- In the early 19th century, under the leadership of Shaka Zulu, the Zulu people began consolidating political power in what is now KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.
- Shaka instituted military reforms and tactics that allowed the Zulu army to defeat surrounding groups and expand Zulu territory. By the 1820s, the Zulu state dominated much of the region.
- However, internal power struggles after Shaka's death in 1828 led to instability. In the late 1830s, the Zulu kingdom came into conflict with British colonial settlers who were moving into the