Dinizulu

Dinizulu kaCetshwayo (1868-1913) was the king of the Zulu nation from 20 May 1884 until his death in 1913. He succeeded his father Cetshwayo, who was the last king of the Zulus to be officially recognized as such by the British.

In 1890 he was exiled to the island of St. Helena for seven years for leading a Zulu army against the British from 1883 to 1884.

In 1906 the so-called Bhambhata rebellion broke out. After the rebellion had been put down, Dinizulu was accused of giving orders to Bhambhata to start the rebellion and was put on trial for treason.

Although he steadfastly protested his innocence, he was found guilty and sentenced to four years imprisonment in March, 1908. Two years later an old friend of his, General Louis Botha, became Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa. Botha ordered that King Dinizulu be released and transported to the farm Uitkyk in the Transvaal, where he died in 1913.

He was succeeded by his son Solomon kaDinizulu.