Dingiswayo
Encyclopedia
Dingiswayo was a Mtetwa chief, best known for his mentorship over a young Zulu
general, Shaka Zulu
, who rose to become the greatest of the Zulu kings.
He was born Godongwana, son of Mthethwa chief Jobe. We first hear of him during the wanderings of Nandi
and her illegitimate son Shaka
, who settled with the Mthethwa
under chief Jobe.
Godongwana and his brother, Tana, plotted against Jobe. The plot was discovered. Tana was killed. Godongwana made his escape. Nursed back to health by a sister, the young man found refuge amongst the foothills of the Drakensberg
. He changed his name to Dingiswayo, which means "he who is troubled", or "The Wanderer". Upon the death of his father, he returned to claim the chieftainship.
He found his brother Mawewe in power. He displaced him without resistance. Mawewe fled, but was lured back and killed.
He observed a troop of Hottentots under Lieutenant Donovan which had accompanied Dr Cowan. Cowan was murdered by Chief Phakathwayo. Dingiswayo subsequently acquired Cowan's horse and gun. Dingiswayo's new military tactics were an adoption of western techniques of drills and formation movements under a chain of command.
With Shaka
as his general, he attacked the Amangwane under Matiwane about 1812 and drove them across the Buffalo river. It was the first of the Mfecane
migrations - tribes displaced, latterly by the Zulus, and who in turn displaced others in a series of inter-necine wars.
Dingiswayo combined a number of smaller tribes to oppose his chief rival to the north, Chief Zwide
of the Ndwandwe
.
In 1816 Shaka returned to the Zulu to claim chieftainship, while still recognising the larger Mthethwa and Dingiswayo as overlord. However, Dingiswayo was killed by Zwide, and the Mthethwa forces were defeated and scattered temporarily, with the remnants reforming under Shaka. Zwide was later defeated by Shaka in the Zulu Civil War.
Dingiswayo's grave is on the north bank of the Tugela River
, in KheKheKhe's kraal.
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
general, Shaka Zulu
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, who rose to become the greatest of the Zulu kings.
He was born Godongwana, son of Mthethwa chief Jobe. We first hear of him during the wanderings of Nandi
Nandi (mother of Shaka)
Nandi was a daughter of Bhebhe, a past chief of the Langeni tribe and the mother of the legendary Shaka, King of the Zulus.Shaka's father was Senzangakona, chieftain of the Zulu clan, which was small and insignificant at the time...
and her illegitimate son Shaka
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
, who settled with the Mthethwa
Mthethwa
Mthethwa could refer to the:* Mtetwa Paramountcy* Nathi Mthethwa, South African minister of police from 2008...
under chief Jobe.
Godongwana and his brother, Tana, plotted against Jobe. The plot was discovered. Tana was killed. Godongwana made his escape. Nursed back to health by a sister, the young man found refuge amongst the foothills of the Drakensberg
Drakensberg
The Drakensberg is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa, rising to in height. In Zulu, it is referred to as uKhahlamba , and in Sesotho as Maluti...
. He changed his name to Dingiswayo, which means "he who is troubled", or "The Wanderer". Upon the death of his father, he returned to claim the chieftainship.
He found his brother Mawewe in power. He displaced him without resistance. Mawewe fled, but was lured back and killed.
He observed a troop of Hottentots under Lieutenant Donovan which had accompanied Dr Cowan. Cowan was murdered by Chief Phakathwayo. Dingiswayo subsequently acquired Cowan's horse and gun. Dingiswayo's new military tactics were an adoption of western techniques of drills and formation movements under a chain of command.
With Shaka
Shaka
Shaka kaSenzangakhona , also known as Shaka Zulu , was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom....
as his general, he attacked the Amangwane under Matiwane about 1812 and drove them across the Buffalo river. It was the first of the Mfecane
Mfecane
Mfecane , also known by the Sesotho name Difaqane or Lifaqane, was a period of widespread chaos and warfare among indigenous tribes in southern Africa during the period between 1815 to about 1840....
migrations - tribes displaced, latterly by the Zulus, and who in turn displaced others in a series of inter-necine wars.
Dingiswayo combined a number of smaller tribes to oppose his chief rival to the north, Chief Zwide
Zwide
Zwide kaLanga was the chief of the Ndwandwe clan from about 1805 to around 1820. He was the son of Langa KaXaba, a Ndwandwe Chieftain. Legend has it that Zwide's mother, Queen Ntombazi was a sangoma.- Political life :...
of the Ndwandwe
Ndwandwe
The Ndwandwe clan are a subgroup of the Nguni people who populate sections of Southern Africa.The Ndwandwe, with the Mthethwa, were a significant power in present-day Zululand at the turn of the nineteenth century...
.
In 1816 Shaka returned to the Zulu to claim chieftainship, while still recognising the larger Mthethwa and Dingiswayo as overlord. However, Dingiswayo was killed by Zwide, and the Mthethwa forces were defeated and scattered temporarily, with the remnants reforming under Shaka. Zwide was later defeated by Shaka in the Zulu Civil War.
Dingiswayo's grave is on the north bank of the Tugela River
Tugela River
The Tugela River is the largest river in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The river originates in the Drakensberg Mountains, Mont-aux-Sources, and plunges 947 metres down the Tugela Falls...
, in KheKheKhe's kraal.