Shaka, zulu chief 181628, founder of southern africas zulu empire. Taylors book notably fills a need for a comprehensive history of the zulus during the 1800s. Shaka zulu, the man who forged a feared empire out of a tiny. Jul 31, 2015 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 series consisted of 10 episodes approximately 50 minutes each in length. Dingiswayo was so impressed by shaka that in 1816 he helped him. In his grief, shaka had hundreds of zulus killed, and he outlawed the planting of crops and the use of milk for a year.
Shaka zulus brutality was exaggerated, says new book world. Building on his innovative methods of warfare, king shaka established the most disciplined standing army in the history of mankind over one million strong at any given time expanding the zulu domain from a small tribe of less than 2,000 to an empire greater than that of napoleon encompassing much of what is now southeast africa. I again reiterate that i am not an historian but merely relate stories that i had heard as a child and stories i have heard and read about during the course of my life. Shaka s campaigns part of a larger chaos an increasingly cruel and paranoid shaka zulu was assassinated in 1828, but that didnt mark the end of his effects on the history of southern africa.
Zulu armies were fed by a supply of cattle on the hoof and some grain. Mar 22, 2017 the history guy remembers the first great battle of shaka zulu, whom some historians have called the napoleon of africa. Jul 01, 20 shaka zulu is one of the most famous or notorious leaders to have graced southern africa in the past few centuries. The author writes sympathetically but objectively of the zulu and their. Sep 07, 2018 the zulu monarch shaka was a contemporary of the french emperor napoleon, and has even been dubbed the african napoleon by some. Word of shaka zulu s advanced military tactics did one of two things to neighboring tribes.
There is controversy around the brutality of shaka zulu s methods but he is considered to be one of the greatest military leaders in african history, and perhaps all of history. The life story of king shaka and gender tensions in the zulu state. Strobridge and originally published in military history magazine in october 2002. During the reign of king shaka of the zulus, the zulu tribe went from being a small, weak tribe to a powerful, feared tribe. The series was based on sinclairs novel of the same name. The zulu were part of the nguni confederation of bantuspeaking people, including the xhosa, matabele, and swazi tribes, who originated in central africa and had been steadily moving southwards for centuries. Shaka s reign was never secure, and maintaining the zulu kingdoms boundaries required further military campaigns. Shaka kasenzangakhona is considered as one of the greatest rulers in the history of the zulu kingdom. When shaka zulu was born, around the year 1787, senzangakhona was the nominal chief of the zulu, a small band of about 1500 members. Yet british fortuneseekers of the 1820s found shaka s zulus a dignified people whose martial qualities were tempered by generosity and hospitality. The rise of shakas kingdom, which took place during a time of drought and social unrest, was itself part of a wider process of state formation in southeastern africa, which probably resulted from intensified.
The zulu of that time, and particularly the zulu who had been moulded by men like shaka and his successor dingane are vividly described by adulphe delegorgue,1 the french naturalist who visited natal in 1838 and subsequent years, as being born haughty, and possessing a. King shaka, the diviners and colonialism jennifer weir the oftentold tale of zulu king shaka and his diviners may tell us more about colonial religion and politics in the nineteenth century than it does about zulu religion and politics. The two were expelled from senzangakhonas home and moved to live among the langeni people. Clans driven westwards into the drakensberg mountain range were left without livestock or the leisure to plant crops, and turned to desperate, grisly means of survival in. Eric walker, history of southern africa new york and london, 1928. In shaka zulu, otherwise known as shaka kasenzangkhona or king shaka,was a very militaristic king and was known for his peerless leadership. Sigidi kasenzangakhona commonly knows as shaka was a great zulu king and conqueror. At one point shaka had a welltrained army of around 40,000 soldiers. Shaka zulu is one of the most famous or notorious leaders to have graced southern africa in the past few centuries. After the death of zulu, his descendants called themselves abakwazulu people of zulu.
