Shaka Zulu was credited for having the fiercest army on the continent. The militaristic chief is said to have contributed to the murder of over a million people. Shaka father was the chief of the Sensangakona tribe. His mother, Nandi was the daughter of a chief (eLangeni tribe). When Nandi became pregnant out of wedlock she hid the pregnancy by saying that she had Shaka, which was an intestinal virus tthe disrupted the menstrual cycle. This is where Shaka Zulu got his name.

After a failed marriage Nandi returned to her tribe, the Zulu's, but was an outcast because of her history. Shaka grew up without his father and he and his mother were despised by their clansman. Shaka grew up being battered, abused and tormented by children in his tribe and some of the adults. Of royal blood, he vowed to put them under his foot one day and punish them for their abuse.

Shaka was extremely intelligent and grew strong in body and mind. Eventually, around 26 years old he became a Mtetwa warrior. For the next six years he built himself up, developing an advanced killing weapon called the iKlwa. Shaka eventually rose to become the leader of the army.

He used the logistics and battle techniques he learned to the Mtewa army advancing them to the most efficient killing team of the era. The least show of cowardice or reluctance to grow was a death sentence. Unless they were married, men is Shaka Zulu's army had to be celibate and although separated by regiments, they lived under one roof.

Shaka had his first victory over his mother's tribe, the eLangeni people. He repaid every dept, killing all of those who abused him and his mother.

The Butelezi were the next to fall. Shaka took 1,200 maidens from the tribe as his "sisters." Normally, these women would have been called wives of the chief. Shaka believed that having offspring was a dangerous endeavor, because they would one day rise against him. He was known to practice ukuHlobongo (external sex, no penetration).

In 1817, Shaka Zulu returned to the Mtewa people to say goodbye to his dying father. He then met the chief, Dingiswayo, who encouraged him to go on an expedition with him to conquer much of the southeast Africa region. After Dingiswayo's death, Shaka Zulu went on glory. By 1820 he had accomplished Dingiswayo's dream, conquering southeast Africa and Natal.

In 1824, Shaka made the mistake of allying with Europeans after being treated for what may have been death wounds from a stabbing by a rival tribe. The Europeans aided Shaka in his blood bath. He signed off land to the Europeans as payment not realizing that he was giving the land away forever.

Shaka was so bereaved when his mother died that he ordered several men to be executed in her honor. That number eventually grew to 7,000. Then Shaka put his entire tribe on a hunger strike leading to near starvation for three months. When the dust settled, Shaka was hated by his tribe for causing so much suffering of the people.

On September 22, 1828, Shaka Zulu was brutally murdered by his half brothers on his father's side of the family. His body was thrown into an empty grain pot and filled with rocks. Shaka Zulu was 41 years old. He reigned for twelve years.

Posted September 2005 by AfroStaff