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Anglo-Zulu War Facts & Worksheets

The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 saw the British Empire invade the independent Zulu kingdom in South Africa, leading to the victory of the former.

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The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 saw the British Empire invade the independent Zulu kingdom in South Africa, leading to the victory of the former. Great Britain dispatched approximately 15,000 military forces to conquer the Zulus, which resulted in bloody encounters, including the Battle of Isandlwana and the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. The war was rooted in Britain’s desire to unite the Boer republics, the independent states, and all of its South African colonies under a single British confederation, marking a defining moment in the region’s colonial history.

See the fact file below for more information on the Anglo-Zulu War or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Anglo-Zulu War worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

LEADING TOWARDS THE WAR

  • When Umtonga, son of Zulu king Mpande, escaped to Utrecht town in 1861, his brother Cetshwayo gathered an army along the border. He promised to give the Boers a land area in exchange for his brother’s surrender.
  • With the condition of leaving Umtonga unharmed, the Boers agreed to the offer. In the same year, Mpande gave the title of the land to the Boers. The territory’s southern border extending to Utrecht stretched from Rorke’s Drift along the Buffalo River and further to the Pongola River.
  • In 1864, a beacon was established on the border. However, when Umtonga ran off to Natal province, Cetshwayo realized that he had lost his end of the bargain since his brother might be used to dethrone him. He therefore ordered the beacon to be destroyed and thus seized the territory that the Swazis surrendered to Lydenburg.
  • The Swazis were the lieges of the Zulus, as claimed by the latter, giving them no right to yield the land. Following this, Cetshwayo’s army and Paul Kruger’s Boer forces were stationed on the occupied Utrecht territory to protect it. The Zulus were also able to regain control of their land on the northern part of Pongola.
  • Both sides sought the help of the lieutenant-governor of Natal as a mediator in 1869. However, the effort to resolve their differences rendered no success.
  • When Cetshwayo’s father died in 1873, allowing him to inherit the Zulu throne as an absolute ruler, this was the political atmosphere in the kingdom.
  • Cetshwayo’s rule was a tyranny. The Zulu king tried to restore his uncle Shaka’s military tactics and even managed to supply his army with modern weapons. He is also thought to have instigated a rebellion among the Xhosa people of Transkei and supported Sikukuni in his fight against the Transvaal.
  • In 1874, Lord Carnarvon, Secretary of State for the Colonies who had been active in establishing the British federation in Canada, believed that the same strategy could succeed in South Africa. To carry out his scheme, he sent Sir Bartle Frere as British High Commissioner.
  • Unfortunately, the existence of the Zulu kingdom and the independent states in South Africa, including the Boer republics, hindered Carnarvon’s plans.
  • The massacre of young girls, who married men of their own age rather than older military men, disobeying Cetshwayo’s orders, drew outrage from the Natal government in September 1876. For this reason, border conflicts between the Zululand and the Transvaal worsened.
  • In February 1878, Natal’s lieutenant-governor formed a commission to oversee the border dispute. By July, the commission issued its findings, which were generally in favour of the Zulu claim.
  • In addition, Frere used a minor incident in 1878 as an excuse to ask for 500 cattle from the Zulu nation as compensation after two men captured two eloped Natal girls along the disputed border, but Cetshwayo just paid 50 British pounds’ worth of gold.
  • Frere thought that the only hindrance to the British confederation was the independent Zulu nation now that the Transvaal was under British rule. As a result, the High Commissioner recommended that the military forces be remodeled to deal with the conflict along the border.
  • Thereafter, Frere postponed telling the British government about the situation, and instead released an ultimatum to the Zulus on December 11, 1878, demanding a clear response by the end of that month.
  • The Zulu king ignored the ultimatum until the end of the year. The British then gave a concession until January 11, 1879, but it eventually led to a declaration of war.

