Shaka and the Zulu power

Shaka and the Zulu power

Shaka was born in about 1787. He was a son of the Chief of the small Zulu clan on the Mhlatuze river, but his father diaowned him because of the rigid traditions in Zulu land.

He became a soldier in Dingiswayo army - so brave that he was known as Dingiswayo's hero.

When his father Sezangakona died about 1816, Dingiswayo made Shaka chief of the Zulu clan within the Mthethwa Kingdom.

Shaka was permitted by Dingiswayo to lead his own Zulu regiments as a royal general within the Mthethwa forces. Shaka drilled his regiments in the tactics of close hand to hand fighting, made possible by adopting the short- handled, large -headed stabling spear -assegai

The traditional battle weapons carried by a soldier had been a bundle of long handled throwing spears to be thrown at a distance, the battle -axe and a small shield for close fighting Shaka also gave his soldiers large cow hide shields which fitted together to protect a close rank of soldiers from chin to legs from flying spears. Soldiers were also forbidden to wear sandals in battle as they made running clumsy and slow, and carried just one stabling spear so that they could run fast to tackle the enemy in close fighting. A Zulu soldier would be executed if he lost or left his stabbing spear on the battle field.

Punishment for cowardice or incompetence among soldiers was extremely harsh. But Shaka gained the loyalty and devotion of his men by making sure they were well fed and cared for his men after battle. Soldiers were given young boys to carry weapons and their sleeping a mats and to cook there food.

The abundance of captured cattle/ loot created a taste for good beef among Shaka's troops that they could only be satisfied by capturing more cattle from more enemies.

Shaka also created regiments of smart disciplined, loyal men which formed the basis of the Zulu army in the later years.

Problems faced by Dingiswayo

Before he assumed leadership in 1790 (1800), he was constantly pursued by his father, who wanted to kill him.

His warriors were incapacitated by large shields and hard handed long throwing spears.

Many white adventurers had prospects for his Confidence clandestinely especially the Portuguese.

He was constantly pursued by his defeated brother and the latter's allies.

He had threats of his neighbors like the Tembe and the Ndwandwe Chiefdom.

Zwide of the Ndwandwe Chiefdom remained a threat to Dingiswayo up to 1818 when the former killed him.

The Rozvi (Rozwi) and Ronga people spied on his military capacity.

By 1818 Zwide's witchcraft power had made him mad and eventually killed.

The Nwane threats.

Many refugees, destitutes poured at his Kraal for protection.

Charismatic Empire Builders during the M’fecane

Dingiswayo and the Mtbethwa Chiefdom

At the end of the 18^th Century, the Mthethwa chiefdom ruled by Dingiswayo had become important in the northern and central Nguni areas. It was only rivaled by the Ndwandwe Kingdom under Chief Zwide. It remained powerful until 1818-19, when they were defeated by the Ndwandwe and out of its ruins arose the Zulu Kingdom of Shaka

A number of factors explain why the Mthethwa Kingdom became so powerful at the end of the 18^th Century.

First one should remember that the end of the Tembe kingdom broke up in civil war during the 1790s.

The new Maputo Kingdom that took power at the Delagoa Bay was weaker, smaller and no longer controlled elephant hunting as far south as St. Lucia Bay as the Tembe Kingdom had.

The demand for Ivory by ships calling at the Delagoa Bay was increasing elephant hunting and this was spreading further south wards to satisfy that demand.

Chiefs like Dingiswayo could increase their power and wealth by controlling elephant hunting and the local ivory trade- distributing his profits in imported cloth and beads and metal to gain the loyalty of his subjects.

Dingiswayo could even put to death people who tried to avoid his chiefly monopoly over trade and hunting

The Mthethwa Chiefdom lived on the edge of the great river valleys, where hills suitable for farming gave way to expanses of bush -covered low lands. It was suitable for hunting and provided good pastures for cattle, though diseases made it unhealthy for man.

Before the rise of the Mthethwa to power there had been no large centralized states among the Nguni except the rival Ndwandwe power.

Previously when one Chiefdom had grown too large it had to split into new small chiefdoms under competing relatives of the old chief, when one chiefdom had defeated another it had not absorbed it but had returned home instead.

The Mthethwa just like the Ndwandwe chiefdoms used wars to conquer other chiefdoms and make them part of a new larger nation.

