1856 — The Battle of Ndondakusuka

On December 2, 1856, the Zulu kingdom was torn apart by the Battle of Ndondakusuka, fought on the banks of the Tugela River. There, Cetshwayo's uSuthu warriors crushed the forces of his brother Mbuyazi, in a succession struggle between the sons of King Mpande that ended in massacre, with thousands of warriors left dead.

Cetshwayo emerged as the undisputed heir, and the victory settled who would lead the Zulu nation next. Its shadow ran long: the heir confirmed on the Tugela would later lead the Zulu against Britain at Isandlwana. A kingdom's future, and a famous confrontation still to come, both turned on this one brutal day of brother against brother.