Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift: The Battle of Isandlwana 1879 [Hardcover]

Thanks to the 1964 film Zulu, starring Stanley Baker and Michael Caine, the basic facts of the battle of Rourke's Drift are well known. However, Ian Knight's immaculately researched book provides the full background to the entire conflict, from the arrival of the first white travellers in the early part of the 19th century to the fateful battle in 1879.

Incorporating decades of research, Zulu Rising collects contemporary fragments of anecdotes and memories which produce a fresh perspective on the causes of the conflict and at the same time lay many of the popular myths to rest.

It also brings to life the key players on both sides, such as King Cetshwayo, leader of the Zulus, and Sir Henry Bartle Frere, the high commissioner who decided that the only way to annexe the territory for the British would be to eliminate the Zulus completely.

At 600 pages, with another 100 pages of notes, this is not a light or quick read, but it is clearly written and accessible. Both comprehensive and thorough, this will surely remain the definitive account for some time.

This book maybe considered something of a forensic treatment of the subject of the Anglo-Zulu War, in all its aspects, from the forming of the mighty Zulu empire under King Shaka Zulu (d. 1828), through to the decision to invade and then annex Zululand in 1879 by the British colonial representatives in Natal. This is a study of a clear, brutal and unjust act of blatant imperialist expansion, an expansion that ended in effectively destroying an independent people and their culture. The impression of this study is that a small group of British politicians and military men sort to gain promotion and move forward their careers by playing a deadly game of colonial chess with the lives of others.

The author, Ian Knight, has written many books on the subject of the Zulu people, and is considered something of a renowned scholar on the subject. This book deals with virtually every aspect of the British military invasion of Zululand, together with its consequences for both the British who took part, and the Zulu people who were eventually defeated. He is not an armchair researcher, but travels frequently to KwaZulu in Southern Africa to further his research and deepen his understanding of his chosen subject of study. In 2008, Ian Knight received the Anglo-Zulu War Historical Society's Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Award, for his academic contribution in this field.

The hardback (2010) edition contains 697 numbered pages. The book includes an Acknowledgement and a prologue, together with maps and ample photographs. It is separated into 29 Chapters, with an interesting Glossary and Notes section, as well as the usual index, etc. The work is meticulous and proceeds logically in a general chronological order. The Prologue - entitled 'The sun turned black', introduces the reader to the battlefield of Islandlwana in 2007, at a time when Ian Knight was at the site, collecting data for this book. At this time, Knight observed modern Zulu people walking over the battlefield performing a traditional Zulu ritual designed to catch the spirits of the dead. When questioned by Knight, these people explained that their ancestor died on this battlefield in 1879, and that they - his descendents - were attempting to free his spirit from the area of his violent death. There is much to consider in this presentation, as Knight gives as much weight to Zulu culture, as he does British. However, the discerning reader will note that although British colonial interest suffered at the hands of the Zulus defending their country against invasion, Great Britain herself, thousands of miles away, remained untouched. For the Zulus, the story was quite different.

What is important to consider is that the events that ended in the death of thousands on both sides, were not initiated by the British government of the day, but rather was the brain-child of local colonial authority - namely Theophilus Shepstone and Sir Bartle Frere, militarily aided and abetted by Lord Chelmsford (Lt-Gen Frederic Thesiger). The idea was to quickly invade Zululand, defeat the armies of the Zulu King Cetchwayo, and claim the land for European settlement. This could all be achieved, so it was thought, very quickly, before the British government could protest. With victory secured, the British government would have no choice but to acknowledge the new colonial acquisition and promote all those involved for furthering the prestige of Queen Victoria abroad. Richard Holmes, the eminent British military historian, comments in Adrian Greaves' excellent book entitled 'Isandlwana', that the British underestimation of the Zulu ability to rage war, was, undoubtedly the product of the racist thinking common at the time. On Wednesday the 22nd of January 1879, a Zulu army thought to number around 25,000, launched a highly disciplined attack upon the British military camp at Isandlwana. The battle is believed to have lasted around 120 minuters (between 12pm and 2pm). In that time, around 1,329 members of the 1,700 man column were killed, with only around 55 British managing to escape out of Zululand and back into British controlled Natal. This figure includes 471 African troops killed fighting with the British. Zulu casualties are uncertain, but are thought (by Knight) to be around 1,500 dead (other sources suggest 3,000), with perhaps around 3,000 wounded. What is remarkable is that the British forces were armed with the new breech-loading rifle, cavalry, canon and rocket-launchers, and were well stocked with ammunition. There were even dissident Zulu warriors in the British ranks. Knight traces the origin of this humiliating military defeat, inflicted by a warrior-farmer people, whose weapons consisted of a short stabbing spear, a battle-hammer and a cowhide shield.

The subsequent battles of Rorke's Drift and Ulundi are also covered, together with many others, as Knight presents the eventual British victory and the resulting destruction of the fabric of Zulu culture by the intricacies of colonial politics, the greed of European settlers, and undermining of traditional Zulu beliefs by Christian missionaries. This is a superb book of history. Probably the best ever written on this subject.

I thought this was an excellent book, and I am only surprised that it hasn't been more widely acclaimed. It tells a complex story well, covering the context and history as well as the particular incidents, balancing the British and Zulu perspectives, and also balancing the big picture with individual experiences - on both sides. And when it came to the action I found it almost unputdownable. His account of Isandlwanda would be a credit to a good historical novelist, and is all the more impressive considering that there are, for obviously reasons, relatively few personal accounts of the battle.
On a lighter note it was amusing to find that the real Chard and Bromhead were a pair of very unlikely heros and about as far from Stanley Baker and Michael Caine as it would be possible to be. And good to find also that there were people on the British/colonial side who opposed the rush to war and conquest - Bishop Colense stands out as an admirable figure.
One very small absence - there is a very helpful glossary of Zulu and Afrikaans terms, but a pronunciation guide would have been helpful. I'm still not clear how `iSandlwana' is meant to be pronounced.