The subject chiefs continued to rule their own people, but young men and women became members of the national age regiments instead of each Chiefdom having its own initiation school, and the old custom of male circumcision disappeared altogether

Dingiswayo born in about 1770 among the Mthethwa on the Mfolozi river inland from the Richards Bay, was a son of a chief but he quarreled with his father and fled abroad in the 1790s probably traveling as far north as the Delagoa Bay. One famous tradition says that when he arrived back home he was riding a horse and carrying a gun, but it might have been an invention.

Dingiswayo returned home around 1800 when his father died and seized the Mthethwa chieftainship from his brother. He begun to conquer neighboring chiefdoms, and organized regular trade caravans of people marching with ivory on their heads.

The Maputo Kingdom at Delagoa Bay became Dingiswayo's ally, united against the Ndwandwe and the Tembe as their common rivals. Maputo soldiers armed with firearms helped Dingiswayo conquer and incorporate the powerful Qwabe chiefdom that challenged the Mthethwa on the Mfolozi.

The firearms used by the Mthethwa and their allies may also explain why Zwide's Ndwandwe Kingdom failed to block the trade route along the coastal flats between the Maputo and the Mthethwa Kingdom.

The Mthethwa and Ndwandwe chiefdoms met in battle at Mbuzi Hill near Zwides capital in the Pongola Valley during the winter of 1818. Both armies had adopted the chested- horns- battle formation, earlier used by the Rozvi and possibly by the Ronga

The chest was a large body of soldiers who attacked the enemy in force, while the horns closed round the enemy on either side. Some sources say that Dingiswayo was made mad or servile by Zwide's magic during the battle. That he wandered away from his army, was captured and put to death by Zwide.

His skull was then displayed on the door way of the powerful Ndwandwe Queen -Mother- Ndlovukati, the mother of chief Zwide.

Mthethwa Kingdom, which had been built upon the personal power of Dingiswayo, fell apart on the death of the king.

One of Dingiswayo's chiefs, Shaka immediately began to build up a new kingdom based on his own chiefdom of the Zulu. He killed the new Mthethwa chief and brought all the former Mthethwa subjects under his rule.

Shaka may have deliberately betrayed Dingiswayo, as his regiment arrived late for the battle in which Dingiswayo was captured by Zwide. But Shaka soon defeated Zwide at Mhlatuze River, on a terrain chosen by Shaka, in his original home area

The victory of Shaka opened way for the unlimited expansion of the Zulu Kingdom with a number of reforms - social, political and economic.

Achievements of Chief Dingiswayo for the Mthethwa community

He expended the Mthethwa state.

Traditional initiation ceremonies were abolished.

Many young men of the same initiation age were recruited into the regimental forces.

Its regiments were based on ages (age regiments).

His 'age regiments’ fought together, were unity and had to share common experiences.

The age regiments led to military efficiency and effectiveness which brought Mthethwa trial loyalty devotion and respect to Dingiswayo.

Dingiswayo appointed all men who headed the age regiments.

He defeated many of his neighbours like the Tembo, the Zulu clan and the Ndwandwe. They were in a position to accept him as their rightful leader, though in rejection.

He accommodated refugees fleeing from neighboring states and or chiefdoms. He became the ablest of the Zulu land Mthethwa monarch(s)

He defeated many enemies of the Mthethwa Confederacy.

Set up a standing army divided into age regiments.

He recruited runaway slaves in his regiments

He promoted young talented warriors on merit to ranks of commanders of the (a) regiments.

Encouraged trade between his people and the Europeans like the Portuguese at the Delagoa Bay.

He equipped his regiments with guns and rode on horses.

Dingiswayo conquered many neighboring chiefs between 1800 to 1818.

He made alliance with the Maputo Kingdom at the Delogoa Bay.

Conquered and incorporated the powerful Qwabe chiefdom to the Mthethwa Confederacy.

His army adopted the military tactic of chest and horns battle formation.

Gave rise and prominent of Shaka Zulu (his Induna or military leader).

He also registered some failures, for instance he gave out the captured cattle and war booty many of his enemies.

He had no standing army or warriors but almost when need arose.

His forces used outdated weapons and tactics, which could not fit the 'times'.

He made alliances or friendship with the conquered people instead of absorption and assimilation into the army.

He married from different clans which created unity. Many defeated states paid tribute to chief Dingiswayo like the Ngwane, the Zulu clan and others.

He carried out trade with the European sailors (traders) at the Delagoa Bay.

He promoted young able bodied men into his regiments.

He laid ground for the rise and prominence of Shaka Zulu. This helped Shaka to develop the Zulu state.

In 1818, he was ambushed and killed by Zwide of the Ndwandwe. This ended his reign and the consequent rise of Shaka Zulu.