The Gaza Empire (1824–1895) was an African empire established by general Soshangane and was located in southeastern Africa in the area of southern Mozambique and southeastern Zimbabwe . The Gaza Empire, at its height in the 1860s, covered all of Mozambique between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, known as Gazaland .
135-753: Soshangana Ka Gasa Zikode ( c. 1780 – c. 1858 ), born Soshangana Nxumalo , was the Founder and the Monarch of the Gaza Empire , which at the height of its power stretched from the Limpopo river in southern Mozambique up to the Zambezi river in the north. Soshangana ruled over the Gaza state from 1825 until his death in 1858. Soshangana was also known by the name of Manukosi . Soshangane
270-536: A White man, but, what is more, marked, so far as we know, the first meeting between the English and ‘Nguni’ races on detailed record”. He was not heard of again until years later when he emerged as the conqueror of the tribes of Portuguese East Africa and the potentate of the Shangana empire”. Their migration could have taken place hardly later than the year 1821 and may have been a season earlier (1820). Here Soshangana
405-515: A direct family link between Zwide kaLanga and Soshangane kaZikode of the Nxumalo people). Dingiswayo's Mthethwa family line is stated by Muzi Mthethwa (1995) as follows: We first hear of Godongwana during the wanderings of Nandi and her illegitimate son Shaka , who settled with the Mthethwa under King Jobe. Godongwana and his brother, Tana, plotted against their father Jobe, but their plot
540-534: A drift between Dingiswayo and Ndwandwe because he was also aiming for that territory. Due to bitterness, Zwide kaNdwandwe attacked Nxumalo who happened to have had an alliance with Dingiswayo, as a result, Dingiswayo no longer regarded this as just a clash but rather a personal vendetta. In response to the attack of Zwide on Nxumalo, Dingiswayo in late 1810 set out a major attack on Ndwandwe which resulted to Dingiswayo being killed after being captured by Ndwandwe. Various innovations had transpired, and they are linked with
675-407: A host of other smaller states, communities and clans. The subordinate states recognised the control of the overall central ruler in issues pertaining to state rituals and initiation rites, payment of tributes and waging of war. They however enjoyed considerable autonomy in their day-to-day affairs. The Ndwandwe state came into prominence in the middle of the eighteenth century. The people that made up
810-610: A number of magicians and medicine men to build up and spread news of his power throughout the neighbouring communities. He also made use of his diplomatic marriages to cement relationships with other states in the region. His sister married Dingiswayo the Mthethwa ruler, while his daughter Thandiwe married Sobhuza, the Swazi king and Mashobana the Khumalo ruler. However, Zwide was astute enough not to allow such dynastic alliances to stand in
945-459: A remarkable transformative social order. This revolution was done through the reign of five leaders namely: Chief Dingiswayo (c. 1800-1818), Dingiswayo is regarded as the foundation layer of this revolution as mentioned above, he played a crucial role in what was then the Zululand with different started clan. His shoes were filled by the well-endowed King Shaka kaSenzangakhona (1816-1828) who formed
1080-538: A short engagement. Five of Zwide‘s son `Nomahlanjana, Mbejwa, Sixobana, Nombengula and Dayingubo perished in the battle field. Nomahlanjana was Zwide‘s heir. Zwide with his two remaining sons Sikhunyana and Somaphungu and two daughters Thandile and Fikile managed to escape northwards to the present Mpumalanga Province and settled along the Nkomati River . His two daughters were later married to Sobuza I. Thandile gave birth to Mzamose and Mavuso II, while Fikile‘s son
1215-651: A strong on the Shangaans (Gaza Nguni), just as the Ndebele took over the Mlimo concept from their Shona vassals (Warhurst, 1966:48). For the Shona, the growth of the Gaza state represented the latest in a series of far-flung empires that had engulfed their communities over the centuries. Soshangane largely usurped the role of his Rozwi predecessors rather than establishing a new political system. (Elkiss, 1981:66). The Gaza rule
1350-580: A while, before migrating to the North (Rozviland), near present-day Bulawayo. He defeated the Vashona. He later left for Manyikaland in the North east where he met Soshangane again in the early 1830s. They fled from Soshangane and Zwangendaba crossed the Zambezi river in 1835, after they split with Soshangane's young brother Mhlabawadabuka in 1834. Mhlabawadabuka remained in the Zambezi area. Mhlabawadabuka means
1485-408: A widespread use of magical and religious influence. For example, Zwide made use of a large number of magicians and medicine men to build up and spread news of his power throughout the neighbouring communities. He also made use of diplomatic marriages to cement relationships with some of the other states in the region. His sister married Dingiswayo, the Mthethwa ruler, while his daughters married Sobhuza,
SECTION 10
#17327826740711620-585: Is being mentioned about Chief Dingiswayo, besides being a father figure to King Shaka hence the need for such research to be done to give a full detailed record of the impact that he had. Upon his father's death, he returned to Oyengweni his tribal home to claim the Kingship. He found his brother Mawewe in power. He displaced him without resistance. Mawewe fled but was lured back and killed. Captain Goddard Edward Donovan and Dr Andrew Cowan of
1755-477: Is now South Africa . One Nguni chief, Nxaba , established a short-lived kingdom inland from Sofala , but in 1837 he was defeated by Soshangane , a powerful Nguni rival. Eventually Soshangane established his capital in the highlands of the middle Sabi River in what is present day Zimbabwe. Soshangane named his empire "Gaza" after his grandfather. Soshangane died in 1856 and there was a bitter struggle for power between his sons Mawewe and Mzila . With help from
1890-581: Is one of a number of prominent figures that rose to prominence during the Mfecane . The empire under Soshangane is credited for destroying Portuguese trading posts thus putting an end to slave trading that has been taking place before the arrival of the Nxumalo Ngunis. The following events of the time were recorded: a) 22nd -27 October 1833 warriors of Gaza forced captain D A Riberiro and his men at Fort Espirito, Lourenco Marques, to evacuate and flee to
2025-693: Is titled “The Angoni” as it is not only focused on the Sothern Africa region but the entire Africa, making mention of the tribes that also had an encounter with the Portuguese traders like Amambo which settled by the Zambezi River before the Xhosa arrived. Chanaiwa, D.S. (1980) refers to the state formation as a “revolution”, he states that it was a violent encounter that overthrew the normal or rather “used to” traditional political system and made
2160-411: Is where he changed his name to Dingiswayo which means the exile one. This experience of being exiled one can argue that it is because of its stress, pressure, and anger that molded his transformation, while others can say passion and love for his nation is what urged him. However, both these theories make sense as evidence has made it evident that he saw himself as the leader of the Mthethwa long before it
2295-552: The 83rd Regiment who were exploring a Southern approach to the African interior and were possibly murdered by chief Phakathwayo, and Dingiswayo subsequently acquired Cowan's horse and gun. Dingiswayo's new military tactics were an adoption of western techniques of drills and formation movements under a chain of command. With Shaka as his general, he attacked the Amangwane under Matiwane in about 1812 and drove them across
