Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of iSandlwana and Rorke's Drift

by Ian Knight

The battle of Isandlwana was the single most destructive incident in the 150-year history of the British colonization of South Africa. In one bloody day over 800 British troops, 500 of their allies and at least 2,000 Zulus were killed. It was a staggering defeat for the British empire and the consequences of the battle echoed brutally across the following decades as Britain took ruthless revenge on the Zulu people. In 'Zulu Rising' Ian Knight shows that the brutality of the battle was the result of an inevitable clash between two aggressive warrior traditions.

Genres: History, Africa, Nonfiction, South Africa, War, Military History, Military Fiction

854 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 1, 2010

About the author

Ian Knight, BA, FRGS is a historian, author, battlefield guide and artifacts specialist internationally regarded as a leading authority on the nineteenth-century history of the Zulu kingdom, and in particular the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. He has a degree in Afro-Caribbean Studies from the University of Kent and has been researching and writing for more than thirty years. He has published over forty books and monographs, the majority of them on Zulu history and the rest on other nineteenth-century British colonial campaigns. He has appeared on-screen in a number of television documentaries. He is an Honorary Research Associate of the KwaZulu-Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

“In a small pocket notebook William Cochrane had taken with him into the field, a printed entry for Wednesday 22 January 1879 noted that a solar eclipse would take place that day…The eclipse coincided with the peak of the battle at iSandlwana; in a stunning piece of natural symbolism, on the bloodiest day in the history of the Victorian Empire, the sun darkened. As one African folk story has it, in that moment, God closed his eyes, for he could not bear to look upon the horror that Man was inflicting upon himself.

There was no dramatic reduction in the light levels, but far out at Mangeni Trooper Symons noticed a heavy stillness settle over the atmosphere. In the camp at iSandlwana, the eclipse frayed nerves already overstretched by the adrenaline rush of blood-lust and terror amid the smoke and dust. ‘Our eyes were dark,’ said uNzuzi Mandla of the uVe, ‘and we stabbed everything we came across.’ The worlds of the living and of the ancestors were entwined in a terrible embrace, and the sky seemed rent by some terrible form of umnyama; ‘the sun turned black in the middle of the battle,’ a man of the uNokhenke told Bertram Mitford in 1882. ‘We could still see it over us, or we should have thought we had been fighting till evening. Then we got into camp, and there was a great deal of smoke and firing. Afterwards the sun came out bright again.’

And for hundreds of men, that hellish vortex of human rage and violence swirling in the unnatural gloom would be their last vision of the living world…”
- Ian Knight, Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift

In terms of sheer drama, few conflicts in history can surpass the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Despite its brevity – it lasted but five months – it brims with epic battles, heroic stands, tense chases, close escapes, and a litany of mysteries and controversies. This aspect of the war has been ably covered in Hollywood films, such as Zulu, and nonfiction narratives such as Donald R. Morris’s classic The Washing of the Spears.

There is another aspect to the war, however, one that reminds us that history, unlike fiction, actually happened, and that no matter how good the story, there were real life consequences. The Anglo-Zulu War was a colonial war, one that began with Great Britain’s unjustified and premeditated invasion of Zululand, and ended with the attempted dismantling of a culture and a people. This reality is often missing in the many battle-histories covering the war. You get the excitement, without reckoning at the cost.

In that sense, Ian Knight’s Zulu Rising is quite nearly a perfect book. It combines storytelling proficiency – if not quite flair – with prodigious research, sound judgments, cultural sensitivity, and a broadness that treats the Zulu perspective as equal to that of the British.

***

Zulu Rising covers only the opening of the Anglo-Zulu War, and focuses on its two most famous battles: the crushing defeat of an entire battalion of British infantry at Isandlwana, and the makeshift defense of Rorke’s Drift by a small number of redcoats.

Knight is one of the preeminent scholars of this period, and you know before opening the cover that you are in good hands. Within the first few pages, he also indicates that he’s bringing a modern sensibility to a Victorian saga. For example, he has scrubbed his text of Afrikaner references that pepper most Zulu books, such as laager and kraal. He also uses more traditional spellings and place names.

More than that, Knight starts from the Zulu point of view. Specifically, the first set piece is a detailed recounting of the killing of a woman named MaMtshali by Mehlokazulu. MaMtshali was a Great Wife who strayed from her husband in violation of Zulu law, and Knight uses the incident to explain the ideological divide separating Zulus on both sides of the Mzinyathi River. Zulus on one side still retained their traditional lifestyles, while those on the other were under colonial authority.

