King Shaka Influence

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King Shaka was the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom. He reigned over a large area known today as Kwa-Zulu Natal from 1816 to 1828. He has been called a heroic nation builder and military genius, and condemned as a power hungry tyrant on the other hand. Shaka was praised through songs and praise poems as a famous, unbeaten and a sharp leader as well as a ferocious and feared by all men with blood on his spear even to the handle. He killed a madman who was terrorizing the local area to protect his people. [source H] According to stories passed down from generations, Shaka saw himself as the protector that let stars shine while he reigned, only a great man like himself would be able to follow in his footsteps . He believed…show more content…
it shows that he is a legendary icon. Shaka land is a tourist attraction that shows Zulu hospitality. [Source O, Q & R] According to History Standards, he believed in fierce discipline and that men be put to death for the slightest fault and that resulted in people fearing and hating him. He went against his customs and abused his army, allowing his soldiers little time to rest and craving more and more power through his reign. While his people expected him to show kindness , he grew harder and harsher which eventually led to his own army and brother killing him. [source K &N] Europeans described Shaka as bloodthirsty and incapable of emotions other than hate and vengeance. Mr. Flynn’s account was only written years after his experience and was influenced by Nathaniel Isaacs who urged him to write about Shaka in a negative way, for the purpose of gaining control. In Apartheid the government influenced their people to think about Shaka as a bloodthirsty tyrant in the series “Shaka Zulu”. [source L & P] Shaka was an intelligent, determined with the motivation to protect and lead his people to victory, whatever the cost. In the end costs added up to the total of his own
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