Shaka Zulu

The Bull That Gores Both Ways

Shaka kaSenzangakhona was the king who forged the Zulu into a dominant power in early nineteenth-century southern Africa. A military innovator, he is credited with the short stabbing spear, the iklwa, and the encircling bull-horn formation that overwhelmed his enemies. Through ruthless campaigns and rigorous regiments he built a vast kingdom, though his harsh rule ended when his half-brothers assassinated him.