While this incident has been covered before, I appreciated Knight ceding to the Zulu center stage in their own tale. They are given names, passions, and motivations. Later, when the battles start, their movements about the battlefield are placed in a strategic context far different from the human wave attacks portrayed in popular media.

***

This is an absolutely massive tome, and is just over 600 pages of text, followed by fifty pages of endnotes, some of them annotated.

Knight spends the majority of this space on the battle of Isandlwana. Frankly, this is justified. In the shadow of an iconic mountain, thousands of men went bayonet to spear in a clash that left some 1,300 British and 1,000 Zulus dead. It was one of the worst disasters in British imperial history, and that is saying something.

***

What makes Isandlwana so fascinating is that it is part history, part puzzle. Every British soldier on the firing lines, every company officer, and Colonel Henry Pulleine – the commander – was killed in the battle. According to legend, Zulu King Cetshwayo told his men to kill every man with a red coat, so that only a handful of Anglo officers wearing blue tunics managed to safely flee.

Because the British were nearly annihilated, a lot of witnesses never got the chance to make their reports. All of our primary Anglo sources come from men who didn’t have official duties during the fight. This allowed them to escape, which is good for their lives, but also meant that they didn’t necessarily see some of the most impactful moments, which is bad for the historical record.

Consequently, we have tantalizing glimpses of how things shook out, but at the critical moment of failure – when the overextended British firing line collapsed – we have only suppositions, surmises, theories, and precious few Zulu accounts. Half the fun of reading about a battle like this is in the detective work involved, in attempting to cull and collate sources, searching for corroborating witnesses or forensic evidence that dovetails with a frightened man’s long-ago account.

***
Given the difficulties I’ve described, Knight strikes a really good balance between straight-ahead narrative and source-analysis. I also appreciated his judicious block-quoting of primary sources. This allows the reader to see exactly what a participant recorded, rather than having that information diffused through an author’s preconceptions.

With clarity and precision, Knight capably resolves many of the enduring controversies of the battle. For instance, he has an extended discussion on the infamous ammunition controversy, which stems from the alleged failure of quartermasters to hand out bullets to anyone but authorized companies, and from the difficulty in breaking open the ammo boxes themselves. Some have theorized that this allowed the firing to slacken, giving the Zulu the chance to close with their spears. One historian actually recreated a period-appropriate box and then tried to destroy it on camera. To my mind, Knight puts the argument to bed, though I wouldn’t dare spoil that.

Knight also spends time clarifying the British order of battle, including the disposition of African troops who served with the British. In certain retellings of the battle – unfortunately including The Washing of the Spears, which is otherwise magnificent – the British disintegration is precipitated by the retreat of African troops in the center of the British firing line. This is a rather unsubtle bit of racism in that it blames black soldiers for the defeat of white troops at the hands of black warriors. Knight not only demolishes the lie, but he traces it back to its source, so that the interested reader can follow its genesis.

***

Isandlwana is an exceedingly English dumpster fire. I mean, there is nothing more British than capping a massive military loss by having an officer attempt to escape with the Regimental flag.

After that, everything following is a bit anticlimactic, even though the struggle at Rorke’s Drift is fascinating in its own right.

If you’re an American, the best way to describe Rorke’s Drift is to compare it to the Doolittle Raid launched in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. In other words, the defense of the Drift is a relatively small event that took on massive proportions as a morale booster.

During the fight at Rorke’s Drift, 150 British soldiers turned an old trading post into a sandbagged redoubt and held off 3-4,000 Zulus. The successful defense was a much needed elixir after the drubbing at Isandlwana, and resulted in the award of 11 Victoria Crosses.

Unlike Isandlwana, there were many survivors capable of giving contemporary written accounts, so that there is little mystery surrounding the fight. In my opinion, this makes Rorke’s Drift inherently less interesting to study. Even so, Knight does a credible job with the battle, emphasizing the piecemeal nature of the Zulu attacks that doomed them to fail.

***

Zulu Rising is not just a great book on the Anglo-Zulu War, but an excellent example of history done with skill and balance. It is respectful and inclusive; it corrects past biases; and it does these things without losing sight of why you picked this book up in the first place: to stand with brave men from two very different worlds beneath an eclipsing sun, both sides struggling – in their own way – for survival itself.

[happy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his look at the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, Mr. Knight has produced a very balanced account of the two battles. In addition to solid accounts of the actual battles, the author gives the reader a solid understanding of the reasons the war was fought and a decent recap of the history of Natal and the Zulu nation.