Shaka s historical reputation may have declined during the materialist. Reexamining the legacies of shaka and zulu power in postapartheid south africa 23 mbongiseni buthelezi 3 reflections on the politics of being. Zulu history the history of the zulu nation tourism kzn. Anyone who disobeyed an order was immediately killed. Shaka was born into the small south african clan of the zulus in 1787. On the one hand, napoleon, despite the wars he waged across europe, has been considered by. Shakas historical reputation may have declined during the materialist. Clans driven westwards into the drakensberg mountain range were left without livestock or the leisure to plant crops, and turned to desperate, grisly means of survival in the socalled valley of the cannibals. It lays out, as far as possible, all the available evidence. History of shaka zulu natal, kzn early history about the. War, shaka, and the consolidation of power this scholarly account traces the emergence of the zulu kingdom in south africa in the early nineteenth century under the rule of the ambitious and iconic king shaka. At the center of this process, the modern zulu kingdom emerged under its founder, shaka zulu, one of the truly memorable figures in african history. The tale unfolds in various nineteenthcentury books, popular and contemporary histories, and in oral. Even as a young boy of five or six years old, shaka had the job of watching the sheep and cattle.
For in the space of twelve years, he organized an immense army of skilled and disciplined warriors, conquering and pacifying a territory larger than europe. Shakas mother was called nandi, and at that point, she was not a legal wife to senzangakhona. Black then 16 things that made african king shaka zulu. The powers of shaka zulu and the limits of historical invention. The history guy uses images that are in the public domain.
Their history post 1900 up to about 1994 is not neglected either. Shaka zulu was founder of the zulu nation, a born leader and a brilliant general. Dec 28, 2017 as the story goes, shaka was born around the year 1787, the son of senzangakhona, who at that time reigned over the tiny chiefdom known as the zulu. The effects from dutch pressure on the western african frontier by the end of the. The profile and history of tshaka king of the zulu a. In the early nineteenth century, the legendary zulu warrior, shaka zulu, emerged as a leading figure in the military and political state of affairs in the zulu kingdom of southern africa. The creation of the zulu kingdom, war, shaka, and the. Shaka zulu biography history pdf shaka was a son of senzangakhona, ruler of an insignificant small. It is difficult to assess when shaka zulu was born, but scholars believe he was born sometime between 1781 and 1787. This is mostly due to the military genius of shaka. Textbooks and literature agree that shaka zulu, king of the zulu nation, was a leading figure in the military history of the zulu kingdom of south africa during the early 19th century eldredge. Aug 25, 2014 there is controversy around the brutality of shaka zulus methods but he is considered to be one of the greatest military leaders in african history, and perhaps all of history. South african military history society journal the zulu.
The crushing, sotho difaqane, series of zulu and other nguni wars and forced migrations of the second and third decades of the 19th century that changed the demographic, social, and political configuration of southern and central africa and parts of eastern africa. By the early 19th century the zulu had become the strongest military force in southern africa under the leadership of the powerful but violent shaka. A starts the rise of what becomes the zulu kingdom. Due to persecution as a result of his illegitimacy, shaka. In his initial days, he served as a warrior under the leadership of dingiswayo. As monarch, he held tremendous influence in the zulu kingdom. He was responsible for protecting them from wild animals. Zulu kingdom shaka continued to train and build his army. In 1827, shaka s mother, nandi, died, and the zulu leader lost his mind. Shaka, isandlwana and rorkes drift and known to most but there is much more to the history of the zulu people. In the space of twelve years during the early nineteenth century, he transformed the small zulu chieftains into a large and powerful military force.
He lived in an area of southeast africa between the drakensberg and the indian ocean, a region populated by many independent nguni chiefdoms. The zulu people also call themselves abantsundu, which means brown people. Retief had an agreement with dingane that if he succeeded in returning dinganes cattle that had been stolen by sikonyela, the voortrekkers would be allowed to buy land from him and his. He was one of the most influential monarchs of the zulu kingdom. Shaka was born in 1787 and was the child of nandi, a daughter of bhebhe, the past leader of a rival tribe, and senzangakhona kajama, who was a zulu chieftain. Rise of the zulu people under king shaka zulu on 3 february 1838, dinganes tribesmen killed piet retief, together with 67 of his followers, during an ambush. The history guy remembers the first great battle of shaka zulu, whom some historians have called the napoleon of africa. Jul 27, 2019 in 1827, shakas mother, nandi, died, and the zulu leader lost his mind. He sometimes massacred a whole village in order to send a message.