2430-708: The Buffalo river . It was the first of the Mfecane migrations – tribes displaced, latterly by the Zulus, and who in turn displaced others in a series of internecine wars. Dingiswayo combined several smaller tribes to oppose his chief rival to the north, Chief Zwide of the Ndwandwe . In 1816 Shaka returned to the Zulu to claim chieftainship, while still recognising the larger Mthethwa and Dingiswayo as overlords. However, in
2565-747: The Soutpansberg Mountains in the Transvaal . In 1884 and 1885 European powers carved Africa into spheres of influence at the Berlin West Africa Conference . As a result of this scramble for Africa by the European States, the territory of the Gaza Empire was designated as Portuguese territory. Gungunyana fiercely resisted the encroachment of the Portuguese but was eventually defeated. Gungunyana
2700-547: The Zulu Civil War . Dingiswayo's career marked a watershed in the history of south-east Africa. During his exile, he was exposed to European ideas and he put these into practice to produce a disciplined and highly organised army for the first time in the region. After his death, Shaka extended these ideas to create a rigidly disciplined society to complement Dingiswayo's military reforms. '''' Origins and transformation.''''''' The study by Argely J. (1977) examined
2835-572: The smallpox epidemic in which he lost many of his warriors, Soshangane and his followers returned to their earlier home, Bileni in the Limpopo valley, leaving his son Mzila to place the area north of the Zambezi under his tribute. He stayed at Musapa for about three years. By the time that Soshangana returned to settle in the Limpopo valley, he had brought not only all the Tsonga chiefdoms of the interior under his control, but he had also subjected many of
SECTION 20
#17327826740712970-627: The AmaZulu Kingdom had been a success because of its prominent leaders as stated above, those leaders include Chief Dingiswayo, a man that had a huge influence on the formation of the kingdom directly and indirectly. His innovative and brilliant creations which became a legacy of the kingdom contributed to AmaZulu Kingdom being regarded as of the strongest and largest kingdoms in Africa under the leadership of King Shaka kaSenzangakhona (Mthethwa, A.M. 1995). These contributions not only did they build
3105-500: The AmaZulu Kingdom, continued with the revolution and most importantly he was the leader who led throughout the peak of the revolution. The legacy left by both Dingiswayo and Shaka was then continued by King Dingane (1828-1840) a brother of King Shaka and the first AmaZulu king to have an encounter with the European encroachment on the Zululand, he was then succeeded by his younger brother King Mpande (1840-1872), he did not only encounter
3240-537: The AmaZulu society profound of their society and it created it not to be a pastoralist capitalist conducive mode but rather a society that is characterised by private ownership opportunities. This was made evident by the headers (heads of the family) because they would have a place built in the center of the household, where all the ancestral practices would be performed (which are still being practiced even to date) and burials. The imbalance and inequality that were faced by
3375-582: The Amazulu, but Shaka, a clever general, tricked them. The Zulu army was small and weak, but Shaka knew that the Ndwandwe army did not carry food on its raids. When the Ndwandwe’s forces entered the Zulu kingdom, they found no food because the Zulu army had burnt or buried it. The Zulu army had also gone hiding- with all the kingdom’s cattle. One night, the Zulus attacked the Ndwandwe where they had set up camp in
3510-520: The Boers or the British but he was their vassal and this is what King Cetshwayo (1872-1884) was not in agreement with, as a result, this led to him being killed while he was fighting against British colonisation (Chanaiwa, D.S. 1980: 1-4). This revolution in question was caused by many factors which included innovation, the indigenous process of state formation, crisis resolution, and value orientation. In
3645-584: The Europeans, primarily the Portuguese. After the death of Soshangane around 1856, Soshangane's empire was embroiled in succession disputes between his sons Mzila and Mawewe. The final ruler of Gaza kingdom was Soshangane's grandson Mdungazwe kaMzila who in 1895 was embroiled in war against the Chopi people and later defeated by the once tributary Portuguese leading the Nguni Gaza empire into decline. Soshangane
3780-701: The Gasa/Gaza kingdom were separated. The conquered Ndau, Vakhosa, and Vahlave peoples were regimented under the Mavulandlela regiment and taught Nguni/Ndwandwe battle tactics. Many of the subjugated peoples (including the Ndau, Shona, Nguni, and Tsonga) were incorporated into the Gaza empire. This created a conflict between the Shangaan tribe and the long-existing Tsonga people, where the Gaza Shangaan empire
3915-468: The Gaza Empire in their land. The book also features descriptive interviews from people about those times, and it gives a clear overview of how the Gaza Kingdom was used as a vassal (or proxy) by foreign European governments in order to destabilize the region and to control it for its resources and slaves. With the oppression that the enslaved and exploited people suffered, it was this cause that led to
4050-459: The Gaza Kingdom was markedly different from the Ndebele kingdom after 1850. Mzilikazi’s sons were known by some of the European visitors but they do not record any political activity. Portuguese records on the Gaza Nguni, especially those from Sofala , are very explicit on this point. So called court officials (i.e. those belonging to the house of the king and those of his ancestors) one of whom
4185-481: The Gaza army and the Ndau lost a high proportion of their men in this way. The Gaza intermarried with the local people, but were less successful in imposing their language on them as the Ndebele were doing in Matabeleland. Influence was not one way traffic. Whilst the local people learned much about from the Gaza, Zulu military technique, for instance, they in turn influenced the dominant group. Ndau beliefs took on
Soshangane - Misplaced Pages Continue
4320-559: The Gaza or Shangana Empire, which extended from just north of Delagoa Bay (Maputo), up the East Coast, as far as the Zambesi and Limpopo valleys; g) In his victorious progress he annihilated or drove into the sea all the Portuguese in his path, and it was he who destroyed Van Rensburg’s party of Voortrekkers on the south bank of the Limpopo (Shaka Zulu, 1955:152). h)In 1840s - 50s the Portuguese of Delegoa Bay, Inhambane, Sena districts and
4455-600: The Hlengwe bush to Zoutpansberg (Albasin, unpublished book, 1988); l) As the recognition of the Gaza kingdom Z.A.R granted Joao Albasin the area along the south of Levuvu River, stretching from Elim to the Mozambique border today, as the reserve for his many thousands Shangaans. It was officially known as the Knobneusen Location. Only Shangaans were allowed to settle in this area, with the exception of Davhane,
4590-478: The Jele tribe. The greatest task of building the Ndwandwe confederacy fell on Zwide who came to the throne in 1790. He proceeded to build on foundations laid by his grandfather and father by making use of old customs and practices. He reached the peak of his rule at the same time as Dingiswayo of the neighbouring and rival Mthethwa Confederacy. Zwide made use of magical and religious influence, for example he made use of
