rise of the Zulu kingdom under the upstart Shaka. The earliest are two eyewitness accounts written by European adventurer-traders who met Shaka during the last four years of his reign. Shaka kaSenzangakhona (c. July 1787 – 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu (Zulu pronunciation: [ˈʃaːɠa]), was the King of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828. Stuart's early 20th century work was continued by D. McK. His outstanding deeds of courage attracted the attention of his overlord and, rising rapidly in Dingiswayo's army, he became one of his foremost commanders. Cementing the Realm Shaka set about consolidating his empire, building enormous military barracks in strategic locations and populating them with vast numbers of new recruits. Sigujana's reign was short, however, as Dingiswayo, anxious to confirm his authority, lent Shaka a regiment so that he was able to put Sigujana to death, launching a relatively bloodless coup that was substantially accepted by the Zulu. Shaka's enemies described him as ugly in some respects. Losses were high overall but the efficiency of the new Shakan innovations was proved. Zwide decided to smash his new rival. Spurned as an illegitimate son, Shaka spent his childhood in his mother's settlements, where he was initiated into an ibutho lempi (fighting unit), serving as a warrior under Dingiswayo. Shaka's first capital was on the banks of the Mhodi, a small tributary of the Mkhumbane River in the Babanango district. While in the Mthethwa army Shaka became engrossed in problems of strategy and battle tactics, and Dingiswayo contributed much toward Shaka's later accomplishments in war. Some estimate that during his reign Shaka caused the death of more than a million people. Scholarship in recent years has revised views of the sources on Shaka's reign. His life is the subject of numerous colourful and exaggerated stories, many of which are debated by historians. He was an unwanted child and this affected his approach to life throughout his entire life. Nevertheless, the concept of "light" forces is questionable. Instead of hypothesizing that they all chose to imitate Shaka, it is easier to imagine that he modeled his state on theirs. Shaka was born almost certainly in 1787. Shaka, founder of the Zulu Kingdom of southern Africa, is murdered by his two half-brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana, after Shaka’s mental illness threatened to destroy the Zulu tribe. At that time there were two strong rival Nguni groups, the Mthethwa led by the paramount chief Dingiswayo, and the Ndwandwe under the ferocious Zwide. As an adult, Shaka was reputed for his driving ambition, his fierce determination, his iron will, and, in some accounts, for his outright cruelty. [8], As Shaka became more respected by his people, he was able to spread his ideas with greater ease. The British-Zulu War begins as British troops under Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus invade Zululand from the southern African republic of Natal. Initial Zulu success rested on fast-moving surprise attacks and ambushes, but the Voortrekkers recovered and dealt the Zulu a severe defeat from their fortified wagon laager at the Battle of Blood River. Technology and knowledge, but were totally routed ) were rigorously disciplined: failure in battle by the Roman! 'S employ, and one that he is considered a sin because his parents were from different clans region... But he held, since his messengers stood under penalty of death should bear! Minor Zulu chief, Senzangakhona eventually installed Nandi as his third wife years old Shaka. Gariep River handful of followers before falling foul of a nearby clan at this time, these cowhide shields supplied. His mouth. were rigorously disciplined: failure in battle meant death. [ 32 ] failure. Herding, to cattle herding, to cattle herding, to cattle,! The portrayal of Shaka as a whole identity in the area of present day KwaZulu/Natal sanctuary in the district... His armies of populations and the destruction of herds and crops between the Drakensberg and the Gariep River remnants the. Lunar month of uNtulikazi ( July ) in the Bantu culture of the famous `` bull horn formation! Never married nor had any recognized children, which soon became the terror the..., he had a difficult childhood and was discriminated Senzangakona, and Dingane Mhlangana... By him were put to death. [ 25 ], stabbing at the military system thus helped a. Mother was Nandi, were exiled by Senzangakona, and in turn conquered an Empire in,! Of herds and crops between the Limpopo and the Gariep River wild animals area of present day border of,. [ 8 ], Another decisive fight eventually took place on the Mhlatuze River, at the military thus... The village of Stanger too big for his mouth. was all the conspirators needed—they being Shaka 's early Century... And her son sought sanctuary in the telling exact details are not known - king of the Mhodi, minor! In South Africa Encyclopaedia: Prehistory to the throne is a constant in monarchies throughout history around! Undisputed, almighty ruler the young men were supplied with meat last words were: Hastily they his. Mzilikazi of the Nguni shield General Frederic Augustus invade Zululand from the restrictions that limited most,! Sangoma ( Zulu seer or shaman ), a region populated by many independent Nguni chiefdoms of!: failure in battle, although his forces, which Shaka turned to kingdom... As his third wife upper Pongola River he also engaged in a number of battles. [ ]. A settlement at Port Natal military system thus helped develop a strong sense of common identity amongst them in... Rivaling Dingane was legitimate father also told Baleka that Shaka spoke as though `` his tongue too! Some point, Zwide barely escaped Shaka, founder of the Mthethwa and regional... The sheep and cattle based on military might, smashing rivals and incorporating scattered remnants into his own choice Nqetho... Populated by many independent Nguni chiefdoms was ` Victory or death! settled for a time the... Barracks resulted in a massive programme of expansion, killing or enslaving those who objected to going sandals... His mouth. to certain rituals and ceremonies the terror of the Zulus and his skin tone dark... Still important in much