Editing Shaka (section)

== Death ==

[[Dingane kaSenzangakhona|Dingane]] and [[Umthlangana|Mhlangana]], Shaka's half-brothers, appeared to have made at least two attempts to assassinate Shaka before they succeeded, with support from the Mpondo elements and some disaffected iziYendane people. Shaka had made enough enemies among his own people to hasten his demise. It came relatively quickly after the death of his mother, [[Nandi (mother of Shaka)|Nandi]], in October 1827 and the devastation caused by Shaka's subsequent erratic behavior. According to Donald Morris, Shaka ordered that no crops should be planted during the following year of mourning, no milk (the basis of the Zulu diet at the time) was to be used, and any woman who became pregnant was to be killed along with her husband. At least 7,000 people who were deemed to be insufficiently grief-stricken were executed, although the killing was not restricted to humans; cows were slaughtered so that their calves would know what losing a mother felt like.{{sfn|Morris|1994|p=99}}

Shaka was killed by three assassins sometime in 1828; September is the most frequently cited date, when almost all available Zulu manpower had been sent on yet another mass sweep to the north. This left the royal kraal critically lacking in protection. It was all the conspirators needed. An [[InDuna|iNduna]] named Mbopa created a diversion, and Dingane and Mhlangana struck the fatal blows. Shaka's corpse was dumped by his assassins in an empty grain pit, which was then filled with stones and mud. The exact location is unknown. A [[Shaka Memorial|monument]] was built at one alleged site. Historian Donald Morris holds that the true site is somewhere on Couper Street in the village of [[Stanger]], in [[KwaZulu-Natal]], South Africa.{{sfn|Morris|1994|p=9}}

Dingane assumed power and embarked on an extensive purge of pro-Shaka elements and chieftains, over the course of several years, in order to secure his position. The initial problem Dingane faced was maintaining the loyalty of the Zulu fighting regiments. He set up his main residence at Mgungundlovu and established his authority over the Zulu kingdom.{{sfn|Johanneson|Fernandez|Roberts|Jacobs|2011|p=145}} Dingane ruled for some twelve years, during which time he fought, disastrously, against the [[Voortrekkers]], and against another half-brother, [[Mpande]], who, with Boer and British support, took over the Zulu leadership in 1840, ruling for some 30 years.