Zulu Kingdom

Zulu Kingdom was a state in South Africa and Namibia (Central and Southern Africa) that lasted from 1816 to 1897 CE, about 81 years. Its people spoke Bantu languages (Kongo, Shona, Zulu, Swahili, Luba, Ganda).

Shaka turned a small chiefdom into a military kingdom with regiments armed with short stabbing spears. The Zulu destroyed a British force at Isandlwana in 1879 yet lost the war, and Britain joined Zululand to Natal in 1897.

See Zulu Kingdom on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1816 to 1897 CE

Duration

81 years

Type

State

Region

South Africa and Namibia, Central and Southern Africa

Language family

Bantu

Capital

KwaBulawayo, later Ulundi

Came from

• Nguni chiefdoms c. 1300 to 1820 CE

Became

• Colony of Natal 1843 to 1910 CE

Events in Central and Southern Africa during its time

• 1816 Shaka becomes Zulu king
• 1836 The Great Trek begins
• 1879 Battle of Isandlwana
• 1885 Berlin Conference ends
• 1886 Witwatersrand gold rush
• 1896 Rinderpest sweeps southern Africa

Neighbours in Central and Southern Africa

• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE
• Congo Free State 1885 to 1908 CE
• Kingdom of Buganda c. 1300 to 1966 CE
• Bunyoro-Kitara c. 1400 to 1899 CE
• Portuguese Mozambique 1505 to 1975 CE
• Portuguese Angola 1575 to 1975 CE
• Luba Empire c. 1585 to 1889 CE
• Kingdom of Imerina c. 1540 to 1817 CE
• Lunda Empire c. 1665 to 1887 CE
• Rozvi Empire c. 1660 to 1866 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Mughal Empire 1526 to 1857 CE, South Asia
• New Spain 1521 to 1821 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Viceroyalty of Peru 1542 to 1824 CE, South America
• Qing dynasty 1636 to 1912 CE, East Asia
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe

Questions