2. King Shaka Zulu
King of the Zulus, Shaka Zulu was born in 1787, the son of Zulu Chief Senzangakhona and his royal wife Nandi. When Shaka was in his late twenties, his father died and left the throne to his older son. King Shaka rose to power around 1818 after murdering his brother, the king.
Historians say, “A strong, wealthy leader and military innovator, Shaka is noted for revolutionizing 19th century Bantu warfare by first grouping regiments by age, and training his men to use standardized weapons and special tactics.” King Shaka was also an inventor and created the “assegai,” which is a short spear, and “marched his regiments in tight formation, using large shields to fend off the enemies throwing spears.”
Shaka built a small African tribe into a dominant nation of more than a million people, and united South Africa against European colonial rule. The Zulu nation has remembered Shaka Zulu long after his death.
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