Dingane kaSenzangakhona

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Dingane kaSenzangakhona Zulu (ca. 1795-1840)—commonly referred to as Dingane or Dingaan—was a Zulu chief who became king in 1828, setting up his kraal Ngungunhlovu at 28°26′9.23″S, 31°16′3.35″E.

He came to power after assassinating his half-brother Shaka with the help of another brother, Umthlangana, as well as Shaka's advisor Mbopa. The assassination, which was carried out where the present-day town of Stanger is located, was a reaction to the increase in Shaka's brutality after the death of his mother Nandi.

Even though modern historians might judge Dingane as the king responsible for the fall of the Zulu military superiority in southern Africa, Dingane was, to a great extent, a popular leader who came into power at the wrong time. Even under Shaka—had he not been murdered—the fall of the kingdom would most likely have been inevitable. Great numbers of people of European descent were making their way northward from the Cape Colony with weaponry far superior to the Zulu spear. Fighting the settlers at the time would have been fighting a war that the Zulu could never win, as the Xhosa found out in the south.

Dingane lacked Shaka's military and leadership skills, and the cracks in the kingdom began to show as rebel chiefs broke away. These cracks were exacerbated by armed conflict with the newly arrived Voortrekkers.

In November of 1837 he met with Piet Retief and, in return for their recovering some stolen cattle, signed a deed of cession of lands (written in English) to the Voortrekkers. Two days of feasting later, on 6 February 1838, he killed Retief's diplomatic party. At the same time, his forces ambushed and killed Retief's trek party, about 500 Boers, including men, women and children, at Weenen (Afrikaans, "weeping," in memory of the massacre). Dingane then sent his army with instructions to seek out and kill the other group of Voortrekkers under Andries Pretorius. The Zulu impis found the Voortrekker encampment and attacked, but were dealt a crushing defeat in the ensuing Battle of Blood River with an estimated 3000 Zulus killed and only three Voortrekkers slightly injured. Dingane's commander at the battle was Ndlela kaSompisi.

In January 1840, Pretorius, with a force of 400 burghers, helped Mpande in his revolt against Dingane, which resulted in his overthrow and death. Dingane was assassinated in Hlatikhulu Forest by Zulu Nyawo, Sambane and Nondawana while on a military expedition.

He was succeeded by Mpande—his (and Shaka's) half-brother.