Zulu people of 1878, envoys of the British crown delivered an ultimatum to 11 chiefs representing the then-current king of the Zulu empire, Cetshwayo. Under the British terms delivered to the Zulu, Cetshwayo would have been required to disband his army and accept British sovereignty. Cetshwayo refused, and war between the Zulus and African contingents of the British crown began on January 12th, 1879. Despite an early victory for the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana on the 22nd of January, the British fought back and won the Battle at Rorke's Drift, and definitively defeated the Zulu army by July at the
Battle of Mhlatuze River river, effectively splitting the attackers into two separate groups which allowed a Zulu victory. Battle of Mhlatuze River The Battle of Mhlatuze River was a battle fought between the Zulu and Ndwandwe tribes in 1820 following the Zulu Civil War. The Ndwandwe hierarchy was set asunder by the battle, and largely scattered their population in response. In 1818, Shaka had been attacked by Qwabe warriors led by Phakathwayo along the same river. The Zulu people prevailed in battle, led by military commander Shaka. As in the Battle of Gqokli Hill, Shaka's superior tactics led his people to victory. When the