Matiwane

☆ Save On Wikipedia ↗
Fleeing the Mthethwa and Zulu coalition, the amaNgwane under Matiwane, with some elements of the Hlubi, cross the Drakensberg to raid the Tlôkwa and Basuto of the highveld, before entering Xhosa territory.
A section of the Hlubi people, once scattered by Matiwane's assault on their homeland, joined a coalition of peoples known as the Fengu.

King Matiwane (died c.1830, uMgungundlovu), son of Masumpa Ka Tshani, was the king of an independent Nguni nation called AmaNgwane, Ka Ngwadi. King Matiwane is the fifth descendent of King Ngwadi of Ngwane II of Mafu.

Matiwane was the king of AmaNgwane during the Mfecane. He established the historical Shiyi and Nsimbi war regiments and led the AmaNgwane southwards away from Shaka Zulu and Zwide KaLanga. The Shiyi and Nsimbi war regiments caused great losses amongst inland groups such as the Hlubi and Sotho during this migration, with the amaNgwane continuing to move south until they were met by abaThembu, amaMpondo and neighboring Xhosa Gcaleka royal polities. These groups ultimately joined forces with the British and defeated AmaNgwane at the Battle of Mbholompo on August 28, 1828. A splinter AmaNgwane group remained in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa under the leadership of Inkhosana Mphayise Hlongwane and his brothers, Ntsimango and Khondlo. Matiwane moved with the larger AmaNgwane group and the crown prince Zikhali towards Okahlamba (Bergville, Drakensberg). Returning to Zululand required Matiwane to make peace with the new Zulu king, Dingane, successor to Shaka. This despotic ruler put Matiwane to death shortly after Matiwane sought peace with the Zulu.

Migrations

Expecting an attack on his homeland, Matiwane moved some of his cattle herds westward. Soon afterwards, in 1817 or 1818, Shaka serving as Dingiswayo's general,[1] attacked the amaNgwane and drove them across the Buffalo river, uMzinyathi. This was the onset of the Mfecane migrations in which nations became displaced, and in turn displaced others in a series of internecine wars.[2]

The desperate amaNgwane under Matiwane's leadership moved westwards, where they attacked the Hlubi, a larger kingdom built by Bhungane, in a quest to recover their cattle.[1] Matiwane killed their king, Mthimkhulu c.1818, causing the Hlubi nation to scatter in different directions. Some Hlubi abandoned their homeland and fled north or west, or joined Shaka,[1] but some merged with the amaNgwane. Still others joined a coalition of refugees, the Fengu, who settled on the eastern frontier of the Cape Colony.[3] The Hlubi rued this catastrophe, referring to it as the izwekufa ("country of death"), and ascribed it to an act of witchcraft.

For the next three to four years Matiwane, now settled at Ntenjwa, now became the ruler of the upper Thukela region, near present-day Bergville, as he incorporated smaller tribes like the Bhele (relations of the Hlubi) and Zizi.[4]

In 1821 or 1822 Matiwane, expecting an attack from Shaka, fled over the Drakensberg and drove the Tlokwa tribe of chieftainess Mantatese (mother of Sekonyela) from their land in the Harrismith-Vrede region. Sotho tribes of the interior were also attacked, who fled to the region of Lesotho, where they joined the ranks of Moshoeshoe I.[3] When Matiwane turned south and threatened Moshoeshoe I, he sought the protection of Shaka and sent him tribute.[2] Matiwane established himself at Mabolela hill, near present day Clocolan, and Moshoeshoe complained to Shaka that this prevented him from sending tribute. Shaka dispatched Moselekatse (Mzilikazi) to attack Matiwane, who had to retreat before the impi's advance. They fled southwards to the lands of the abaThembu, which they once again plundered. They would however be defeated at the Battle of Mbholompo in 1828 by a coalition of the AmaMpondo who were led by king Faku kaNgqungqushe, amaXhosa led by, King Hintsa, abaThembu under king Ngubengcuka and colonial troops under the command of Major Dundas and Colonel Somerset.[2]Inkosana Tunyiswa Hlongwane was born at the royal kraal of King Hintsa after the Battle of Mbholompo[5].

Death

Dingane allowed his residence on the Hlomo amabutho ridge, less than a kilometer from his royal kraal UMgungundlovu, but before long had him killed. Dingane posthumously appointed him as the "devil chief" and "great chief of the wicked",[2] and had scores of his own enemies executed at KwaMatiwane, the Place of Matiwane.

References

  1. Etherington, Norman (2001). The great treks: the transformation of Southern Africa, 1815-1854. New York: Longman. ISBN 0582315670.
  2. Kotzé, D. J. (1950). Letters of the American Missionaries, 1835-1838. Cape Town: Van Riebeeck Society. pp. 223–224.
  3. Atlas of Southern Africa. Reader's Digest. August 1985. p. 27. ISBN 0-947008-02-0.
  4. Giliomee, H.; et al. "How did the Mfecane begin?". New History of South Africa. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  5. Mqhayi, S.E.K. Umhlekazi U Hintsa [King Hintsa] (in IsiXhosa). The Lovedale Press. pp. 7–8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)