Changes

As a young adult, Shaka was an imposing figure; he was tall and powerfully built, yet on the inside he had a drive for personal power.  At the age of twenty-three Dingiswayo placed him in the iziCwe regiment where, to his delight, he discovered a liking for military life.  Courageous on the battlefield, Shaka soon became Dingiswayo’s foremost commander, earning the name “Nodumehlezi”, which roughly translates to “one who causes the earth to rumble when seated.”  Shaka would become engrossed in the study of battlefield tactics as militarism became a way of life for the rest of his life, which a short time later would affect the lives of tens of thousands of others.

As a young adult, Shaka was an imposing figure; he was tall and powerfully built, yet on the inside he had a drive for personal power.  At the age of twenty-three Dingiswayo placed him in the iziCwe regiment where, to his delight, he discovered a liking for military life.  Courageous on the battlefield, Shaka soon became Dingiswayo’s foremost commander, earning the name “Nodumehlezi”, which roughly translates to “one who causes the earth to rumble when seated.”  Shaka would become engrossed in the study of battlefield tactics as militarism became a way of life for the rest of his life, which a short time later would affect the lives of tens of thousands of others.

Senzangakona died about 1816, and some traditions state that on his deathbed he left the Zulu kingdom to Shaka.  Zulu kingship passed instead to Shaka’s half-brother Sigujana, which was short-lived; soon after he was declared king, Shaka arrived with his regiment, assassinated his half-brother, and took control of the Zulu.  Although still a vassal of Dingiswayo, Shaka engaged in expanding the size of his kingdom, taking over the Buthelezi and eLengani clans, and enacting a severe vengeance on those who treated him cruelly as a boy.

Senzangakona died about 1816, and some traditions state that on his deathbed he left the Zulu kingdom to Shaka.  Zulu kingship passed instead to Shaka’s half-brother Sigujana, which was short-lived; soon after he was declared king, Shaka arrived with his regiment, assassinated his half-brother, and took control of the Zulu.  Although still a vassal of Dingiswayo, Shaka engaged in expanding the size of his kingdom, taking over the Buthelezi and eLengani clans, and enacting a severe [[vengeance]] on those who treated him cruelly as a boy.

A major rival of Dingiswayo was the Ndwandwe, led by a fierce chief named Zwide.  About 1818 the Mthethwa fought against them, and Dingiswayo was captured and later murdered by Zwide.  Henry Francis Fynn, one of the first Europeans to have encountered Shaka, claimed in his diary that Dingiswayo's death was the result of Shaka's treachery.  What is known is that Shaka did make an attempt to engage in the battle but did not arrive at the scene until after Dingiswayo's capture.  Shaka would then take control of the Mthethwa, absorbing it into the Zulu and adding to his army.

A major rival of Dingiswayo was the Ndwandwe, led by a fierce chief named Zwide.  About 1818 the Mthethwa fought against them, and Dingiswayo was captured and later murdered by Zwide.  Henry Francis Fynn, one of the first Europeans to have encountered Shaka, claimed in his diary that Dingiswayo's death was the result of Shaka's treachery.  What is known is that Shaka did make an attempt to engage in the battle but did not arrive at the scene until after Dingiswayo's capture.  Shaka would then take control of the Mthethwa, absorbing it into the Zulu and adding to his army.

Zwide, meanwhile, saw the threat Shaka posed and decided to attack and destroy the Zulu.  His first expedition against Shaka met with defeat at Gqokoli Hill in early 1818, and in April he sent his entire army into Zulu territory; Shaka for his part feigned retreat, drawing and exhausting the Ndwandwe deep into territory which he knew, and on the Mhlathuze River he defeated them decisively, routing the survivors, and breaking up the Ndwandwe as a kingdom; Zwide’s successor, Sikhunyane, would make an attempt to destroy the Zulu in 1826; his army was annihilated and the survivors taken into the Zulu ranks.   

Zwide, meanwhile, saw the threat Shaka posed and decided to attack and destroy the Zulu.  His first expedition against Shaka met with defeat at Gqokoli Hill in early 1818, and in April he sent his entire army into Zulu territory; Shaka for his part feigned retreat, drawing and exhausting the Ndwandwe deep into territory which he knew, and on the Mhlathuze River he defeated them decisively, routing the survivors, and breaking up the Ndwandwe as a kingdom; Zwide’s successor, Sikhunyane, would make an attempt to destroy the Zulu in 1826; his army was annihilated and the survivors taken into the Zulu ranks.   

No major rivals to Shaka were left during the ten years following his defeat of Ndwandwe.  Smaller chiefdoms were absorbed into the Zulu; those which submitted to Shaka became vassals; those whom he had conquered were completely destroyed, their cattle taken, and any survivors driven off as refugees to settle far from their homes.

No major rivals to Shaka were left during the ten years following his defeat of Ndwandwe.  Smaller chiefdoms were absorbed into the Zulu; those which submitted to Shaka became vassals; those whom he had conquered were completely destroyed, their cattle taken, and any survivors driven off as refugees to settle far from their homes.

==Militarism==

==Militarism==