Kingdom and Colony at War: Sixteen Studies on the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879

Abstract

The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 might seem familiar ground to many readers with an interest in the colonial wars of the nineteenth century. Yet there are many aspects of this conflict which historians have previously neglected. These sixteen studies, all based on extensive original research in Britain and South Africa, open up unexpected vistas by investigating entirely new aspects of the war, or by viewing those already known from a fresh perspective. Among the studies are investigations of the Zulu political and diplomatic responses to the British invasion. Also included are re-examinations of their strategy and tactics in the battles of Rorke's Drift and Khambula. Other studies throw the spotlight on the fascinating, but generally unknown low-intensity war along the borders of Zululand, and on the equally absorbing but sometimes amusing efforts in colonial Natal to prepare against a Zulu invasion.