Today in History: King Shaka assassinated by his half-brothers
King Shaka began to lose his mind after his mother passed away.
On this day in 1828, Shaka Zulu, leader of the Zulu Kingdom in southern Africa, was murdered by his two half-brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana, after Shaka’s mental health had deteriorated.
When Shaka became chief of the Zulus in 1816, the tribe numbered fewer than 1 500 and was among the smaller of the hundreds of other tribes in southern Africa. However, Shaka proved a brilliant military man, forming well-commanded regiments and arming his warriors with assegais, a type of long-bladed, short spear that was easy to wield and deadly.
The Zulus rapidly conquered neighbouring tribes, incorporating the survivors into their ranks. By 1823, Shaka was in control of all of present-day Kwa-Zulu Natal.
The Zulu conquests greatly destabilised the region and resulted in a great wave of migrations by uprooted tribes. In 1827, Shaka’s mother, Nandi, died, and the Zulu leader started to lose his mind. In his grief, Shaka had hundreds of Zulus killed, and he outlawed the planting of crops and the use of milk for a year.
All women found pregnant were murdered along with their husbands. He sent his army on an extensive military operation, and when they returned exhausted, he immediately ordered them out again. It was the last straw for the lesser Zulu chiefs.
On 22 September 1828, his half-brothers murdered Shaka. Dingane, one of the brothers, then succeeded him as king of the Zulus.
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