Mzilikazi

Mzilikazi was a nineteenth-century Ndebele king who founded the Ndebele kingdom in southern Africa after breaking away from Shaka’s Zulu kingdom.

Shaka: Shaka was a Zulu king who expanded the Zulu kingdom in the early nineteenth century. Mzilikazi served under Shaka before their relationship ended in conflict.
Ndebele people: The Ndebele are a southern African people whose kingdom was founded by Mzilikazi. Mzilikazi’s followers formed the core of the people ruled by the kingdom he founded.
Robert Moffat: Robert Moffat was a Scottish missionary who worked in southern Africa and met Mzilikazi. Moffat’s encounters and writings provide a prominent contemporary account of Mzilikazi.
First Matabele War: The First Matabele War was an 1893 conflict between the Ndebele Kingdom and the British South Africa Company. It marked a major confrontation with colonial forces decades after Mzilikazi’s death.
Zulu Kingdom: The Zulu Kingdom was a southern African monarchy that grew powerful under Shaka in the early nineteenth century. Mzilikazi’s departure from this kingdom began his rise as an independent ruler.
Ndebele language: Northern Ndebele is a Bantu language spoken chiefly in Zimbabwe. The language is one enduring expression of Ndebele identity shaped by the kingdom’s history.
David Livingstone: David Livingstone was a Scottish missionary and explorer who traveled widely in southern Africa. Livingstone’s accounts helped bring the Ndebele kingdom and its ruler to wider European notice.
Second Matabele War: The Second Matabele War was an 1896–1897 uprising against British South Africa Company rule in Matabeleland. The uprising followed the conquest of the kingdom Mzilikazi had founded.
Mfecane: The Mfecane was a period of warfare, political upheaval, and migration in southern Africa during the early nineteenth century. The upheavals of this era formed the setting for Mzilikazi’s westward migration.
Impi: An impi is a regiment or army in Nguni military organization. Regimental organization helped Mzilikazi command forces during expansion and migration.

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Northern Ndebele languageRelated: His migration led to the community whose language developed into Zimbabwean Ndebele.