Between 1838 and 1888 the recently formed Zulu kingdom in southeastern
Africa was directly challenged by the incursion of Boer pioneers
aggressively seeking new lands on which to set up their independent
republics, by English-speaking traders and hunters establishing their
neighboring colony, and by imperial Britain intervening in Zulu affairs
to safeguard Britain's position as the paramount power in southern
Africa. As a result, the Zulu fought to resist Boer invasion in 1838 and
British invasion in 1879. The internal strains these wars caused to the
fabric of Zulu society resulted in civil wars in 1840, 1856, and
1882-1884, and Zululand itself was repeatedly partitioned between the
Boers and British. In 1888, the old order in Zululand attempted a final,
unsuccessful uprising against recently imposed British rule. This
tangled web of invasions, civil wars, and rebellion is complex. The
Historical Dictionary of the Zulu Wars unravels and elucidates Zulu
history during the 50 years between the initial settler threat to the
kingdom and its final dismemberment and absorption into the colonial
order. A chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, maps,
photos, and over 900 cross-referenced dictionary entries that cover the
military, politics, society, economics, culture, and key players during
the Zulu Wars make this an important reference for everyone from high
school students to academics.