Reasons for the Disintegration and Collapse of the Zulu Kingdom

Reasons for the Disintegration and Collapse of the Zulu Kingdom


In as much as Shaka is credited for the rise, growth and expansion of the kingdom,
ironically and surprisingly, he is equally responsible for its collapse. A note should be taken however that there are also other factors that were responsible for Zulu's downfall.
1. Shaka's dictatorship:
It was Shaka's tyranmcal rule that began the process of Zulu disintegration. His rule was characterized by autocracy (one man's decision), intensive spy network system that subjected Zulu natives m a state of danger. Several punishments were instituted e.g. hanging, spearing squads etc all of which were a setback to Shaka's admnustration. Such a state of untold suffering which came to be known as Mfcane created opposition from his subjects. The situation reached unbearable proportions when Shaka's mother died. He ordered people and animals not to eat for 40 days and by the end of the mourning period many people and animals had died. Therefore the kingdom had began to disintegrate even when Shaka was still leader of the Zulu kingdom.
2. The migration system:
The above penod of insecurity led to a number of migranons. People began to flee for their lives The dissatisfied generals deserted the kmg important of whom was Mzihkazi who led the group of Nguni speaking people and founded the Ndebele kingdom III central Africa. Zwangendaba and Maputo also led some ~goni groups towards north and settled in East. Therefore the kingdom was reduced as most of its inhabitants migrated for safer life elsewhere outside the Zulu kingdom.
3. Death of Shaka:
In 1828. Shaka died and the kingdom lost its founder and military leader. The death of the founder and milnary strong man encouraged conquered states to assert their autonomy or independence and get chance of revenging and finally breaking away.
4. Succession disputes:
Before Shaka's successor took over the throne, there were disputes between Dingane and his brother Mpande on who to succeed Sh ak a".This led to rival factions and consequently civil wars. This created turmoil (quagmire) leading to the collapse of the previously strong kingdom.
5. Disunity Zulu kingdom became disunited for so long:
The first disunity was 10 1840s between Dingane's sons. In 1872 there was further diunity between Mpande's sons. Chetswayo and Mbulaze. Civil wars ensued (took place) and disunity intensified. However, Chetswayo managed to become the king but such a state of affairs had weakened the kingdom that later culminated in his downfail.
6. Weakness of Shaka's successor:
Apart from Chetswayo. other leaders were not competent enough to uphold the strength of the kingdom. When Dingane succeeded Shaka, he lacked military campaigns and raids on which the power of the economy of the kingdom had almost entirely depended. This was followed by the conquered states asserting their dependence and hence breaking away.
7. Secondly, when Mpade succeeded Dingane he collaborated with the Boers and m the long run the kingdoin had lost its fertile lands to the Boers, and infact during his reign there was no annexation, instead Zulu kingdom lost many territories during this period. However, when Chetswayo came to power in 1872 he tried to revive the Zulu.
8. Boer trekkers:
The northward movement of the Boer trekkers also had a great impact on the kingdom Mfcane had opened the lands, which attracted them. Shaka the military leader who had stood in their way had died. Consequently they moved into Zululand creating a crack in the kingdom.
9. British imperialism:
It will be recalled that this was an era of the scramble for and partition of Africa. It's little wonder therefore that like other pre-colonial African societies in 1879, Zulu fell prey to European colonial rule when she was annexed by Britain.
It must be emphasised however that the reasons for the disintegration and eventual collapse of the Zulu state were both external and internal. It should however be noted that in as much as the empire had developed cracks of disintegration, it would have continued for at least longer if it was not for the British imperialism; which provided a coup de grace to her independence.
Revision questions:
1. "It was due to the weakness of Shaka the king of Zulu empire that the kingdom had to collapse". Discuss.
2. Discuss the reasons for the disintegration of the Zulu kingdom and show the consequences
of its collapse.


