Shaka was a legendary South African king, known for uniting many warring tribes to create the Zulu Empire in the early 19th century. Remembered many times throughout his life in TV shows and movies, he was portrayed as an ambitious leader trying to unite South African tribes to fight Europeans determined to conquer their land.
In reality, however, the systematic colonization of South Africa began more than 20 years after his death, and his kingdom lasted only about 50 years. Shaka’s father, Senzangakhona, was born in 1787 in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, a Zulu chief, while his loving mother, Nandi, was from another clan. They were not considered married in their tribal customs, and the mother and son were soon deported for their son’s illegitimate birth.
Led by their powerful chief, Dingiswayo, they defected to the Mthethwa clan, where Shaka was trained as a warrior. From an early age, it was clear that Shaka was a natural leader and would also be a fierce fighter. In addition to being strong, he is a strategic thinker and ruthless to his enemies.
While fighting for the Mthethwa Empire, Shaka developed advanced methods of combat, including designing better spears, organizing army ranks by age, and introducing megaphone battle formations. He worked hard and soon took command of the army.
When his father died in 1816, he became King of Zulu and executed everyone connected to his father’s rule, including siblings.
Before and after his rise to power, the Zulus were not united. They are divided into clans and control territories, usually large enough to support themselves. There were many power struggles between these clans as each clan claimed supremacy. In April 1818, Shaka and his Zulu warriors clashed with the Ndwandwe clan at the Battle of Gqokli Hill.
Despite being outnumbered, Shaka won through impressive tactics and strategy, paving the way for the Zulus to unite under his leadership. They are now the most powerful kingdom in the region.
As Supreme Zulu Leader, Shaka went on to build up his army and conquer many other chiefs. Although he was a powerful leader, he was also extremely cruel, sometimes killing entire villages to deliver a message, or killing those who disobeyed his orders.
But things took a turn for the worse when his mother, Nandi, died. Shaka has a nervous breakdown, forcing the kingdom to mourn her. He killed all the pregnant women—and their husbands—killed goats and cattle, killed some 7,000 who “could not mourn enough,” and ordered that no new crops be grown and no milk be used for a year. His people are on the verge of rebelling against his brutality – two of his brothers murdered him.
Shaka was an effective war leader, but also very cruel, violent and authoritarian, which ultimately led to his death.
After his death in 1828, the Zulu kingdom changed hands four more times, clashing with the Boers and finally fighting the British in the six-month Anglo-Zulu War. Britain won and ended the Zulu Kingdom in just 50 years.