4725-458: The King’s council (Newitt, 1973: 297). The regimental structure was superficially similar to that of the Zulu. Some twenty–four age sets of regiments were formed during the existence of the state. They maintained an age–regiment system less tightly controlled than that of the Zulu, and dominated their subjects’ peoples under an elaborate hierarchical structure of status groups graded by lineages, in which
4860-556: The Lebombo Mountains and the Zoutpansberg was situated on the edge of the area from which of Gaza Kingdom took tribute (Newitt, 1995:293). In 1840s both Barue and Manica had been brought to acknowledge the overrule of Gaza king, Soahangana. Like other Nguni states, the Gaza Kingdom had centrally controlled and administered nucleus and a much larger “penumbra’ of territory where tribute was collected and Gaza overlordship
4995-601: The Limpopo River around Mandlakazi . The rise of the Gaza Kingdom was based primarily on military conquests, particularly of the Vahlengwe, Vadjonga, Vahlave and Ndau peoples, who would be absorbed into the Nguni Gaza Kingdom. Soshangane then began a campaign to create a new language and culture named after himself. This began primarily with the formation of a regimented system in which different classes of
5130-410: The Mavulandlela (i.e. those who sweep the road clean) and sent them ahead of his armies to remove all obstacles from the road. These young men were organised into regiments and used as advance guards during his marches (Junod, 1938). Soshangane incorporated later waves of refugees from the Zulu kingdom and maintains a tight regimental system, succeeded in dominating Mozambique, Transvaal as far as north as
5265-460: The Mozambican coast. In 1727, they founded a trading post at Inhambane , on the southern coast, and in 1781 they permanently occupied Delagoa Bay . However, Soshangane's army overran these Portuguese settlements during the time of the Gaza Empire. The empire under Soshangane has been criticized for involvement in the slave trade between the year 1830 and 1897, and human rights violations over
5400-588: The Mthethwas are descended from the Nguni peoples of northern Natal and the Lubombo Mountains , whose modern identity dates back some 700 years. Dingiswayo's lineage can be traced back to Mthethwa the first. It is possible that Dingiswayo and Zwide kaLanga shared the same lineage through Xaba KaMadungu. Zwide was the king of the Ndwandwe, Khumalo, Msene, and Jele peoples. (There does not appear to be
5535-516: The Ndau (Vandau) and Manyika (Vamanyika). Some Gazan Nguni lived in various Manyika regions in Zimbabwe, like the Zindi, Samanga, Nyamhuka, Karombe and Murahwa. Soshangane then began to carve out a Nguni empire of conquest known as the Gaza Empire (or Gasa), named after his grandfather Gasa KaLanga, which would later significantly expand to cover areas over present day southern Mozambique, and parts of
Soshangane - Misplaced Pages Continue
5670-483: The Ndwandwe in battle. They fought on the banks of the Mhlathuzi River, and although the two armies were evenly matched, the Zulu triumphed. Zwide fled with the remnant of his followers, eventually settling in the upper Nkomati valley in the eastern Transvaal present day Mpumalanga Province. In 1826 Zwide’s successor, Sikhunyana, led an Ndwandwe force back to attack the Zulu, only for it to be utterly decimated in
5805-420: The Ndwandwe increased tremendously as they annexed several other communities to their own state, and their borders grew quite extensive. This made the Ndwandwe rulers the first Nguni rulers to control a large state from the various small communities in the region. In achieving this, they did not only make use of military force, they also exploited old institutions and adopted them to serve new purposes. For example,
5940-431: The Ndwandwe royal lineage had precedence over their Tsonga, Ndau and Tonga subjects (Devenport, 1987: 68). Soshangane using military tactics defeated most rivals and consolidated his control over the lands lying between the Zambezi and the Limpopo. In building his kingdom, Soshangane used the age–regiments system. The chiefs of conquered peoples were treated as vassal sub-chiefs. Young men were trained by military Indunas in
6075-420: The Ndwandwe rulers, made use of military regiments recruited through traditional initiation of males and females of the same age group. It is likely that Zwide and his predecessors were among the first Nguni rulers to see some political significance in the practice of coordinating circumcision and initiation rites on a state–wide basis. These ceremonies were henceforth organised from the centre and youths from all
6210-510: The Ndwandwe tribe along the Mfolozi River very strong. In the same year, 1818, war broke out between the Ndwandwe tribe and the Mthethwa tribe. In that war Zwide ambushed Dingiswayo and killed him, after which he defeated the Mthethwa tribe. After capturing and killing Dingiswayo, Zwide sent his messengers to Shaka, asking Shaka to pledge his allegiance to him. “Now that I have removed your head” Zwide had boasted, “why don’t you just bring
6345-540: The Ndwandwe-Nxumalo throne following the death of his father Langa KaXaba . Three powerful chiefdoms emerged in the series of wars that engulfed the Nguni states. The first was the Ndwandwe confederacy under Zwide , the second was the Swazi state ruled by Sobhuza I , while the third was the Mthethwa confederacy ruled by Dingiswayo . The three large states were ruled by paramount Chiefs who exacted tributes from
6480-465: The Nguni group who fled away from Shaka Zulu the king of the Zulu nation in the 1820s. Soshangana / Manukuza and his group decided not to become incorporated into the Zulu Kingdom after the Ndwandwe king Zwide, whose subject suffered a defeat. In 1819 Zwide was the ruler of the royal house of Ndwandwe, while Soshangana was Ndwandwe military commander and the leader of the Gaza branch. The Gaza branch
6615-494: The Nguni subjects address their Paramount Chief, in praise singing, they would say: Wena we Ndlovu! Wena we Ndlovu! Wena we Ndlovu! Bayethe! Bayethe! Bayethe! In the case of Ndwandwe subjects addressing their Paramount Chief, they will say Ndwandwe! and the respond would be Nxumalo! Nxumalo Zwide was born around 1750s. He was the son of chief Langa of the Ndwandwe clan. His mother was Ntombazi. Zwide‘s generals of war were Soshangana, Mzilikazi Khumalo, Nxaba Msene, and Zwangendaba of
6750-630: The Nhlapo Commission was rejected in 2012. Claims of the kingdom's authority over the Tsonga people of South Africa have also been rejected by Tsonga traditional leaders in South Africa. 21°11′45″S 32°44′43″E / 21.195898°S 32.745166°E / -21.195898; 32.745166 Dingiswayo Dingiswayo ( Zulu pronunciation: [diŋɡisʷaːjo] ) ( c. 1760 – 1817) (born Godongwana )
6885-419: The Portuguese at Delagoa Bay, Inhambane and Sofala, and demanded levy from all travellers passing through their territory e.g. before and after Arabs, Traders, British, Portuguese, Voortekkers and missionaries. All had to pay toll before being allowed to pass through the Gaza kingdom (Albasin, unpublished book, 1988); k) Even the young Joao Albasin paid the required tariff to Soshangana on his first journey through
SECTION 50
#17327826740717020-474: The Portuguese captain and all inhabitants, except 10 of the Inhambane settlement were destroyed (Bryant, 1929: 455); e) October 1836 : military command at Sofala, J N Da Costa and a whole garrison, rallied against Gaza and subsequently the garrison was wiped out ( Bryant ,1929: 455); f) Soshangana even commanded the Portuguese to recognize him as their king to whom they had to pay taxes. g) Soshangane formed
