Zulu leaders after 1828/ the Zulu state after Shaka

Zulu leaders after 1828/ the Zulu state after Shaka


Zulu Kingdom under Dingane 1828-1840
He ruled Zululand from 1828 until 1840 and during his reign the white settlers more interested in Natal and generally Zulu land.
Shaka had had contact with traders from Port Natal (later Durban). The white settlers assisted Shaka in his decisive battle against the Ndwandwe in 1826, but it was not until after his death that they took a greater interest in Natal. Dingane and his sister was one of the assassins of Shaka with an Induna Mbopa. He succeeded Shaka from the throne in 1828.
He was by nature a lazy and peace loving man and tried at first to relax the discipline of Shaka's period, but a revolt led by one of Shaka's Generals convinced him of the need to keep the army occupied and sent his regiments out on a number of expeditions.
Dingane was concerned with Natal because of the increase in white settlers and African refugees from Zululand who used to go there.
By 1835, there were 30 whites and 2,500 Africans in Port Natal. He attempted to deal with this double threat by making an agreement with Captain Allen Gardiner, a British naval officer who had turned into a Missionary.
Gardiner agreed to return Zulu refugees to Dingane, who undertook in return to respect the position of the white settlement in Natal. But Gardiner was unable to keep his side of the agreement.
The Natal whites would not have any thing to do. By this time the Boer Trekkers were moving into Natal and one of the Trekkers Piet Retief, reached there by October 1837.
Dingane was now faced with the threat of the Boer Trekkers who could lead to erosion of Zulu independence.
Dingane like Shaka avoided conflict with the whites and had to deal with his opponents especially the Boers who had just defeated the Ndebele led by Mzilikazi and was making other threats and demands.
He decided to use force with no advice and help and he signed away Natal to the Boers on 4th February 1838. Two days later, Piet Retief and his party were murdered.
It's likely that Dingane intended the action to be followed by attack on the white settlers in Natal. Despite isolated successes on white settlements he was unable to expel the Boers.
The arrival of Andries Pretorius with a commando band of 500 men with firepower who fought a position and tactics of wagons into laagers (or protective circle) made Dingane's forces defeated.
The Zulu attacked but were unable to overcome the firepower of the Boers who fought from a good defensive position and on 16th December the Zulu were defeated at Blood river battle. This marked the end of Zulu resistance to the Boers and gave up control of areas south of Tugela River as the Boers threatened to destroy the Zulu nation.
The Zulu were also divided between Dingane and his brother Mpande, the latter allied with the Boer. In February Dingane was killed by a band of Swazi militias as he fled northwards and Mpande; his brother was proclaimed King of the Zulu by Andries Pretorius and the Zulu state became a vassal territory of the Natal republic.
Achievements of Dingane
He relaxed Shaka’s militarism and raiding in Nguniland, He controlled the Zulu army and their leaders.
Set up his capital at eMgungudhlovu (near later Ulundi)
He tried to flash out white settlements and settlers at Port Natal.\he establish his power far north as the Delagoa Bay. The Portuguese threat was handled by 1833.
Dingane defeated the Ndebele between 1829 up to 1831.
He accepted diplomatic negotiations with the British to create the Victoria East District.
He resisted Boer invasions on his state by April 1838.
Had created a powerful 3000 Zulu Impi regimental force.
He resisted Boer challenge on his country (especially Piet Retief and Gerit Maritz).
He calculatively and tactfully welcomed Boer leaders at his capital.
He used the Boers to capture Tlokwal Tlokoa wealth (cattle, horses and guns) which had been stolen by Chief Sekonye1a. By 1840 he was controlling land from the Frankenberg far to the Upper Valley of the Tugela River.
He successfully defeated the Ngwane in Swaziland with the half of Port Durban whites.
He controlled/ restricted military expeditions in Zulu land.
He had cordial relations with the Cape Town Governor D’urban
Cattle captured from the executed Boers were disturbed to his people masses and warriors.
Problems faced by Dingane:
By 1828 he ruled jointly with his brother Mhlangane
Dingane and Mhlangane constantly quarreled until the former killed the latter.
Shaka's generals like Mdlaka posed a threat to his rule until he was killed.
Many regimental warriors resented/ objected Dingane’s killing of Mhlangage.
Faced the threat of the whites and coloureds with superior fire arms, wagons and horses.
The white settlers (colons) took part of his territory and occupied it.
Many whites in the Cape Colony wanted to settle in Natal.
The Boer trekkers/ Afrikaaner invade spied on his country from Cape Colony under Piet Uys.
The Boer trekkers were determined to get land in his state between 1837-38. The Boers disastrously defeated Dingane by December 1838 (the Battle of the blood river 16th December
Many of his African enemies sided with white men to challenge him.
He was ill advised by his Court Councilors secretly to overthrow him. Missionary work in Natal was a threat to his rule like the work of Gardiner.
His army had poor fighting tactics that of the white who used guns, cannon to wrought havoc in his 'impis'.
The Boers refused his diplomatic gestures by 1840.
By 1840 he wandered north of the country (Zululand) where he fought the last and hopeless battle against the invaders.
He faced the Khisan and coloured - Boer allies up to 1840.
By 1839, the Boers demanded 19,000 herds of cattle as tribute from Dingane and when he fried to negotiate, his envoys were executed.
By 1840 a civil war broke among the Zulu royals up to the defeat of Dingane by Mpande at Makonko bills.
His impis proved useless in face of Boer firearms.