This is a list of the monarchs of the Zulu nation, including chieftains and kings[1] of the Zulu royal family from their earliest known history up to the present time.

King of the Zulus
Ingonyama yamaZulu
Isilo samaBandla
Provincial
Incumbent
Misuzulu Zulu kaZwelithini
since 7 May 2021
Details
StyleHis Majesty
Heir apparentJubezizwe ka Misuzulu
First monarchZulu I kaMalandela
ResidenceNongoma, KwaZulu-Natal
Websitezulumonarch.org

Pre-Zulu

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The Zulu King lineage stretches to as far as Luzumana, who is believed to have lived as long ago as the 16th century. Luzumana is the child of Ngoni, but details about him are unknown.

  • NkosinKulu
  • Mnguni kaNkosinKulu
  • Luzumana kaMnguni
  • Malandela kaLuzumana

Chieftains of the Zulus (c. 1700–1818)

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When Malandela died, he divided the kingdom into two clans, the Qwabe and the Zulu.

  • Zulu I kaMalandela (c. 1627 – c. 1709), founder of the clan[2]
  • Nkosinkulu kaZulu I
  • Ntombela kaNkosinkulu
  • Zulu II kaNtombela
  • Gumede kaZulu
  • Phunga kaGumede (c. 1657 – c. 1727)[2]
  • Mageba kaGumede (c. 1667 – c. 1745), son of Gumede, chief c. 1727 to c. 1745
  • Ndaba kaMageba, son of Mageba, chief c. 1745 to 1763
  • Jama kaNdaba (c. 1727–1781), son of Ndaba, chief 1763 to 1781
    • Mkabayi kaJama (c. 1750 – 1843), daughter of Jama, regent 1781 to 1787 (until Senzangakhona came of age)
  • Senzangakhona kaJama (c. 1762–1816), son of Jama, chief 1787 to 1816
  • Sigujana kaSenzangakhona, son of Senzangakhona, chief c. 1816
  • Shaka kaSenzangakhona (1787–1828), son of Senzangakhona, chief c. 1816 to 1828

Kings of the Zulus (c. 1818–present)

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After Dingiswayo's death at the hands of Zwide, king of the Ndwandwe, around 1818, Shaka assumed leadership of the remnants of the Mthethwa Paramountcy, thereby becoming king.[3]

Zulu Kingdom (Independent, 1816–1879)
NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Shaka kaSenzangakhonac. July 1787 – 22 September 1828
(aged 41)
181622 September 1828Half-brother of Sigujana kaSenzangakhonaZulu 
Dingane kaSenzangakhonac. 1795 – 29 January 1840
(aged 44–45)
November 182829 January 1840Half-brother of Shaka kaSenzangakhonaZulu 
Mpande kaSenzangakhona1798 – 18 October 1872
(aged 73–74)
10 February 184018 October 1872Half-brother of Dingane kaSenzangakhonaZulu 
Cetshwayo kaMpande
(1st reign)
1834[1] – 8 February 1884
(aged 49–50)
18 October 187228 August 1879Son of Mpande kaSenzangakhonaZulu 
Zululand (Dependency, 1883–present)
NameLifespanReign startReign endNotesFamilyImage
Cetshwayo kaMpande
(2nd reign)
1834[1] – 8 February 1884
(aged 49–50)
29 January 18838 February 1884Son of Mpande kaSenzangakhonaZulu 
Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo1868 – 18 October 1913
(aged 44–45)
21 May 188418 October 1913Son of Cetshwayo kaMpandeZulu 
Solomon kaDinuzulu1891 – 4 March 1933
(aged 41–42)
1 November 19134 March 1933Son of Dinuzulu kaCetshwayoZulu 
Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon(1924-08-04)4 August 1924 – 17 September 1968(1968-09-17) (aged 44)27 August 194817 September 1968Son of Solomon kaDinuzuluZulu 
Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu(1948-07-14)14 July 1948 – 12 March 2021(2021-03-12) (aged 72)17 September 196812 March 2021Son of Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomonZulu 
Misuzulu Zulu kaZwelithini (1974-09-23) 23 September 1974 (age 50)7 May 2021IncumbentSon of Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzuluZulu 

Timeline

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Misuzulu ZuluGoodwill ZwelithiniCyprian BhekuzuluSolomon kaDinuzuluDinuzuluCetshwayoMpandeDinganeShaka

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Royal Zulu Monarch". Archived from the original on 29 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b Gillings, Ken (December 2012). "King Dingane Kasenzangakhona's KwaDukuza". Military History Journal (The South African Military History Society). 15 (6). Retrieved 28 August 2020.
  3. ^ Wilkinson, Stephan (14 March 2017). "Shaka Zulu: Africa's Napoleon?". HistoryNet. Retrieved 27 May 2020.