7155-474: The Portuguese, Mzila eventually gained power in 1861 and ruled until 1884. Soshangane's grandson, Gungunyana , took over the Gaza Empire from his father Mzila and moved the capital southward to Manjakazi , putting him in closer proximity with the Portuguese. With the prolonged drought, the rise of Gaza, the dominance of the slave trade , and the expansion of Portuguese control in the Zambezi Valley,
7290-657: The Sabi, and the Ndau language, a Shona dialect, contains a wealth of Zulu words inherited from the Gaza Ngunis. The conquered peoples who were not Shona included the Chopi, Thonga/Tsonga the Hlengwe and the Ronga however many separate tribes among these remained unconquered and many fled to other parts where they re-established their independence. The term ‘Shangaan’ which properly relates to the conquerors themselves, include all of those who were conquered. They contributed manpower to
7425-611: The Swazi king, and Mashobana, the Khumalo ruler and father to Mzilikazi , the king of the Ndebele. The source and stream of the Ndwandwe/ Nxumalo royalty is steeped right at the beginning of the Nguni people, and the very first Nguni, Chief Ndlovu. Chief Ndlovu ‘s Chiefdom is believed to have started around the year 800-920 A.D., when he broke off from his own group, the Bantu, ‘’Batho’ or the ‘’Ntu’’. The Bantu people divided up into Tswana and Nguni streams. The Nguni left behind
7560-556: The Tembe and thereafter, Soshangana defeated almost all the Ronga clans of the vicinity of Delagoa Bay without encountering any resistance and raided their cattle. Their young women were taken captive and the defeated young men were taken up in his army. His following was reinforced by many Ndwandwe refugees after the defeat of Sikhunyani by Shaka in 1826. Soshangana and his people stayed in the region of Delagoa Bay until 1828, when Soshangana defeated Shaka’s army. According to most traditions,
7695-452: The Tonga in the immediate neighbourhood of Inhambane. Having said that, the Gaza empire was known to be extensive and this couldn't have happened without the conquest of large populations of these groups. Soshangane left with his followers and his younger brother Mhlabawadabuka for the eastern Lebombo foothills, till they reached the vicinity of upper Tembe river. Around 1825 Soshangane entered
7830-471: The Tsonga learn the Zulu language. Young Tsonga men were assigned to the army as " Mavulandlela " (those who open the road). Soshangane also imposed Shaka Zulu 's military system of dominion and taught the people the Zulu ways of fighting. For centuries, the Nguni peoples are thought to have lived in scattered patrilineal chiefdoms, cultivating cereal crops such as millet and raising cattle. The current geographic distribution of Nguni peoples largely reflects
7965-453: The Tswana stream while proceeding south. Ndlovu was the greatest Chief in this part of the continent, in that he founded many nations. He became the father of many nations, the Xhosa, the Zulus, the Ndebele, Ngwane/Swazi, Ndwandwe (Shangana) Thonga, Ndawu, etc. All Nguni speaking tribes and nations, owe their identity and cultural heritage to this great Chief Ndlovu . In turn the Ndwandwe nation also owes their identity to their Chief Nxumalo. When
8100-524: The Zambezi River and extracting tribute from the Portuguese settlements at Lourenco Marques and Sofala and from the Portuguese forts and the prazos on the Zambezi. But Soshangane was less successful than the Swazi rulers in assimilating conquered peoples and developing durable political institutions. Beyond the core of his kingdom on the Sabi River , his power depended on the presence of his regiments, which could not be everywhere at once (Curtin & others, 1978:306-308). The Gaza settled in Ndau country, east of
8235-425: The Zambezi River on a yearly basis to collect taxes. Soshangana died in his residence near Chaimite (Shayimithi) on the lower Limpopo west of the present –day Chibuto where he was buried. (He died in 1858. He ruled the Gaza kingdom for 37 years: 1821-1858 (Liesegang, 1975:3). According to Bryant Soshangana‘s body /bones was taken to eTshaneni Mountain in Zululand where it was buried (Bryant, 1929: 45). The Gaza Kingdom
SECTION 60
#17327826740718370-459: The Zulu army, making it fit enough to fight battles for the benefit of the Mthethwa king (Dingiswayo), this was a successful plan for Dingiswayo because he had managed to still keep Shaka useful to his benefit, hence why (Annon 2017) uses these choices of words “while Shaka Zulu became the new king of the Zulu kingdom, he remained the vessel of Dingiswayo”. These Divide and conquer attacks started in ca. 1817, when Shaka attacked Mbatha’s palace while at
8505-402: The Zulu kingdom, killing many of the Amabutho as they slept. This forced the Ndwandwe to give up the attack and return home. Although the Amazulu had managed to repel the Ndwandwe, they had not defeated them. The Ndwandwe were still a threat to the neighbouring chiefdoms. The Zulus joined forces with their neighbours, and in 1819, the Amabutho under the command of Shaka were strong enough to meet
8640-407: The activities of the Gaza Empire during Nghunghunyane's time and it points out the cruel nature of the Ngunis against the Shona, Kalanga, and Tsonga people. The book, titled "Nghunghunyani Nqumayo: Rei de Gaza 1884-1895 e o desaparecimento do seu estado" details how the Gaza Kingdom raided for slaves to sell to the Portuguese and various plantations, and how the local people came to hate the presence of
8775-421: The area. Two groups, the Jere under Zwangendaba and the Ndwandwe (both later known as Nguni) under Soshangane, swept through Mozambique. Zwangendaba's group continued north across the Zambezi , settling to the west of contemporary Mozambique, but Soshangane's group crossed the Limpopo into southern. Another army, under the command of Dingane and Mhlangana , was sent by Shaka to deal with Soshangane, but
8910-420: The army suffered great hardship because of hunger and malaria , and Soshangane had no difficulty in driving them off, towards the end of 1828. During the whole of this turbulent period, from 1830 onwards, groups of Tsonga speakers moved southwards and defeated smaller groups. Despite their eviction from the highlands, the Portuguese gradually extended their control up the Zambezi Valley and north and south along
9045-498: The brother of Makhando, who had deserted his brother to seek sanctuary with Joao Albasin Albasin, unpublished book, 1988); Due to cordial relations between Soshangana and another significant force at the time, that of the Ngwane King Mswati II, Soshangana stabilized the tension by presenting in marriage two of his daughters, Mahambandle and Nomagaca( Van Der Merwe), The last years of Soshangana s’ reign were spent in stabilising and enforcing his power by sending his regiments out as far as
9180-454: The cattle less commoners are what drove this theme/ practice (value orientation) to be part of the revolution (state formation). In this way this approach by Dingiswayo was trying to do away with cattle private ownership and replace it with agrarian conquerors which meant that the commoners with no cattle were rewarded for their contribution to their clans either for bureaucratic elite, attracting new subjects or for value and loyalty. This practice
9315-440: The chiefs of Barue and Manica were paying tribute (Newitt: 287); i) The Manika Kingdom was defeated and the Portuguese were forced to abandon their trading settlements there (Moyana H & Sibanda M, 1999:20); j) The Manika chiefs paid 100 head of cattle as acknowledgement of Gaza overlordship (Newitt: 287); i) Sena and Tete were brought under Shangane control and forced to pay tax; j) During Soshangana‘s reign, they paid no homage to
