**TODAY ONLY**

January 12

British-Zulu War Begins
On this day in 1879, the British-Zulu War began when British troops ~ under Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus ~ invaded Zululand from the southern African republic of Natal. Cast of Characters. The Boers. Boers, also known as Afrikaners, were the descendants of the original Dutch settlers who came to South Africa in the 17th century. The Zulus. Zulus, a migrant people from the north, came to southern Africa during the same century. They settled around the Tugela River region in Natal, South Africa. The Zulu kingdom first emerged early in the 19th century. The heart of the kingdom lay along the eastern seaboard of southern Africa, north of what is now Durban. It became a strong and economically self-reliant kingdom The British. British adventurers were attracted to the area, in search of trade and profit. And Then...? In 1838... the Boers, who were migrating north to escape the new British rule in the south, first came into armed conflict with the Zulus, who were under the rule of King Dingane. In 1840, the Boers managed to overthrow Dingane. They replaced him with his son Mpande, who was controlled by the new Boer republic of Natal.	The British Kept Coming... By the 1840s, a British colony ~ Natal ~ emerged on the southern borders of Zululand. In 1843, the British took over Natal and Zululand. By the 1870s, the British adopted a policy whose goal it was to bring the various British colonies, Boer republics and independent African groups under common control. In 1872, King Mpande died. He was succeeded by his son Cetshwayo kaMpande. King Cetshwayo kaMpande was determined to resist European control in his territory. In 1878, the British picked a quarrel with Cetshwayo kaMpande, in the belief that the Zulu army ~ armed mostly with shields and spears ~ would quickly collapse in the face of British Imperial might. Cetshwayo rejected the British demand that he disband his troops. Spears in a Time of War. On This Day in 1879, British forces invaded Zululand to stop Cetshwayo's efforts. The British suffered massive casualties and defeat. Return of the British. The success exhausted the Zulu army. Cetshwayo was unable to mount a counter-offensive into Natal, which gave the British time to regroup. British troops were rushed to South Africa from all over the British Empire. On March 29, the tide turned in favor of the British at the Battle of Khambula. The defeat of the Zulus' forces broke the spirit of the Zulu, and proved to be the turning point of the war. By July, Ulundi was put to the torch, and King Cetshwayo fled. He was eventually captured and sent into exile at Cape Town.	King Cetshwayo, ruler of the Zulu Nation 1873 to 1883. Cetshwayo refused to bow to the demands of the British, and lead the Zulu nation against the British during the Anglo-Zulu War. More Destruction. The British divided his country up among thirteen pro-British chiefs ~ a deliberately divisive move that led to a decade of destructive civil war. Epic. The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 remains one of the most dramatic in both British and southern African history, and has been immortalized in at least two feature films: *Zulu* and Zulu Dawn. Link for More. History of the Anglo-Zulu War. Journals of the war.

TODAY ONLY

January 12

British-Zulu War Begins

On this day in 1879, the British-Zulu War began when British troops ~ under Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus ~ invaded Zululand from the southern African republic of Natal.

Cast of Characters.

The Boers. Boers, also known as Afrikaners, were the descendants of the original Dutch settlers who came to South Africa in the 17th century.

The Zulus. Zulus, a migrant people from the north, came to southern Africa during the same century. They settled around the Tugela River region in Natal, South Africa. The Zulu kingdom first emerged early in the 19th century. The heart of the kingdom lay along the eastern seaboard of southern Africa, north of what is now Durban. It became a strong and economically self-reliant kingdom

The British. British adventurers were attracted to the area, in search of trade and profit.

And Then...?

In 1838... the Boers, who were migrating north to escape the new British rule in the south, first came into armed conflict with the Zulus, who were under the rule of King Dingane.

In 1840, the Boers managed to overthrow Dingane. They replaced him with his son Mpande, who was controlled by the new Boer republic of Natal.

The British Kept Coming...

By the 1840s, a British colony ~ Natal ~ emerged on the southern borders of Zululand.

In 1843, the British took over Natal and Zululand.

By the 1870s, the British adopted a policy whose goal it was to bring the various British colonies, Boer republics and independent African groups under common control.

In 1872, King Mpande died. He was succeeded by his son Cetshwayo kaMpande. King Cetshwayo kaMpande was determined to resist European control in his territory.

In 1878, the British picked a quarrel with Cetshwayo kaMpande, in the belief that the Zulu army ~ armed mostly with shields and spears ~ would quickly collapse in the face of British Imperial might. Cetshwayo rejected the British demand that he disband his troops.

Spears in a Time of War.

On This Day in 1879, British forces invaded Zululand to stop Cetshwayo's efforts. The British suffered massive casualties and defeat.

Return of the British. The success exhausted the Zulu army. Cetshwayo was unable to mount a counter-offensive into Natal, which gave the British time to regroup. British troops were rushed to South Africa from all over the British Empire.

On March 29, the tide turned in favor of the British at the Battle of Khambula. The defeat of the Zulus' forces broke the spirit of the Zulu, and proved to be the turning point of the war.

By July, Ulundi was put to the torch, and King Cetshwayo fled. He was eventually captured and sent into exile at Cape Town.

King Cetshwayo, ruler of the Zulu Nation 1873 to 1883. Cetshwayo refused to bow to the demands of the British, and lead the Zulu nation against the British during the Anglo-Zulu War.

More Destruction. The British divided his country up among thirteen pro-British chiefs ~ a deliberately divisive move that led to a decade of destructive civil war.

Epic. The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 remains one of the most dramatic in both British and southern African history, and has been immortalized in at least two feature films: Zulu and Zulu Dawn.

Link for More.

History of the Anglo-Zulu War.

Journals of the war.