Battle of Maqongqo

Part of Zulu Civil War

A Zulu warrior contemporary with the battle

Date	29 January 1840
Location	Maqongqo, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Result	Decisive Mpande victory

Belligerents

Mpande faction

Natalia Republic

Dingane faction (Zulu Kingdom)

Commanders and leaders

Nongalaza

Andries Pretorius

Ndlela kaSompisi

Strength

5,000

Casualties and losses

unknown

The Battle of Maqongqo was fought on 29 January 1840 during a civil war between Zulu factions. The Zulu king Dingane was challenged for the throne by his brother Mpande, in alliance with Boer settlers led by Andries Pretorius. Mpande and his supporters were victorious. Shortly thereafter Dingane was murdered and Mpande became king of the Zulus.

The Boer settlers under Pretorius had inflicted a crushing defeat on Dingane in 1838 at the Battle of Blood River, allowing them to carve out territory and create the Natalia Republic. As a result, the king's authority had been severely weakened. His attempt to reassert his leadership by expanding his territory to the north led to another defeat at the hands of the Swazi in 1839.

Fearing that Dingane intended to kill him, to rid himself of a possible rival for the throne, Mpande had fled across the Thuleka river with 17,000 of his followers. Mpande made a deal with Boers that he would grant them substantial land and cattle in St. Lucia Bay if they helped to install him as king. The Boers yearned for a feasible sea-harbour that was not under the control of the British, such as Port Natal, however; after their ill fated attempt to seize Port Natal at the Battle of Congella they readily agreed to Mpande's proposal.

On 14 January 1840, Mpande's general Nongalaza KaNondela crossed into Zululand with a force of around 5,000 impi, advancing along the coast towards Dingane's encampment. Mpande and the Boers under Pretorius advanced separately across the Ncome River. The Boers had a force of 308 armed men and another 500 servants in 50 wagons. Dingane attempted to negotiate, but Mpande and Nongalaza refused to listen. Dingane's envoy Dambusa was summarily executed when he arrived at the Boer camp. Dingane then withdrew into the Maguda mountain region. Dingane's general, Ndlela kaSompisi took up a position on a group of hillocks known as the Maqongqo hills. Nongazala's army soon caught up with them, but Pretorius' force was still a hundred miles away.

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