Baskadia

In today's edition, I will profile one of the greatest African political and military figures of the 17th century, Shaka Zulu.

Shaka was one of the first African political and military leaders who were able to resist fiercely the European scramble for Africa at the beginning of the 17th Century.

The Zulu Army during the Anglo-Zulu War dealt a decisive blow to the British Army defeating it in the Battle of Islandlwana in 1879 which attracted the world's attention.

He was one of the most significant African political and military leaders in the 17th century.

Zulu, was a prominent African warrior and monarch who ruled the Zulu Kingdom in present-day South Africa during the early 19th century.

Born in 1787, he reigned from 1816 until he died in 1828.

Shaka is known for his military prowess and innovative military strategies, including the formation of disciplined regiments, the introduction of the short stabbing spear (assegai), and the development of the "buffalo horn" attack formation.

He expanded the Zulu Kingdom through numerous military campaigns and alliances, creating a centralized and powerful state.

Despite his military achievements, Shaka's reign was also marked by violence and brutality.

His methods of ruling, such as mass killings, strict control, and harsh punishments, have been subject to debate and controversy.

Nonetheless, Shaka remains a significant figure in Zulu history and has had a lasting impact on South Africa's cultural and historical legacy.

After Shaka was arrested by the British, he was not exiled.

Instead, he was held in captivity at Fort Napier in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

However, Shaka was eventually assassinated at the fort in 1828.

Origin of the Zulu People?

Today the Zulu are the largest Ethnic nationality in the Republic of South Africa with an estimated 10–12 million people, living mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal

The ancestors of the Zulu migrated from western Africa into southeastern Africa during the Bantu migrations from 2000 BC until the 15th century.

According to Zulu ancestral belief, the first Zulu patriarch was the son of a Nguni chief who lived in the Congo Basin of Central Africa.

@ Okoi Obono-Obla

Published by: Ettah Emmanuel O.

@naijablaseTv