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Shaka, founder of the Zulu Kingdom of southern
Africa, is murdered by his two half-brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana,
after Shaka's mental illness threatened to destroy the Zulu tribe.
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 organizer, forming well-commanded regiments and arming his
warriors with assegais, a new type of long-bladed, short spear that
was easy to wield and deadly. The Zulus rapidly conquered
neighboring tribes, incorporating the survivors into their ranks. By
1823, Shaka was in control of all of present-day Natal. The Zulu
conquests greatly destabilized the region and resulted in a great
wave of migrations by uprooted tribes.
In 1827, Shaka's mother, Nandi, died, and the Zulu leader lost 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 September 22, 1828, his
half-brothers murdered Shaka. Dingane, one of the brothers, then
became king of the Zulus.
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