Dingane+Zulu

Dingane was a famous Zulu king. He took the throne in 1828 when he killed his half brother Shaka. He felt that Shaka had lost his mind in grief over the death of his mother and was no longer ruling the Zulus fairly. He overthrew his brother to save the Zulu empire.

Dingane (also spelled as Dingaan) was born in 1795. He became king in 1828. After his brother died, Dingane tried to eliminate all of Shaka's followers and supporters, and he tried to restore the kingdom to its former glory by establishing the capital at Mgungundlovu, near the white Mfolozi River. He was a more lenient and liberal leader for the Zulu people. He also traded with the Portuguese at Delagoa Bay. Among the items he traded were ivory and slaves.

Not long after took power, he and his people were faced with invasions of white British and Boer settlers into Natal, where Dingane ruled, and to the south of the Zulu Kingdom. In1837, Dingane promised the Boer leader land in Natal in exchange for the recovery of stolen cattle. They accepted and returned the livestock to Dingane's kraal(village). Soon after, Dingane ordered some of his men to murder the Boer leader, Piet Retief, and his party. The Boers were enraged with this plan, and war began.

Later that year Dingane's army was shattered. They were no match to the Boer firepower at the Battle of Blood River The Boer army defeated Dingane on January 30, 1840. The Zulu king fled to Swaziland where he was later killed. Dingane died in 1840.