Part one john wright school of human and social studies university of kwazulunatal, pietermaritzburg october 2004 introduction shaka kasenzangakhona, who ruled the emerging zulu kingdom from the late 1810s until his assassination in 1828, has long featured in south african history making as a. Chaka kasenzangakhona aussi appele chaka zoulou ou shaka zulu, aussi orthographie. Shaka zulu was successful in establishing zulu dominance in southern africa. I count myself fortunate to have met the author of the book shaka zulu, mr e.
The zulu monarch shaka was a contemporary of the french emperor napoleon, and has even been dubbed the african napoleon by some. A short biography on a man with incredible vision shaka, zulu king. Shaka was born in the lunar month of untulikazi july in the year of 1787 near presentday melmoth, kwazulunatal province. Pdf applicability of shaka zulus leadership and strategies. Alistair boddyevans is a teacher and african history scholar with more than 25 years of experience. Born out of wedlock to a father who was the chief of the zulus, his clan exiled him at a young.
May 21, 2006 shaka zulu, the 19thcentury warrior king dubbed africas napoleon, was not the bloodthirsty military genius of historical depiction, says new research. Shaka zulu was born in 1787, the illegitimate son of senzangakona, chief of the zulu clan. It is difficult to assess when shaka zulu was born, but scholars believe he. Originally aired as a british miniseries, shaka zulu follows the rise of shaka henry cele to the king of the zulus during the early 19th century when the british were beginning to gain control of africa. May 16, 2015 we first learn of the zulu as a minor tribe of the bantu people, living in south africa. Shaka kasenzangakhona, zulu king and founder of the zulu empire, was murdered by his two halfbrothers dingane and mhlangana at kwadukuza in 1828one date given is september 24. Shaka zulu, the 19thcentury warrior king dubbed africas napoleon, was not the bloodthirsty military genius of historical depiction, says new research. During his brief reign more than a hundred chiefdoms were brought together in a zulu kingdom which survived not only. However, apart from their reputation as great military leaders, history has remembered these two men quite differently. History of shaka zulu natal, kzn early history about the zulu. His life is the subject of numerous colourful and exaggerated stories, many of which are debated by historians. His father was the chief of the zulus and his mother, nandi, was the daughter of the chief of a nearby clan. Hate him or love him, if you have any interest in the history of southern.
Shaka zulu find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Word of shaka zulus advanced military tactics did one of two things to neighboring tribes. Shaka kasenzangakhona facts, childhood, life history. Using history in the construction of zulu nationalism lynne. Like other south african anthropologists fascinated by zulu history, argyle uses his innovative point of view to argue against the historicity of the story. He ruled at one of first recorded towns known as bulawayo. Much interest was displayed by shaka s comrades in the fact that he wore no sandals, and in the single massive stabbingassegai.
He is credited with creating a fighting force that devastated the entire region. For a long time, the whole process of change in the bantu region has been referred to by scholars as. He was one of the most influential monarchs of the zulu kingdom shaka was born in the lunar month of untulikazi july in the year of 1787 near presentday melmoth, kwazulunatal province. The mfecane was set in motion by the rise of the zulu military kingdom under shaka c. Shaka in history is the first booklength scholarly study of shaka to be published.
Dingane assumed the throne after the assassination. While serving in dingiswayos army, before he was chief of the zulus, he create the iklwa 1. Shaka zulus brutality was exaggerated, says new book. Shaka zulu is said to be one of the greatest military leaders in african history, and perhaps all of history. This remarkable king, was a contemporary of napolean, and his achievements rivalled the emperors.