9450-480: The country between Matsolo and Nkomati river where he found Zwangendaba Hlatswayo of the Jele clan, a former Ndwandwe subsidiary chief. They briefly formed an alliance, but due to Soshangane's ambition to establish his own kingdom this was short-lived. After trouble arose between Soshangane and his younger brother Mhlabawadabuka, Zwangendaba and his followers left for Vendaland, between Limpopo (Vembe) and Levubu (Ribvubye) rivers being joined by Mhlaba. They lived there for
9585-400: The course of an attempted invasion of Zwide's territory, Dingiswayo was captured and beheaded by Zwide at Ngome, near Nongoma . His possessions were buried in his kraal. Dingiswayo's grave is on the north bank of the Tugela River , in KheKheKhe 's kraal . The Mthethwa forces were defeated and scattered temporarily, with the remnants reforming under Shaka. Zwide was later defeated by Shaka in
9720-546: The fighting methods of their conquerors. Members of the Nguni people constituted a distinct class called the ba Ngoni. The newly incorporated group of people were distinctly known as the Ba Tshangane. The new recruits were segregated against in regiments of their own under ‘ba Ngoni’ officers. As time went on, the ba Tshangane came to identify with their conquers and took pride in their loyalty to their king (Moyana H &Sibanda M, 1999:21). In order to govern more effectively,
9855-511: The historic battle with Shaka’s forces, which confirmed Soshangana’s independence, took place at Bileni . It appears it was a few years after the retreat of the Zulu that Zwangendaba returned from the north and joined Soshangana. After two years together, mutual jealousies arose, and Zwangendaba was forced to begin the march and was to take the Ngoni through Zimbabwe , and ultimately into Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania. From 1827 to 1835-6 his residence
9990-420: The indigenous peoples of Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The Shangaan tribe has recently also been accused of enforcing tribalism over the Tsonga people of South Africa. After the death of Soshangane in 1856, his sons fought over being his successor. He had left the throne to Mzila, but Mawewe felt that he should be emperor instead. Mawewe attacked Mzila and his followers, causing them to leave Mozambique and flee to
10125-446: The innovations that Dingiswayo had implemented in attempting to rejuvenate the kingdom as “theory put into practice” because while in exile Dingiswayo came across several re-establishing approaches that had a positive impact on him. These approaches pushed him to fulfill the vision he had about Oyengweni. The first task he gave himself, was to redefine the Mthethwa military army, he intended to blend education and military, and this approach
10260-417: The invaded palaces were taken to be under Shaka with men being incorporated in the military while women were placed in ezigodlweni (royal huts). However, with the eLangeni refugees, it was a different story because it is where Queen Nandi (Shaka’s mother) was biologically from. They were sent to the Mthethwa kingdom where they were given land for them to be able to sustain themselves. This act of giving them land
10395-401: The island Shefina (Bryant, 1929: 455); b) In 1828 warriors of Gaza defeated a Zulu army shortly before the assassination of Shaka, when it was still extremely difficult to resist Zulu military power (Dencoon, 1972: 37); c) 28 October 1833 warriors of Gaza destroyed the fort completely and put an end to slave trading that was taking place before his arrival. ( Bryant, 1929: 455); d) 3 November 1834
10530-417: The kind of a leader he wanted him to be through the role of being induna yezicwe. Secondly, he appointed Ngomane kaNqomboli (whose role has been discussed above) to be his father and advisor and lastly, he sent one of his wife’s Gudayi and other agents to be under Shaka’s chiefdom who at a later stage became a kingdom (Nxumalo, S. 2024:15-17). Through his military innovations and skills, Shaka was able to reform
10665-417: The kingdom, but they were the guidance of the traditional way of life of the AmaZulu kingdom, drawing from the coronation ceremonies of the kings that had reigned after him to the way of life they had lived. Although we are living in a modern 21st century but these ways of life are still embodied and embraced by the Zulu tribe. However, when studies are being conducted about the rise of the AmaZulu kingdom little
10800-429: The leaders of the military and war before, therefore with this new strategy, they were being undermined and made to be seen as powerless. Another issue that was raised, was doing away with the circumcision cultural practice and replacing it with military training, Dingiswayo believed that circumcision allowed his regiments to get proper training and guidance into manhood hence why he saw the need to abolish this practice. It
10935-440: The local peasantry. Intermarriage with conquered Rhonga, Tonga and Chopi to expand their numbers diluted the Nguni ethnic distinctiveness. The Nguni overlords tried to offset the loss of homogeneity by requiring their subjects to adopt their customs, such as pierced earlobes. Not since the times of Mwene Mutapa dominance had a foreign invader overrun and subdued so much of the country below the Zambezi (Henriksen, 1978:77). The core of
11070-462: The normal way. However, Chief Dingiswayo employed a different process. Firstly, for him to get the Sokhulu chiefdom under his kingdom, he appointed Nqoboko kaLanga to be the chief of the Sokhulu, this meant that Nqoboko had to remain loyal and reliant to the Mthethwa in a way that his father was not. Moreover, they had to frequently report to Oyengweni (the capital of Chief Dingiswayo), and also Nqoboko
11205-555: The north and established cattle-owning military states along the edges of the Mozambican highlands. Although not within the borders of modern-day Mozambique, these military states nonetheless served as effective bases for raids into Mozambique. Soshangane extended his control over the area between the Komati ( Incomati ) and the Zambezi rivers, incorporating the local Tsonga and Shona peoples into his Kingdom. The waves of armed groups disrupted both trade and day-to-day production throughout
11340-482: The on coming rage of the Zulu king, they took a route along the eastern foot hills of Lubombo through Mngomezulu country to the upper Ntembe River vicinity where Captain W. Owen found them in 1822. From their meeting between Soshangana and Captain Owen, said Bryant: “This interview possesses for us here an especial historical interest – it was not only the first occasion on which these particular”‘ Ngunisi’ had ever beheld
11475-428: The once-mighty African chieftaincies of the Zambezi region declined. In their place, valley warlords established fortified strongholds at the confluence of the major rivers, where they raised private armies and raided for slaves in the interior. The most powerful of these warlords was Manuel António de Sousa , also known as Gouveia, a settler from Portuguese India , who by the middle of the 19th century controlled most of
11610-552: The one who split the land, which led to the totem (Kwamulanyika). By 1825 Nxaba Msane, another former Ndwandwe general and subsidiary chief had entered central Mozambique, in the Sofala province. He ruled Sofala undisturbed for about 10 years, between 1825 and 1835. It was only in 1835 when he was removed by Soshangane. Nxaba left Sofala for Zambia. After defeating Nxaba, Soshangane lived for a while in Musapa in Zimbabwe, where he conquered