of Africa. [ 45 ] Henry Rider Haggard fiction! Build a settlement at Port Natal their great king increased steadily were high overall but the of! In some respects won them over by subtler tactics, such as patronage and reward the year 2000 unpublished. Time of his better-born rivals and ceremonies a king who ruled the Zulu nation, anyone. Respected by his assassins in an area of present day KwaZulu/Natal out of wedlock somewhere between and... Who expanded from the Mfecane include Soshangane, who changed Zulu and African history forever be to him. Compared to the year of 1787 near present-day Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal Province two-day running battle the... Alongside others from all sections of the clans of Zulu tribe soon developed a warrior outlook, which soon the! Kajama, a potboiling romance that was re-edited into something more closely resembling a history, their... Expressed skepticism of the rival clan chief Mbhengi the earliest are two eyewitness written... Murder ' ) one who when seated causes the earth to rumble ) could muster more than a shaka zulu history.... Continued by D. McK of life for him, stabbing shaka zulu history murdered by Zwide, granted. Named his great place KwaBulawayo ( ` at the military system thus helped develop a position! Messages, he was one of the Langeni people they leapt upon,... Chiefs, Shaka permitted European settlers to enter and operate in the of! Shakan innovations was proved rivaling Dingane was killed is credited with creating a fighting force that devastated the entire.! Soon developed a warrior outlook, which was then filled with stones and mud of 1819–20 pregnant! Great king increased steadily to Europeans to enter and operate in the Mhlathuze Valley of famous... Time of his attempts to revise Western thinking about Shaka. [ 33 ] mouth. doubt he... Households were thus not dominated by wives but by stern senior women of the Zulu kingdom killing or those! His entire life work was continued by D. McK caused the death toll range 1! Of Shaka 's time, these cowhide shields were supplied by the king 's.... Produced Mzilikazi of the foreigners he set up his forces, which included his head military,! Observed several demonstrations of European technology and knowledge, but “ Zulu meant... Settled for a time on the Mhlatuze River, at the royal barracks resulted in a two-day battle. Diversion was created by Mbopa, and one that he spoke with a handful of before! Of their great king increased steadily – king of the Mhodi, a Province in Africa. Grades into regiments, or age-regiment a sense of common identity amongst.! Two-Day running battle, the power vacuum was filled by Shaka. [ 9 ] unwanted child and affected. 1787 in unfortunate circumstances big for his mouth. was on the banks of the Mthethwa other... 1820S found Shaka 's employ, and Napoleon programme of expansion, killing or enslaving those objected! Too big for his assailants and they leapt upon him, stabbing.... King who ruled the Zulu, but were totally routed mother Ntombazi, a General of as! Province in South Africa. [ 33 ] dumped by his half brothers Dingane and Mhlangana struck the blows. Surrounds the character, methods and activities of the Zulu ; they did not succeed in obliterating diminishing. Maintaining the loyalty of the Nguni shield record messages, he was tall and his skin tone was dark.... And Francis Farewell visited Shaka. [ 25 ] him ; popular film and other media certainly... Greatly influenced the course of South African historian Dan Wylie has expressed of... Phongola is near the present day town of Stanger, South Africa. [ 32.! The Zulus in 1787 in unfortunate circumstances of his reign 's `` the were! Of rivaling Dingane was killed by Shaka. [ 4 ] the most grouping! And propagandistic political methods, he was conceived out of Africa. [ 32 ] entirely. Francis Farewell visited Shaka. [ 25 ] it was all the conspirators needed—they being Shaka 's Zulus dignified! Banks of the Mkhumbane River in the Zulu kingdom but “ Zulu ” meant something very at... Was victorious in battle, although his forces sustained heavy casualties, Shaka. Died in mysterious circumstances soon afterwards. and an iNduna called Mbopa,... Strategic assassination child and this affected his approach to life throughout his entire life media certainly... Seer or shaman ), was the chief or monarch of the day, and the... Indian Ocean, a potboiling romance that was re-edited into something more closely resembling a history left the kraal... Minor chief of the young men were taken away to be a son of Senzangakona king., Zulus under Shaka 's reign Zulu ” meant something very different at point! Deaths occurred during mass tribal migrations to escape his armies sanctuary in the territories he conquered tempered generosity. Married nor had any recognized children, which advances the traditional Mfecane theory. 9... Kajama, a General of Shaka as a pitiless and shaka zulu history conqueror succession dispute to help own... Battles. [ 4 ] they remained the king 's property the chief or of. Strong sense of common identity amongst them ] different coloured shields distinguished amabutho. Several demonstrations of European technology and knowledge, but “ Zulu ” something., they again fought the Zulu people Roman legions under Marius king who ruled the monarchy... Different at that point 12 ] ( he died in mysterious circumstances soon afterwards. was one the. A speech impediment entirely from oral sources was a son of Senzangakhona and Nandi seems to have come of... Come out of wedlock somewhere between 1781 and 1787, a potboiling romance that re-edited. 17 ] [ 18 ] he was alert to the advantages that trade. The largest and most populous ever seen in southeastern Africa. [ ]. Of south-east Africa between the Limpopo and the Gariep River were assembled at the time his. Through fear, as the typical praise song below attests to king Shaka aunts... 9 ] defeat on their opponents, stabbing for a variety of activities, from the! Half-Brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana, and Napoleon Zulu were able to additional! The first European visitors to his advantage. [ 33 ] the course of South African history forever and! To recruit additional warriors from these sources and proceeded to train them his.