Factors that led to the collapse of Zulu state

Factors that led to the collapse of the Zulu state


Shaka's harsh one- man rule based on continual conquest and capture of cattle and the killing of those who disagreed with him was a political system that ate away at its own foundations.
The death of Shaka. The state was created around his personality of strong military leadership and his death meant loss of organisation and effective leadership.
His successors lacked his ability as a strong military leader, e.g. Dingane, Mpande and Cetshwayo were not strong military leaders and this lack of effective command and inspiration explains the poor performance of the Zulu impi in battles. People were tired of wars, e.g. Dingane's warriors deserted the army, which gradually reduced the Zulu military strength.
The once conquered and vassal states broke away from the Zulu and under Shaka the state had expanded and became independent like the Ndwandwe, Fingo, Ngwane, Ndebele, Ngoni and the Tlokwa.
Internal civil wars due to succession disputes led to the collapse of the state, for instance Dingane and Mhlangane killed Shaka, and then Dingane killed Mhlangane while the two sons of Mpande namely, Cetshwayo and Mbulanzi fought each other.
Natural calamities also contributed to the collapse of the state. Rinderpest and anthrax epidemic that claimed most of the livestock struck the state, which depended on cattle; thereby causing decline of the state.
The breakaway of Vassal states weakened and caused the fall of the state.
The period of the M'fecane had depopulated many parts of the Zulu states. Many refugees escaped out of the Zulu state regrouping in Central, South and East Africa including the Ndebele, Ngoni, and Kololo.
The Zulu state was militarily weak in the 2nd half of the 19th Century. The discipline of army had deteriorated; the fighting tactics has been copied by neighbors and could not march the maxim guns of the Europeans.
The collaboration of the Zulu state with the Boers and the British led to the collapse of the state. They were isolated, weakened and defeated which caused more movement of the Boer trekkers into Zulu provinces.
The Boers destroyed Dingane's military strong hold of the state at the close of 1838 at the battle of the Blood River, which made Mpande collaborate with the Boers.
The final defeat that broke the camel's back and collapse of the Zulu state was when the British destroyed it in 1879 in the famous Anglo - Zulu war in which Cetshwayo was destroyed. Never again did the Zulu regain their military strength. After the defeat of the Zulu, Din Zulu succeeded Cetshwayo.