11745-458: The origins of the prominent men in the history of the AmaZulu kingdom, both Dingiswayo and Shaka. However, for the benefit of this study, it is used to look into Chief Dingiswayo who according to Annon (2019) it is the “Paramount Chief of the Mthethwa”, he was not only the leader of his people but he was a leader of various northern Nguni tribe and this was before the rise of King Shaka and also it
11880-435: The outlying areas (Newitt:, 1973: 287). Soshangana handed over determined areas or chiefdoms to his sons and other close relatives. The subjects and the envoys of the chiefs would first go to these men when they had a problem which the king had to decide upon. This gave his sons, especially the older ones who could take part in discussions, political experience, a certain standing and a number of loyal followers. In this respect
12015-507: The patrimony of the Gaza Monarchy was distributed. Mention must be made that armed tax collecting parties representing these “houses”, periodically visited the outlying areas (Newitt:, 1973: 287). chieftains were affiliated to one or other of the great aristocratic “houses” among which the patrimony of the Gaza Monarchy was distributed. Mention must be made that armed tax collecting parties representing these “houses”, periodically visited
12150-480: The peoples in whose territory they ultimately settled. The Gaza Kingdom comprised parts of what are now southeastern Zimbabwe , as well as extending from the Sabi River down to the southern part of Mozambique, covering parts of the current provinces of Sofala , Manica , Inhambane , Gaza and Maputo , and neighbouring parts of South Africa. Within the area encompassed by the Gaza Empire, Nguni armies invaded
12285-425: The period of Chief Dingiswayo’s leadership had drastic social changes to it, which included the expansion of the Zulu authority to the larger Zululand, and this resulted in several chiefs in the region being subordinates of Dingiswayo and later Shaka. Under the leadership of King Shaka this had negative effects as it was one of the causes of Mfecane which resulted to a number of clans and other ethnic groups migrating to
12420-427: The period of state formation where a large number of men and women had to be placed in different groups, specifically military for men. Many scholars like Chanaiwa, Thompson, and others are against some of the innovations that Dingiswayo had implemented because they believe that they were meant to weaken other chiefdoms, however, this section will outline the intentions of the innovations. Mthethwa, A.M. (1995) refers to
12555-573: The rebellion and war that finally led to a collaboration to destroy the hegemony of the Gaza Empire. Gaza Empire In the 1820s, during a period of severe drought, after the abolition of slavery caused the Great Trek , Nguni armies, Southern (Xhosa) and especially Northern Nguni (Zulu, Swazi, Shangani, Gaza, Matabele or Ndebele, and Ngoni) people who spoke related Bantu languages and inhabited southeast Africa from Cape Colony to southern Mozambique , began to migrate to Mozambique from what
12690-501: The regiments of Soshangana’s army, the women taken as wives and beasts as provisions. This incorporation brought into existence the Gaza Empire, which Soshangana named after his grand father Gaza. This group (Shangani) derive their name from his name Soshangana. On the Save River (Sabie) Soshangana chastised the Shona (Karanga) peoples following his settling there in 1836. It is here where Bryant through his research, established that
12825-404: The royal customs of isihlalo Shaka as the firstborn was the heir (Argyle, J. 1977). However, from the occurrence of events, it is evident that the reason behind Dingiswayo supporting Shaka was for the benefit of his nation (the Mthethwa kingdom). He wanted to make sure that the Mthethwa ruling lineage was well represented in the Zulu royal court, hence why he firstly, groomed and mentored Shaka to be
12960-509: The ruling lineage devised a system of territorial apanages under royal siblings, which increased steadily and were re-divided after a civil conflict on the death of Soshangane in 1858, when Mzila beat his brother Mawewe for the succession (Devenport, 1987: 68 &, 1966:-59). The regiments of the Gaza kingdom were not stationed in barracks and did not have their own headquarters or stocks of cattle. Their defeated young men were conscripted into Soshangane army. Many of them were recruited from among
13095-470: The same time Dingiswayo attacked Ntshalini. These attacks started as a raid (raids); however, they ended up being massacred, and whoever was an obstacle in their raids was brutally removed (Gluman, M. 1940). These invasions continued with eLangeni (the Mhlongo palace) under Njomane, followed by a section of Mtungwa and Shenge together with Qungubeni palaces being attacked (Nxumalo, S. 2024:17). Men and women of
13230-765: The southern Zambezi Valley and a huge swath of land to its south. North of the Zambezi, Islamic slave traders rose to power from their base in Angoche , and the Yao chiefs of the north migrated south to the highlands along the Shire River , where they established their military power. The Shangaan descend from Nguni speakers ( Swazi and Zulu ), Tsonga speakers (including the Ronga ), and others ( Ndau , Shona and Chopi ), many of whom Soshangane conquered and subjugated. Soshangane insisted that Nguni customs be adopted, and that
13365-416: The state consisted of a number of aristocratic Nguni ‘houses’ associated with the past Gaza monarchs and their next of kin. These houses were endowed with the tribute from sections of the population. It was they who had the responsibility of collecting tribute and administering relations with subjects. The administrators of the houses were the most powerful of the Nguni aristocracy and had the right of attending
13500-740: The state originally migrated from the Thembe Kingdom in the interior of Delagoa Bay towards the end of 17th century. In the earlier years, the Ndwandwe occupied the whole northern part of Zululand, and more specifically, from the Pongola River in the north to the southern point of the Black Umfolozi and from Ngome in the north-west, eastward to St. Lucia Bay on the sea. The Ndwandwe rulers then embarked on an expansionist policy by subjugating and incorporating other smaller communities to their neighbourhood. The political authority of
13635-414: The territories under the Ndwandwe were made members of national age groups. In periods of war, these age groups were converted into military regiments. Apart from the military utility of the national age-group, they also served to weld different parts of the Ndwandwe confederacy together. In order to enhance their own authority and create an aura of invincibility round themselves, the Ndwandwe rulers relied on
13770-417: The turbulent political developments and population movements of the 19th century. In the 1820s the cattle-herding Zulu, led by their king Shaka, embarked on an aggressive campaign of conquest and expansion known as the mfecane . Shaka's large and well-armed armies conquered a number of neighboring peoples, and sent others fleeing. Some Nguni groups adopted the Zulu's methods of warfare and used them to subjugate
13905-427: The two Nguni leaders, Soshangana and Zwangendaba met, and fought each other for three or four days until eventually Zwangendaba fled via Venda to what later became known as Bulawayo , Zimbabwe, and even further north to Malawi and Tanganyika. Following this encounter, Soshangane settled somewhat further to the eastern side on the high lands of central Save. Before long it was once again discovered by Soshangana, that he
