Chapter 374

Chapter 374: Lively South Africa

General Andris of the Transvaal Republic was increasingly frustrated with the constant threats from the Zulu Kingdom. The Zulus, armed with firearms, repeatedly attacked the Boers, making life increasingly difficult for them. With British support for the Zulus, the Boers found it challenging to inflict significant damage on their rivals and had become more defensive.

The enmity between the Boers and the Zulus had deep historical roots. Both groups were not native to the region, with the Ndebele people originally occupying Natal. The Boers, expanding northward, clashed with the Ndebele people. The Boers' campaign in the area ultimately led to the establishment of the Natal colony, as they defeated the Ndebele and took their lands.

Natal was a point of contention. The Boers established a colony there, which they governed. Still, the Zulu Kingdom, under King Ding Gang, attacked Natal, leading to conflicts with the Boers. The situation escalated when Ding Gang's forces attacked Boer farms and forts, even capturing Durban Port.

Governor Retief of Natal initiated contact with King Ding Gang, proposing a treaty for Boer settlement near the Zulu border in exchange for assisting the Zulus in recovering stolen cattle. After the cattle were retrieved as agreed, Ding Gang hosted a celebration banquet. Unexpectedly, during the feast, he ordered an attack on the Boers, resulting in the massacre of Retief and his group.

The Zulu army then launched a full-scale assault on the Boer colony, destroying farms and forts and causing casualties among women and children. The Boers were left in a perilous situation.

In their time of need, the Boer farmers wrote to Pretorius, a militia commander in the Cape Colony, requesting assistance against the Zulu Kingdom. He agreed and planned to confront King Ding Gang while supporting Ding Gang's brother, Mpanda, as an ally.

A decisive battle took place on the Encombe River. Pretorius' forces, well-armed with rifles, repelled successive Zulu attacks. Their expertise with firearms, coupled with the superior range of rifles over Zulu spears, allowed the Boers to prevail. The Battle of Blood River was a turning point in Natal's ownership, with the Boers emerging victorious.

Following the battle, Ding Gang fled, and his brother Mpanda, supported by the Boers, became king. The Boers settled in Natal, and Mpanda paid them compensation in ivory. Ding Gang was pursued and killed in the Swaziland area.

However, the Boers' newfound prosperity in Natal did not last long. The British, citing Boer actions against the Zulus, invaded the Republic of Natalia. The British interference in the region disrupted the Transvaal Republic, forcing its main army to concentrate in the southeast to fend off Zulu attacks.

While the Boers initially distrusted the Germans of the East African kingdom to the north, trade and peaceful relations had developed over time. Nevertheless, the Boers remained cautious, fearing that the Germans might follow the example of the British. Their support for the defeated Ndebele would have consequences for their future.

(End of the chapter)