Shaka Zulu: The Rise of the Zulu EmpireE. A. Ritter's "Shaka Zulu", the great biography of a Zulu king whose achievements rivalled those of his contemporary, Napoleon, in Europe, has established itself as a classic of African history. Shaka was born in 1787, the illegitimate son of a minor chieftain. Branded with this shame, he strove even harder to execute the rigorous duties required of Zulu youths. Excelling in everything he undertook, he soon proved himself a born leader. Gathering about him a nucleus of some 500 untrained tribesmen, he built up an immense army of skilled warriors, conquering and pacifying a territory larger than Europe -- all in the space of twelve years. Although Shaka was capable of cruelties, the author shows that the legends of his atrocities have been grossly exaggerated; paradoxically, Shaka considered many of the white men's punishments inhuman. At the peak of his career, Shaka was assassinated by his jealous brothers, and within fifty years his work was undone. But assassination, usurpation and his own excesses cannot dim the savage greatness of the man and the king, which emanates so strongly from the pages of this book. -- From publisher's description. |
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Page 101
... looked on with intense interest . At last the bones were thrown , and the thrower looked at them in a dreamy way and said : ' Why they point all ways , and at no one in particu- lar . ' Here the third senior shook her vigorously and ...
... looked on with intense interest . At last the bones were thrown , and the thrower looked at them in a dreamy way and said : ' Why they point all ways , and at no one in particu- lar . ' Here the third senior shook her vigorously and ...
Page 271
... looked happy , and sounds of singing floated everywhere . Even the birds in the tree added to the general gaiety with their lively twittering . Suddenly all bird - life seemed to cease . Shaka * In the low veld it was the Inhliziyo ...
... looked happy , and sounds of singing floated everywhere . Even the birds in the tree added to the general gaiety with their lively twittering . Suddenly all bird - life seemed to cease . Shaka * In the low veld it was the Inhliziyo ...
Page 340
... looked rather foolish and Shaka laughed heartily . The representative of the Royal Navy , however , refused to accept defeat , and pointed out to Shaka that a ship sailing due east from a promontory like Cape Town would eventually ...
... looked rather foolish and Shaka laughed heartily . The representative of the Royal Navy , however , refused to accept defeat , and pointed out to Shaka that a ship sailing due east from a promontory like Cape Town would eventually ...
Contents
ZULULAND AND THE ZULUS IN THE LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY I | 1 |
BIRTH AND EXILE II | 11 |
THE YOUNG SOLDIERPAMPATATHE ASSEGAI | 21 |
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arrived assegai attack battle Bayete became beer Belebele blade body boys Bulawayo bull Butelezis cattle cattle-kraal chief clan commander councillors cows death Dingane Dingiswayo diviners Dukuza E-Langeni Elephant enemy eyes face Farewell Fasimba father fear feet fighting force forest formed front Fynn gave girls guards harem head heart hyaena immediately indunas Izi-cwe regiment killed King's knew Kumalos Lieutenant King lines looked maidens Matiwane Mbiya Mbopa Mbuzikazi Mdlaka Mgobozi Mhlangana miles military kraals mother Mqalane Mtetwa Mzilikazi Nandi Natal Ndwandwes Ngomane Ngonyama Nguni Ngwadi Ngwanes night Nkandla Nobela Nomahlanjana Nqoboka Ntombazi Pampata party Port Natal present Qwabes regiment replied river Royal sent Senzangakona Shaka shield shouted side silence slayers soon Soshangane spears stabbing Tembus throw told took tree tribe Tugela Tugela river u-dibi Umfolozi warriors whilst White whole witch-doctors witchcraft women wounded yards Zulu army Zulu language Zululand Zwangendaba Zwide