- 1781-1816 : Senzangakhona
King Senzangakhona KaJama, was the king of the Zulu kingdom, and primarily notable as the father of the three Zulu kings who ruled during the period when the Zulus achieved prominence, led by his oldest son King Shaka.
His father was chief Jama KaNdaba and his mother was Mthaniya Sibiya. He succeeded after his father’s death.
During the chieftaincy of Senzangakhona, the Zulus were a small clan in the Mthethwa confederation which was ruled by Dingiswayo.
His name Senzangakhona is derived from the Zulu word meaning “he who acts with a good reason”.
- 1816-1828: Shaka Zulu
Shaka Zulu was the king of the Zulu Kingdom from 1816 to 1828.
He was one of the most influential renowned monarchs of the Zulu Kingdom.
Shaka transformed the Zulus from a small tribe into the largest and most powerful nation is South Africa.
He was assassinated by his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana on 22 September 1828.
- 1828-1840: Dingane
Dingane was a Zulu chief, who became king of the Zulu Kingdom in 1828 after the death of Shaka Zulu.
They were said to have killed Shaka, because of his increasingly brutal behaviour after the death of his mother, Nandi.
In 1840, Dingane was assassinated by a group of Nyawo and Swazi in Hlatikhulu forest, where is buried.
- 1840-1872: Mpande
Mpande was monarch of the Zulu Kingdom from 1849 to 1872.
He came to power after he had overthrown Dingane in 1840. Mpande has often been identified as the “fool of the family”.
Mpande was succeeded by his son Cetswayo, who was de facto ruler, until his father’s death in 1873.
- 1873-1879: Cetswayo
Cetswayo took over the throne of the Zulu Kingdom from 1873 after the death of his father Mpande.
He famously led the Zulu Nation to victory against the British in the Battle of Isandlwana but was defeated and exiled following that war.
In,18 February 1884, Cetswayo died, presumably from a heart attack.
Although there are some theories that he may have been poisoned.
He was the last independent king of the Zulu nation.
- 1879-1916: Dinizulu
Dinizulu was the king of the Zulu Nation from 20 May 1884 until his death in 1913.
He divided Zululand into thirteen separate territories, after banishing Cetswayo.
- 1916-1933: Maphumazana
Solomon Maphumazana Ka Dinizulu took over the throne after the death of his father.
He was the founder of the original Inkata in the 1920s.
One of his sisters was Princess Magogo ka Dinizulu.
- 1933-1968: Cyprian Bhekuzulu
Cyprian Bhekuzulu was the king of the Zulu Nation from 1948 until his death at Nongoma in 1968.
He was succeeded by his son Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu.
- 1968-2021: Goodwill Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu
Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu was the king of the Zulus from 1968 until his death in 2021.
He plays a vital cultural role for the Zulus, and held annual events such as the Zulu Kings Reed Dance to preserve and support Zulu culture.
- Current King – Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini
AmaZulu crowned their new king, Misuzulu Sinqobile kaZwelithini in a traditional ceremony in the province of KwaZulu-Natal in August.
Misuzulu became heir presumptive after the death of his father on 12 March 2021, however although being officially appointed as the king of the Zulu Nation, his traditional coronation did not take place until 20 August 2022 after the customary entering the cattle kraal ceremony, ukungena esibayeni.
Misuzulu’s coronation took place on the night of 19 August 2022, until the early hours of 20 August 2022.
He will have his official coronation on 29 October 2022.
Source: South African History online, Umlazi Municipality.
