Contextualising Participant Factions in the Second Zulu Civil War of 1856 and It’s Consequences up to 1861

Abstract

The Second Zulu Civil War of 1856, commonly known as the Battle of Ndondakusuka, has been the subject of a number of historical interpretations. Different scholars give different accounts of the battle. Most historians differ on the root causes of the battle. Some attribute it to white imperialists who manipulated scenes and used the weakness of King Mpande to cause the war. According to this opinion, the Natal government entered the succession issue in an attempt to provide itself with a new “reserve” of land between the Thukela and Mhlathuze Rivers. Other sources point King Mpande as the one responsible for the clash between Princes Cetshwayo and Mbuyazi. The land issue and power also played a role in the outbreak of hostilities between princes. It is therefore apparent that different factions played a role in the outbreak of this war. So, this paper aims at contextualising various role-players towards that conflict and consequences thereafter.