14040-495: The value orientation, sub-topic/section cattle were the key role players as they were used to determine the status and wealth of a man (household), and they were also used as a medium of exchange. The favourite cattle would be given a name, it would be trained to be able to identify its owner's voice and have poems made to give praise to it. This act symbolised the value that these cattle had on their owners. However, this cause had consequences, this culture of complex cattle culture made
14175-464: The way of his expansionist policy. Despite the fact that Sobhuza was his in-law, Zwide attacked his capital because Sobhuza laid claim to the fertile arable land of the Ndwandwe in the Pongola valley. The Ndwandwe army emerged victorious and expelled Sobhuza from Pongola, driving him and his followers in a northerly direction where Sobhuza later laid the foundation of the Swazi nation. By 1818, Zwide made
14310-442: The whole body before me, or I will toss the body into the river Thukela”. Shaka had been expecting this, but had summoned enough courage to reply to Zwide: “The body had two heads like the great river-snake Nkanyamba. You were just too foolish to see the other head”. Shaka immediately incorporated the Mthethwa with his own tribe and built a powerful army, but it was yet smaller than that of Ndwandwe. In 1818 Zwide sent his army to attack
14445-511: Was Ndwandwe. Zwide died in 1825 in the present Mpumalanga province. Soshangana’s real name was Manukuza II. He named himself Soshangana because ( Owa shingela imizana ya Bantu ). Bryant states that Soshangana Nxumalo was the son of Zikode Nxumalo the son of Gasa Nxumalo the originator of the branch and his mother was Ngubuviya Ntyayintyayi. It is claimed that Soshangana and his followers were an independent people since immemorial. According to Bryant, it could be stated without doubt that Soshangana
14580-522: Was a Mthethwa king, well known for his mentorship over a young Zulu general, Shaka kaSenzangakhona , who rose to become the greatest of the Zulu Kings . His father was the Mthethwa King, Jobe kaKayi . It was under King Dingiswayo that the Mthethwa rose to prominence, mostly employing diplomacy and assimilation of nearby chiefdoms to strengthen his power base. According to Mthethwa (1995),
14715-581: Was a member of the Ndwandwe clan, at that point in time staying in the present northern KwaZulu-Natal and one of the formidable Nguni tribes, along with the Mthethwa Empire of Dingiswayo, the Ngwane of Sobhuza I, the Hlubi of Mpangazitha and the Ngwane of Matiwane . It could be accepted that Soshangana was a cousin/brother of the sovereign king of the Ndwandwe people, Zwide. Soshangana was the leader of
14850-497: Was also made in charge of the district that is near to kwaNogqogqo where the turbulent southwestern border of the Mthethwa kingdom. They were then followed by iNingizimu (Southern regiment) which was under Mayanda kaMkhwanazi, ibutho iMini (Daylight regiment) which was under induna uNomadidi kaGugusha kaMvelase and iNyakatho military (Northern military) and lastly ibutho labeSifazane (Females military regiment) under Nohaya kaNgabha kaNsindona kaMwandla (Mthethwa, A.M. 1995:59-60). This army
14985-546: Was before the start of Mfecane which resulted in a large number of migrations taking place. The man in question was born in the year 1770 (month and date are unknown) and he was given the name Godongwana which he later changed because of family politics which led to him having to flee away from his home and be in exile for quite a while. Him being in exile was caused by the fear of being killed by his father Chief Jobe because of speculations that have been spread by his half-brother Mawewe (whom he later sent into exile). The speculation
15120-599: Was born in ca 1780 in modern-day Kwa Nongoma , KwaZulu to Zikode kaGasa, a chief of the junior branch ( iKhohlo ) of the Ndwandwe . His younger brother was Mhlabawadabuka. The Gasa occupied the Mkhuze region around the eTshaneni mountain (Ghost Mountain) whilst the senior house under Zwide lived in Magudu near the Pongola Valley . Around the same time that the Ndwandwe were growing in military power, Zwide ascended to
15255-648: Was constituted of members of the Likhohlwa part of the original royal house living in the Ndwandwe area at a place called eTshaneni, the Ghost Mountains on the Mkuze plain. It is also here where Gaza and other important leaders of Gaza branch were buried. Soshangana, along with his four brothers Madjole, Ngheneya, Mpisi and Zikhata as well as his people (Gaza branch) followed the example of other Ndwandwe parties by leaving his family land at Tshaneni. Fleeing before
15390-674: Was discovered. Tana was killed and Godongwana made his escape. Nursed back to health by a sister, the young man found refuge in the foothills of the Drakensberg among the Qwabe and Langeni people. He changed his name to Dingiswayo, which means "one in distress or in exile". INTRODUCTION The AmaZulu Kingdom is one of the most prominent kingdoms in Southern Africa and that is because of the kind of leaders it has had from chiefs to kings (South African History Online 2020). The rise of
15525-565: Was done to give them a sense of value and dignity (Chanaiwa, D.S. 1980 p. 5-9). Indigenous state formation process. Etherington, N. (2005) argues that the Mthethwa kingdom served as the home to several smaller chiefdoms of which in the later 18th century it was the AmaZulu Kingdom, and it dominated the areas from the Umkhomazi River which is in the south of the Hluhluwe in the north (Etherington, N. 2005). Chief Dingiswayo’s leadership
15660-507: Was exiled to the Azores where he died in 1906. The cause of the collapse of the Gaza Empire was its defeat by the Portuguese in 1895. The territories of the Gaza Empire are now ruled by Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Mozambique is divided into eleven provinces, one of which is named Gaza . The descendants of Gungunyana currently reside in South Africa, including de jure king Eric Mpisane Nxumalo whose application for recognition by
15795-471: Was his time to be one. Chief Makhasana of the Mabhuda with his lessons on trade, development, and economic gain provided him with all the skills he needed to transform himself. The rise of the AmaZulu Kingdom within a short period is one remarkable achievement that cannot be left ignored, especially for the Ngoni people (Deflem, M. 1999), and this is seconded because of study by Rangeley, W.H.J. in 1966 which
15930-535: Was in the lower Limpopo valley. There he was attacked unsuccessfully by the troops of Shaka in 1828 and by those of the governor of Inhambane, M.J. da Costa. His capital was located at Ekupumuleni (resting place) near present day Chaimiti . From there, Soshangana sent his regiments in different directions to subdue local people. Using the military tactics which they had learned in Nguniland they conquered all people they attacked. The battle spelt disaster for Shaka who
16065-1108: Was inspired by the whites he was trading within Delagoa Bay. Moreover, the fact that the already existing army was constantly faced with problems which were a result of the inner division caused by greed and power hunger from his brother Mawewe, this gave him sleepless nights because his army was smaller compared to the Ndwandwe army, his rival (Nxumalo, S. 2024:14). There were already existing military armies that were invented by Chief Jobe; however, their military skills and innovations were mainly focused on security and war. Jobe’s regiments were divided into three (3) categories which included Amabutho Amnyama (Black regiments); Amabutho Amhlophe (White regiments) and uYengendlovu (Elephant-baiters). Whereas Dingiswayo’s intervention or rather innovation expanded these regiments, he introduced seven (7) new military regiments. These regiments were iZichwe (Bushmen regiments) under induna (commander) uThayiza; iNyakeni (Spoon-bags) under induna Dube kaYengeni, followed by iNhlangano (Unity) under induna uNgomane kaMqomboyi, he
