During the 18th and 19th centuries, the British empire was ‘one on which the sun never set’. It extended across continents, and comprised an enormous expanse of land, including India.
Control of this vast territory did not come easy, and they faced resistance and revolt in nearly every settlement they established.
The scene was no different in Africa, one of the biggest British colonies. A colonial outpost Natal in southern Africa bordered an independent Zulu kingdom, home of the Zulus.
The Anglo-Zulu War, fought in 1879, was a clash between a colonial giant seeking to expand, and the Zulus, fighting to retain their independence.
The British, who wanted to create a kingdom of South Africa, sought to add Zululand, as it was called, to their conquests. They also required the Zulu people to work on the diamond mines in the region.
Cetshwayo, the Zulu king did not submit to the colonisers, and border skirmishes with Natal were threatening to escalate, so he put together a formidable army.
In December 1878, an ultimatum was issued to the Zulus - they were to dismantle their military forces, and pay for the damages caused by earlier conflicts.
As expected, this was not met and the British had their excuse to invade.
Come January and their forces under Lord Chelmsford were making their way into Zululand.
The initial strategy of the Zulus was to stay on the defensive, and come to a settlement with the opposition. However on a particular day when the British base at Isandlwana was left without an encampment, the Zulus charged and secured an emphatic victory.
But later the same day, an attempt to take over a British depot was thwarted and the Zulus lost hundreds of men.
When news of the massive loss at Iswandlwana reached Britain, a government which was earlier unwilling to wade into a conflict in yet another region, now launched a full-scale campaign.
Over the course of the next few months, both sides alternately took the lead in the continuing battles, but as the war progressed the momentum shifted to the British side.
After a series of defeats including heavy ones at Kambula and Gingindlovu, the battle moved to the royal villages of Ulundi, where Cetshwayo’s home was located. Fierce fighting followed, and the Zulus were crushed, and the king himself was captured.
Zululand was slowly integrated with the rest of the British territory in southern Africa, and yet another independent kingdom fell, as part of the colonial quest for world domination.
Name the powerful king who is credited with the formation of the Zulu kingdom. Send in your answers to kavya.rm@thehindu.co.in (Subject: Zulu), with your name and details.
Last week’s answer: Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Sanjay Kumar, class X, Maruthi Vidyalaya ICSE, Bangalore is among those who sent in the right answer. Congratulations!