The Zulu Kingdom

The Zulu State can be traced from the period of king Shaka. He was born about 1783 by
the Zulu chief Senzangakona. And his mother was Nandi from the Langoni tribe. Shaka gained a military experience when he was a commander of one of Dingiswayo's regiment. He expressed himself as a brave and persistent warrier in his youthful life. In 1816 his father died and was succeeded by one of his sons Sigujana.
In alliance with Dingiswayo, Shaka fought and defeated Sigujana and this brought him to power in Zulu land. With military experience, he was able to develop his society socially, economically and politically.
Political Organisation.
The state was headed by a king who was the commander in chief of the armed force as well. It was more or less a military state and the top army officials were king's major advisors. The state was born in war and continued being organized for wars.
The king ruled with help of his advisory council whose members advised on matters concerning the state. Nevertheless during Shaka's time the council had been weakened by his despotic character. And it was Zulu people's opposition against such a system that contributed to Shaka's death in 1828.
Hundreds of Zulu clans were all conditioned to be loyal to the king. Even the Indunas were not allowed to hold un-authorized meeting to ensure that there was no development of anti government tendencies. The king had powers to dismiss or execute the potential enemies of the state. Chiefs were all supposed to visit the king's palace regularly.
The king's female relatives were often posted to different provincial centres to enhance the spy network system and safeguard the king's position in different parts of the kingdom.
The state was composed of military distticts each under the control of the Induna (military leader). Under this official, there were junior officers who were in charge of smaller Zulu political units. This new set up undermined the old traditional councils of chiefs and leading elders. The King appointed all these lndunas and Chiefs.
The conquered areas formed provinces of the state. The chiefs in these areas were to be loyal to the king and were restricted to issues like administration of justice, in some areas they were replaced by the king's nominees.
The succession systems by which the heir son inherited his fathers' posts was followed. This was not workable in case the heir proved incompetent. Nevertheless there used to be some succession disputes due to several king's sons who wanted power at the same time e.g. chief Mpade's two eldest sons Mbulanze and Cetewayo entered into a succession dispute that ended in 1856 when Cetewayo became victorious over his brothers. This crisis had begun in 1848.
In the initial stage of Shaka's regime, he created a standing army after recognizing the old regiments had made them more effective for large scale warfare. Each part of the state had a regiment, each with its own colour painted on its shields and spear heads. The warriors in the state stayed in special settlements each with a military commander called the "Induna" who were appointed from the royal families basically because these families were loyal to the interests of the chief Shaka.
The warriors were armed with shields and short stabbing spears which enabled them to engage in hand to hand combat with the enemy.
The common method they used was known as "cow horn formation technique". By this technique. the bulk part of the army formed a thick and strong base in front called a chest. On each side of the chest, soldiers would curve surround the enemy making something like horns of a cow. As he tried to surround the enemy, the thick centre of the chest would press forward hence leading to quick death or destruction of the enemy. This was a method which the Ndebele and Ngoni movements used in the conquering central and eastern African societies.
In 1828, Shaka was assassinated by his brothers Dingane and Mulangane. This started a succession crisis and ended in favour of Dingane. His regime was politically weak and in
1840 he was defeated by Mpande and the movement of the Boer Trekkers.
Mpande ruled from 1840-1872 when he was replaced by Cetewayo who continued to maintain the independence of the Zulu people amidst intimidation of threats and challenges of Europeans who later took over the independence in 1890s.
Social Organisation.
The social life of the Zulu people was dominated by warfare. People were organized in age groups and initiation ceremonies to mark the entry of people into new groups were organised. The king was regarded as a spiritual leader who presided over the traditional religious ceremonies.
The warriors were not allowed to marry until the right time reached which was determined by the king. Normally the age of 40 was considered fit for the military retirement to begin the family life. A female regiment of the same age group would be dissolved at an appropriate time and its members given to the freed warriors as wives since men retired only at the age of 40 to give them a chance to attend their marriage duties.
In the Zulu society, the young men of the conquered people were absorbed in Zulu army and given a similar treatment as the rest of the Zulu warriors. They mixed freely with other young men in the kingdom and those who were very young looked after the cattle or acted as weapon bearers for the Zulu warriors. The girls and young women of the defeated groups were left to work in the fields. The aged war captives who couldn't fit in the military oriented regunental system of the kingdom were usually put to death.
There used to be the annual first fruit ceremony which was important and interesting occasron. On this day, people could move from various parts of Zulu nation to attend the
ceremony which was presided over by the king.
Although it served as an instrument to maintain the king, the ceremony enabled people
from various areas to meet and get entertained by the ceremonial dances.
Economic Qrganisation
At the top of the economy of Zulu, there was a king who owned everything. In as much as he wasthe social and religious head, he was also the source of wealth for all his subjects .
In Zulu system, the age regment was important SOCial and economic unit since it was supposed to be self sufficient in terms of food production and livestock. Each regiment kept cattle which belonged to the state and were to be used for feeding members of the regiment, rewarding brave soldiers in the regiment and paying of bride price.
The most important source of wealth for the kingdom was raiding which brought a lot of cattle, goats and women. Dunng wars, the booty materials were consolidated and shared between the regiments.
Each regiment had an obligation of keeping as many animals as possible. Food all over the kindom was produced by regiments and stored. The state also monopolized trade of ivory and slaves. Some of the slaves and ivory were offered to the king as tributes from the conquered states
The external trade was carried out with the neighbouring communities and coastal traders. The kmgdom got items like clothes, beads and mirrors in exchange of slaves and ivory, hich were acquired through raiding weak neighbouring communties and other tributa states.
During Shaka's rule, there were many merciless.raids in which people lost lives, homes were destroyed and the rest escaped. As these people ran away, the raiders also plundered, destroyed people's settlements and there was a lot of instability in Zulu kingdom and areas beyond Zulu where these people escaped as the refugees caused instability which was
populary termed as Time of trouble or Mfcane.
Revision questions.
Examine the Political, Social and Economic features of the Zulu kingdom in the second half of the 19th century.