Zulu origins

Zulu Origins

Mpande

The Zulu nation had started as a small tribe, the Amazulu (people of the heavens). Under Chief Shaka, they fought numerous aggressive, often merciless, military campaigns against rival tribes at the beginning of the 19^th century. During his reign, Shaka also established contact with the British. He was succeeded by his brother Dingane, who murdered him. Dingane is infamous for his act in slaughtering a group of 280 Boer trekkers (the "weenen" or weeping) and the subsequent Battle of Blood River where about 4-500 Boers defeated an army of about 11000 Zulus. Dingane's reign was marked by disputes with the Boers and he was eventually murdered following one of these. He was succeeded by his brother Mpande.

Mpande was an amiable but ineffectual ruler. He was tolerated because he did not impose his rule on others. However, his unwillingness to select the wife who would bear the son nominated to rule the Zulus meant that there were several contenders for the title. Cetewayo was one of these. His chief rival was Mbulazi who Cetewayo defeated and killed in battle, during which all Mbulazi's supporters (including women and children) were slaughtered. Other potential rival sons fled.

Mpande died in 1872 but by that time Cetewayo was already effectively in control. Eventually, he was recognised as king by all the chiefs but the factionalism that had dogged his progress to the throne was eventually to have tragic consequences. What was worse, the British now became interested in the growing size of the Zulu nation and its large army. British interests were potentially threatened although, in London, the intention was to maintain peaceful relationships with treaties.

online degrees