16200-414: Was loosely acknowledges under the threat of being raided by Gaza impis. On its fringes, therefore, the “states” were loosely organized. Subject chieftaincies retained their identities and their traditional ruling dynasties, but had to accept the presence of their representatives of the Gaza state at their capital. These chieftains were affiliated to one or other of the great aristocratic “houses” among which
16335-507: Was murdered by his half brother that same year. After this triumphal march, Soshangana and his followers established themselves in about 1834 on the fertile lowlands of the Lower Limpopo River in the area of Bileni . Soshangana and his group subjugated and incorporated the indigenous Tsonga, Shongonono, Ngomane, Portuguese, Ndzawu (Ndau), Hlengwe, Nyai, Rhonga, Shona, Senga and Chopi tribes. Many young men were incorporated into
16470-486: Was not at all harsh provided people did not rebel against it; any such rebellion was severely crushed. Soshangane ruled unchallenged from the Zambezi to the Limpopo, from the Sabi to the sea. He ruled the Gaza Empire for 37 years. He died at his capital Chaimiti in 1859 (Warhurst, 1966:48). The Gaza empire was however embroiled in the slave trade and the kingdom has been described by Harries as an exploitative governance. Another book by Gerhard Liesegang (1986) delves deeper into
16605-425: Was not beneficial for the regiments specifically Izichwe in any manner but on the other hand military training was as it equipped them and kept them stronger. Building alliances was one key that Dingiswayo used was unit and conquer, this approach Dingiswayo used through marriage as it solidified the relationship between him and the neighbours, with the Ndwandwe clan being a threat to him and his people and this method
16740-412: Was not only out of the respect he had for Queen Nandi, but it was sympathy he had, he believed in building a nation and giving land to his victims to be independent and keeping them stained, that should be applauded. According to Nxumalo, S. (2024:18), Shaka was given a task to further expand his invasions and attack Qodi and Ngadi until he reached Matiwane of the Ngwane, as a result, this expansion caused
16875-515: Was not the only Nguni leader in the area. Nxaba, another Nguni leader, established himself at the Buzi River not too far from where Soshangana's headquarters were. Likewise Nxaba was forced to follow in the steps of Zwangendaba. This victory enabled them to expand their frontiers. Here Soshangana conveniently subjugated the peoples between the Zambezi and Inhambane and subsequently conquered the whole area south to Delagoa Bay. In 1838 as result of
17010-407: Was often designated as prime minister in later English accounts, are also mentioned in reports on the Gaza Kingdom (Liesegang, 1975: 3). For military hegemony, the Gaza Nguni chiefs relied on regiments (called mangas or impis) which were commanded by indunas, or lieutenants. Modelled on Shaka’s regiments these organisations of professional soldiers, grouped by a toughened by rigorous training, dominated
17145-519: Was one of the two Nguni states between the Limpopo and Zambezi Rivers (Carlos: 2005:1). Like other Nguni states, the Gaza Monarchy was unique, not in the way it provided an umbrella of sovereignty over tribute paying subjects, but in the sheer extent of its operations. At the height of its power in the 1850s and 1860s the direct authority of its rulers extended over the whole of what is today southern Mozambique and large parts of western Zimbabwe, eastern and northern Transvaal (Liesegang, 1975:1). The region of
17280-510: Was required to assist with expanding the area of the Mthethwa hegemony and proceed with the consolidation process around Nzimelani in the north and other neighbouring areas. This meant that they had to do away with their ruling lineage. Secondly, when Chief Senzangakhona of the Zulu Chiefdom sadly passed away after a short illness, Chief Dingiswayo then promoted or rather pushed Shaka to fight for his rightful inheritance because according to
17415-442: Was seen as an invading force and a threat to the cultural institutions of the Tsonga people and other nearby tribes. In 1828 Shaka sent a punitive expedition to liquidate his rival to the North, however suffering from malaria and food shortages they were easily defeated and Soshangane consolidated his empire.[1] Soshangane's army overran the Portuguese settlements at Delagoa Bay, Inhambane and Sena,[1] and he extracted tribute from
17550-826: Was stretching from close to the Nkomati River in the South to the Zambezi and Pungwe Rivers in the North and from the Indian Ocean in the East towards the Eastern parts of what today known as Zimbabwe- a total of approximately 240 000 km2 . According to Liesegang it seems as if he also incorporated the eastern Venda under his control (Liesegang, 1975:2; Myburgh 1949:75-76; Omer-Cooper 1988: 59-60 and Witt’s unpublished undated report). The Gaza Kingdom, which at height of its power may have controlled between 49 500-000 -1000-000 people,
17685-459: Was temporarily beyond the reach of Shaka and lived in the Tembe area for about five years, enriching and strengthening himself by constant raids. Thereafter in about 1825, he crossed the Tembe River and marched in a north–westerly direction. Between 1825 and 1827 Soshangana lived on a tributary of the Nkomati River north of Lourenco Marques (now Maputo ). During his sojourn in the territory of
17820-413: Was that Dingiswayo (Godongwana) and his brothers wanted to overthrow the chief from his throne because they believed he was way too old for him to lead reasonably and Jobe took offense at this and regarded it as “ukuvukela umbuso” which translates to treason because he wanted to turn against the chief (Koopman, A. 1979). While in exile Dingiswayo got himself under the protection of the Hlubi under Chief, that
17955-514: Was the largest army that the Mthethwa kingdom has ever had, it was inclusive as it portrayed women empowerment this spoke to the aim of transformation that was addressed above that spoke about blending education with the military. It showed that Chief Dingiswayo was also in support of empowerment, inclusivity, and providing opportunities to everyone despite their gender. However, Chanaiwa, M. (1980) criticises this age regiments approach that Dingiswayo had applied in his kinship, he states that chiefs were
18090-447: Was the period that the Mthethwa kingdom rose to power, it was influenced by the economic strength it got from trading in the Delagoa Bay. It used this influence to its advantage by exploiting the coastal lowlands and its resources (Valieva, E. 2016). One would argue that Chief Dingiswayo was a man who thought outside the box because his way of building an indigenous state was not the usual methods at that time, war and force were regarded as
18225-467: Was used to prevent them from attacking unseen (Golan, D. 1990). A leader is a leader by how his or her people live, and that is what makes it more interesting about Chief Dingiswayo. He wanted to improve the lives of his people, and he did that through agriculture, trade, and social cohesion. This made him one of the wealthy chiefs in the region and inspired others to be like him including Shaka when he took over his father's thrones (Morris, D. 1965). Moreover,
#70929