Sobhuza rallied together diverse communities of the Sotho, Tsonga and Nguni and embarked on the conquest of what was to become Swaziland in about 1820. This picture of the Royal Kraal of the Great Place, Swaziland, is from J.A. Ingram’s Land of Gold, Diamonds and Ivory, 1889.
The Swazi nation, just like those of the Sotho, the Pedi and others, was forged during the turmoil of the Difaqane. During the rule of Zwide over the Ndwandwe, Sobhuza was forced to flee north. Here, in the general area of what was later to be called Swaziland, Sobhuza rallied together diverse communities of the Sotho, Tsonga and Nguni into a restructured Ngwane (or proto-Swazi) state. However, Zwide frequently raided the fledgling kingdom.
The invasions made Sobhuza a homeless refugee, forced to abandon his capital, Shiselweni, and change capitals many times. He eventually sought refuge with a Sotho chief, Magoboyi, around the Dlomodlomo mountains to the northwest. Fortunately for Sobhuza, Zwide became preoccupied with his conflicts with the Mthethwa and the Zulu. Sobhuza used this opportunity to reorganise his forces, although still under Magoboyi’s authority. He attacked and defeated neighbouring chiefdoms and within one year had grown quite power ful, to the extent that it began to worry even his host, Magoboyi. But more worrying to Sobhuza himself were challenges to his authority by close relatives, all of which failed. In 1819, after Shaka routed Zwide’s armies in the Mhlatuze valley, near modern Eshowe, Sobhuza finally felt secure enough to return to Shiselweni.
The relative security of Shiselweni attracted many refugees to augment Sobhuza’s power. As a precaution against attack from Shaka, Sobhuza began to look to the north of Shiselweni for natural fortresses he could use in the event of attack. He therefore embarked upon the conquest of what was to become central Swaziland in about 1820. This area included the fertile and well-watered Ezulwini valley. To the west was the Mdimba mountain range, where cave fortresses were ideal for cover during battle.
Sobhuza used a careful strategy of both conquest and diplomacy against recalcitrant groups. First, he attacked and defeated the weakest groups, such as the Magagula, the Ngwenya, the Dlhadlha and the Mavimbela. Many others simply subordinated themselves to Sobhuza. The more formidable Maseko, however, kept their autonomy, despite Sobhuza having married one of his daughters, laMbombotsi, to their king Mgazi, as a strategy of eventually subordinating the group.
In the long run, however, the Maseko were defeated when their soldiers were lured into a ‘joint hunt’ for wild animals. They were attacked unawares, defeated and scattered into different parts of the region. The Ngwane were clearly on the ascendancy. To further consolidate his power, Sobhuza allocated each of his sons a chiefdom to rule. But the conquered areas still remained unsettled and insecure, with security generally prevailing only in the military towns.
The greatest threat to Ngwane security and Sobhuza’s rule came from the south, but Shaka ruled for just twelve years during which his military priorities lay elsewhere, mainly in defensive strategies. Sobhuza also resorted to diplomacy to help his state survive. For example, he made rain for the Zulu and married two of his daughters to the Zulu king. Despite these overtures of peace, Shaka sent an army to attack the Swazi in 1827 – but the Swazi’s use of their defensive strongholds in the Mdimba mountains ensured that the Zulu attack was a failure. Simultaneous Zulu attacks on the Mpondo and the Shangane kingdom to the north overstretched Zulu resources, which also facilitated Swazi resistance.
The death of Shaka on 22 September 1828 and the succession of Dingane brought a welcome respite for the Swazi. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Sobhuza consolidated his position as king and expanded his boundaries as far as the Sabie River to the north and the Steenkampsberg to the west. Stability and prosperity reigned once more. In 1839 a Swazi army was able to rout Dingane’s troops in open battle. Sobhuza died at about this time.