THE WAR

  • Having had no response from Cetshwayo, war broke out in January 1879. Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford led the invasion of the Zulu kingdom, with about 5,000 British and 8,200 African forces.
  • Lord Chelmsford’s military troops were divided into three columns. Before capturing the royal capital of Ulundi, he intended to surround the Zulus and drive them into war.
  • The first column, aiming to establish a stronghold at an abandoned missionary station in Eshowe, penetrated the Zulu nation along the Tugela River. From the Transvaal, the third column reached the Zulu kingdom and headed for Utrecht.
  • The main column under the command of Chelmsford, meanwhile, traversed the Buffalo River situated at a mission station in Rorke’s Drift to attack the Zulu forces.
  • Long before the outbreak of the war, Cetshwayo, afraid of the British invasion, had begun securing firearms. Thousands of old muskets and a few new rifles were now at the disposal of the Zulus. The warriors, on the other hand, were not well-trained in handling them. The majority of Zulus fought with shields and spears and were skilled in hand-to-hand combat.
  • On January 22, 1879, Chelmsford built a temporary settlement in Isandlwana but failed to reinforce its defense by securing his wagons. He then led some of his troops to find the Zulus after gaining intelligence reports that they were nearby.
  • Unfortunately, the main chunk of Cetshwayo’s force of about 20,000 Zulus took the British by surprise and attacked the barely defended camp. Unable to utilize their ammunition from an over-extended line, the British suffered a heavy defeat, losing around 1,700 of their soldiers. Supplies were also confiscated.
  • The battle at Isandlwana was the greatest victory of the Zululand during the war, forcing Chelmsford to retreat.
  • A day after the triumph, about 4,000 Zulu warriors marched to Rorke’s Drift, where they were halted for 12 hours by a small British regiment, although it had little impact on the British side.
  • The British, meanwhile, managed to seize the mission station at Eshowe, following the defeat of 6,000 Zulus at Nyezane against the troops (first column) led by Colonel Charles Pearson. However, the station was recaptured by the Zulus two months later.
  • On January 31, 1879, the third column led by Colonel Evelyn Wood built a blockade in Khambula after learning of the heavy blow at Isandlwana. In the Zulu kingdom, his troops were the only strong British force remaining.
  • After receiving reinforcements on February 11, 1879, Chelmsford planned a second attack against the Zulus. By March 28, Chelmsford commanded Wood’s troops to confuse the Zulu army with a diversionary assault near Hlobane, as he marched to Eshowe.
  • Although Wood had no choice but to withdraw, he managed to push the Zulus back to Khambula, where his troops were waiting. A day later, the Battle of Khambula occurred, resulting in a Zulu defeat, with about 3,000 of their warriors killed.
  • Subsequently, Chelmsford won a battle against the Zulus at Gingindlovu on April 2.
  • On April 5, 1879, Eshowe was relieved. The majority of Chelmsford’s troops had marched back to Natal by the end of the month, preparing for a second invasion of the Zulu kingdom.
  • On June 4, 1879, the second invasion occurred at the Battle of Ulundi. The main troops of the Zulu army, about 15,000 men, launched an attack against Chelmsford’s forces. The battle eventually led to British victory, marking the end of the Anglo-Zulu War.

AFTERMATH

  • Following the Zulu defeat at the Battle of Ulundi, Cetshwayo was apprehended and arrested. His belongings were confiscated, and he was banished to Cape Town, and then to London. The Zulu nation was split into autonomous territories.
  • A civil war took place due to the Zulu king’s absence. Britain tried to reinstate order in 1883 by bringing Cetshwayo back to his throne. Much to their disappointment, Cetshwayo was already weak, and he died a year later.
  • Meanwhile, Frere was reassigned to a low-level position in Cape Town.
  • In 1887, the Zulu kingdom was under British control, but ten years later, it was transferred to the authority of the Natal province.

The Anglo-Zulu War Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Anglo-Zulu War across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use The Anglo-Zulu War worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 which saw the British Empire invade the independent Zulu kingdom in South Africa, leading to the victory of the former. Great Britain dispatched approximately 15,000 military forces to conquer the Zulus, which resulted in bloody encounters, including the Battle of Isandlwana and the Battle of Rorke’s Drift. The war was rooted in Britain’s desire to unite the Boer republics, the independent states, and all of its South African colonies under a single British confederation, marking a defining moment in the region’s colonial history.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

  • Anglo-Zulu War Facts
  • Locating the Zulu Kingdom
  • Find the Words
  • Causes
  • Key People
  • Narrating the Battles
  • Source Analysis
  • Aftermath
  • In Popular Culture
  • My Two Cents
  • In a Nutshell

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