The Mfecane, also known by the Sesotho names Difaqane or Lifaqane, was a historical period of heightened military conflict and migration associated with state formation and expansion in Southern Africa. The exact range of dates that comprise the Mfecane varies between sources. At its broadest, the period lasted from the late eighteenth century to the mid-nineteenth century, but scholars often focus on an intensive period from the 1810s to the 1840s.
The Thembu are a Xhosa Nation who inhabited the Kingdom of Thembuland. They were established around the 16th century as one of the Xhosa federations in the Transkeian territories. The federation was later annexed by British Empire shortly after the death of King Sarhili.
The Natalia Republic was a short-lived Boer republic founded in 1839 after a Voortrekker victory against the Zulus at the Battle of Blood River. The area was previously named Natália by Portuguese sailors, due to its discovery on Christmas. The republic came to an end in 1843 when British forces annexed it to form the Colony of Natal. After the British annexation of the Natalia Republic, most local Voortrekkers trekked northwest into Transorangia, later known as the Orange Free State, and the South African Republic.
The amaMfengu were a group of Xhosa clans whose ancestors were refugees that fled from the Mfecane in the early-mid 19th century to seek land and protection from the Xhosa. These refugees were assimilated into the Xhosa nation and were officially recognized by the then king, Hintsa.
The Mpondo-People, or simply batter known as Ama-Mpondo, is a kingdom in what is now known as the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. It was established in March 1224. The Ama-Mpondo-Nation was first ruled by its founder who was King Mpondo ka-Njanya who lived around [born in 1204 and died in 1280] and later the 'Ama-Nyawuza' clan (a royal clan of the Ama-Mpondo-nation), by nationality referred to themselves as 'Ama-Mpondo'. They are related to other Aba-Mbo-People's and chiefdoms in South Africa.
King Hintsa ka-Khawuta, also known as King Hintsa Zanzolo , was the king of the Xhosa Kingdom, founded by his ancestor, King Tshawe. He ruled from 1820 until his death in 1835. The kingdom at its peak, during his reign stretched from the Mbhashe River, south of Mthatha, to the Gamtoos River, in the Southern Cape.
King Sarhili Ka-Hintsa was the King of Xhosa nation from 1835 until his death in 1892 at Sholora, Bomvanaland. He was also known as "Kreli", and led the Xhosa armies in a series of frontier wars.
The Nguni people are a linguistic cultural group of Bantu cattle herders who migrated from central Africa into Southern Africa, made up of ethnic groups formed from iron age and proto-agrarians, with offshoots in neighboring colonially-created countries in Southern Africa. Swazi people live in both South Africa and Eswatini, while Ndebele people live in both South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Pondoland or Mpondoland, is a natural region on the South African shores of the Indian Ocean. It is located in the coastal belt of the Eastern Cape province. Its territory is the former Mpondo Kingdom of the Mpondo people.
The Hlubi people or AmaHlubi are an AmaMbo ethnic group native to Southern Africa, with the majority of population found in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.
The Rharhabe House is the second senior house of the Xhosa Kingdom. Its royal palace is in the former Ciskei and its counterpart in the former Transkei is the Gcaleka, which is the great house of Phalo.
Bhaca, or IsiBhaca (Baca) is a Bantu language of South Africa. Traditionally considered a dialect of Swati, it is closer to Xhosa, Phuthi and Zulu. It is spoken southeast of Lesotho, where Sotho, Xhosa and Zulu meet, mainly around Mount Frere, Mzimkhulu, and to a lesser extent in Mount Ayliff, Matatiele, Harding, Bulwer, Underberg, Highflats, Umzinto, Umzumbe and Ixopo.
Thembuland, Afrikaans: Temboeland, is a natural region in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Its territory is the traditional region of the abaThembu.
Nhlangwini/Ntlangwini (Hlangwane) is a Bantu language of South Africa. It is located along the border between Xhosa and Zulu, but is more closely related to Swazi.
King Madzikane was the founder and a King of the amaBhaca nation. He was the son of the Zelemu King Khalimeshe kaWabana.
Matiwane ka Masumpa, son of Masumpa, was the king of an independent Nguni-speaking nation, the amaNgwane, a people named after Matiwane's ancestor Ngwane ka Kgwadi. The amaNgwane lived at the headwaters of the White Umfolozi, in what is now Vryheid in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The cunning of Matiwane would keep the amaNgwane one step ahead of the ravages of the rising Zulu kingdom, but their actions also set the Mfecane in motion. After his nation was ousted from their homeland by Zwide with Shaka, Matiwane and his armies clashed with neighboring nations as he attempted to nourish his people. Eventually he fled South into lands occupied by abaThembu, amaMpondo and the neighboring Xhosa nations, which ultimately teamed up with the British and got his nation dismantled and scattered as smaller splinters at the Battle of Mbholompo in what is today Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. In his exodus from Mthatha, Matiwane and the biggest of the amaNgwane splinters was sheltered by baSotho but eventually had to return to his country, Ntenjwa, which he had settled briefly upon fleeing from his old country on uMfolozi omhlophe. Being back at Ntenjwa put a very much weakened amaNgwane and the king, Matiwane, within easy reach of the Zulu nation he had fled from. Matiwane had to then go make peace with the Zulu king, now Dingane, successor to Shaka. This despotic ruler put Matiwane to death shortly after Matiwane sought peace with the amaZulu.
According to their own tradition, the Bomvana originate from the AmaNgwane people of KwaZulu-Natal. The AmaBomvana are descended from Nomafu, the first of the AmaNgwana tribe and from Bomvu, who gave rise to the AmaBomvu tribe. Bomvu's Great Son, Nyonemnyam, carried on the Bomvu dynasty. His son Njilo is the progenitor of the AmaBomvana. The AmaBomvana people left Natal in 1650 to settle in Pondoland after a dispute over cattle. After the death of Njilo’s wife, their grandson Dibandlela refused to send, in accordance with custom, the isizi cattle to his grandfather. This led to an open dispute. Dibandlela fled with his supporters and their cattle to settle in Pondoland
Ncapayi was the king of the Bhaca people between 1826 until his death in 1846. He was the second son from the first wife of King Madzikane, the firstborn being Sonyangwe his elder brother. He resided at his father's royal residence in Mpoza facing the Mganu mountains and also built another residence in the nearby Lutateni. While trying to attack the Mpondo people due to the Maitland treaty he fell off the cliff and died in a place called Nowalala near Ntabankulu in March 1844. Faku ordered he must be killed to save him from pain and agony he had suffered as for days he had plunged beneath the cliff.
Ncapai was the king of the Bhaca people between 1826 until his death in 1845. He was the second son from the first wife of King Madzikane ka Zulu; the first born being Sonyangwe his elder brother. He resided at his father's royal residence in Mpoza, the great place facing Mganu mountains and also built another residence in the nearby Lutateni. While trying to attack the Mpondo people, due to the Maitland treaty, he fell off a cliff and died in a place called Nowalala, near Ntabankulu in March 1846. Faku kaNgqungqushe ordered that he must be killed to save him from the pain and agony he had suffered for days after he had plunged beneath the cliff. Ncapayi is said to have been a ruthless freebooter.
The Mpondomise people, also called Ama-Mpondomise, are a Xhosa-speaking people. Their traditional homeland has been in the contemporary era Eastern Cape province of South Africa, and during apartheid they were located both in the Ciskei and Transkei region. Like other separate Xhosa-speaking kingdoms such as Aba-Thembu and Ama-Mpondo, they speak Xhosa and are at times considered as part of the Xhosa people.
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