An old photo showing the Zulu army. Image credit satravelblog.com

ZIMSEC O Level History Notes: The Zulu State: Tshaka’s military innovations

  • Shaka kaZulu was the military commander
  • The army commanders and indunas were appointed by Shaka personally from the royal family
  • The army was very crucial in the day to day life of the Zulu state
  • All men below the age of 40 were conscripted into the army
  • Soldiers of the Zulu state were divided into different age regiments
  • Each regiment had about 800-1000 strong soldiers
  • Each regiment had its own songs and war-cry
  • Each regiment wore a distinctive head-dress and dressing
  • Each regiment also had a distinctive shield colour
  • Regiments were positioned in regiments towns strategically located in the state
  • Each regiment had an induna who was the military commander
  • During times of peace the regiments did activities like repairing kraals and fences , cultivation, sowing, weeding and harvesting of royal crops

NB To learn more about Tshaka’s military innovations please go to this page.

To access more topics go to the History Notes page.