Shaka Zulu's Legacy

Shaka Zulu was born in 1787 and was the son of a minor Zulu chief named Senzangakona while his mother Nandai was an orphaned princess which caused Shaka to be a humliated and discredited child. Since Shaka’s parents were part of the same clan their marriage violated Zulu customs which caused his parents to be separated and for Shaka Zulu and his mother to take refuge with his mother in the court of their current Zulu leader who lived in the Langeni clan. In 1802 the Langeni chased Shaka’s mother away and she found shelter with the Dletsheni a subclan of Mthethwa. When Shaka was 23 years Dingiswayo the Mthethwa paramount made Shaka and other Zulu men in his age group attend miltary service for the next six years which transformed Shaka

Like most Zulu armies they had oxhide shields and throwing spears. Shak decided to rearm his men with lon-bladed short-hafted stabbing assegais this unforutnaley this did force his men to fight closer to their enemy. Then Shaka institued the regimental system based on age groups, quartered at separate villages and distinguished by markings on shields and combinations of headdress and ornaments.

Shaka also devloped new standard tactics which were to be used in every battle. They were divided into four groups the strongest was called the chest which is when you pin down the enemy while two other warriors race out to encircle and attack from behind. When Shaka fought in battle he fought for the extermination of all his enemies in short Shaka took no prisoners literally. One of the greatest victories Shaka had is when he raided and destroyed the Langeni clan where sought out all the people who made his childhood a misery. In less in a year Shaka’s army had grown in numbers which allowed them to raid and defeat the only clans large enough to thereaten him which were Ndwandwe and Qwabe.
The Mfecane

When the warriors returned home they excepted their regular seasonal rest but instead Shaka sent them to raid the far north. It was too much for them to handle and many of them perished and died. Realizing that Shaka had completely lost it and their was no bringing him back to his senses something had to be done. So Shaka’s warriors came to the conclusion that the only way to prevent all of them from dying Shaka had to be killed. There were many attempts to kill Shaka but they all failed until finally Shakas two half brothers Dingane and Mhlangana as well as an induna named Mbopa succesfully murdered