In looking at the causes of war, Mr. Knight makes it abundantly clear that the people in charge of the English Colony of Natal wanted the war and did everything they could to engineer it and make it look like the it was the Zulus fault. The villains of the war are definitely Sir Henry Frere and Sir Theophilus Shepstone, the civilian leaders of Natal and the Cape Colony. The colonial office in London did not want a war; neither did the Zulu King Cetshwayo. Frere and Shepstone maneuvered the colony to declare a “defensive” war to protect Natal from Zulu incursions. Mr. Knight makes it clear the Zulus did everything possible to avoid the war; Cetshwayo even forbade his troops from crossing into Natal.

In looking at the invasion of Zulu land, the author gives a good look at the British invasion plans and the short comings of the British commander, LTG Fredrick Thesiger – Lord Chelmsford. Chelmsford’s center column was under his personal command and parts of it fought at Isandlwana, including six companies of regular infantry, appox 450 men, from the 24th Reg’t of Foot and another 800 native irregulars and white colonial units raised from the colony of Natal. The British camp was poorly laid out for defense and was overwhelmed by a force appox 20 times their number. One thing the author brings out is that the many of the Zulu had firearms, though not the modern Martini-Henry the 24th was armed with, not just assegais, short stabbing spears, and a number of the British casualties were caused by gunshot.

In his account of the battle, Mr. Knight also takes on some of the myths of the battle. One example is the British Quartermasters refusing to issue ammunition to units other than their own. He asserts that this was not a problem, by the time ammo began to be a concern; the battle had devolved into hand to hand fighting. He also looks at the myth that the ammo boxes could not be opened quickly. Again his conclusion is that this was not a problem – a sharp rap with a rifle butt would open the crate the ammo came in.

After the Battle of Isandlwana concludes with the destruction of the British camp and the death of more than 1100 of its defenders, the author looks at the defense of Rorke’s Drift. This battle was depicted in the 1964 film, Zulu starring Michael Caine in one of his first starring roles. One of the aspects of this section of the book that I found interesting is the look at the personalities of Lts Bromhead and Chard. According to Mr. Knight, they definitely are not what is portrayed in the movie. At Rorke’s Drift one company, appox 150 men, of the 24th successfully defended their station against approx 4000 Zulus and as a result 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders

All in all this is an excellent account of the opening of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu war. It is readable and flows well. I give this book a solid 4 stars.

[Doubledf99.99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and well written book, in particular on the causes and the why of the war. The author goes into great detail of the two battles, the commanders and leaders, and of the Zulu Chief's and Prince's. The only bad knock I have on the book, is it's lack of footnotes.

[Stephen Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a 700-page history book that reads like, and is as gripping as a novel. It covers the first battle of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, the battle of Isandlwana, when the British invaded Zululand, and retreated with a bloodied nose.

The term "history book" needs to be qualified, of course. Many historians believe that detailed descriptions of battles are not real history. For real historians, they might say, the actual battle is not important, only the causes and the results.

This book is not even about the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 as such. It is just about the opening battles, or to be strictly accurate, the opening battle, the Battle of Isandlwana. The Battle of Rorke's Drift was a mere side-show, boosted by the British war propaganda machine to divert attention from their defeat at Isandlwana.

Having said that, however, Ian Knight describes the causes of the war at some length, and it is interesting to compare it with other books on the same topic. There was a flurry of books on the Anglo-Zulu War around the time of its centenary in 1879.

I became interested in the topic when I learned that my great grandfather had fought in the war. My grandmother had died three years before we became seriously interested in family history, but I talked to her cousin, whose mother's birthday book had an entry for Captain Richard Wyatt Vause VC. The VC bit sounded rather unlikely to me, but I asked other members of the family, and one cousin had my great grandfather's diary of the Anglo-Zulu War. He wasn't a VC, and he wasn't a captain, but he was a Lieutenant in the Natal Native Horse, and he was one of the few on the British side who escaped alive after the Battle of Isandlwana. I'm glad he did, because if he hadn't I wouldn't be here.

A second reason for my interest was that I was living in Zululand at the time of the centenary of the war, and we visited the battlefield both on the centenary itself, and for the centenary celebrations four months later. On the actual centenary there were some overweight people marching up and down wearing British redcoat uniforms, no doubt left over costumes from the filming of Zulu Dawn. At the celebrations there were some descendants of members of the Zulu army running up and down, also overweight, and quite exhausted by their exertions. I suspect their great grandfathers would have been quite amused.

When I first became interested in the Anglo-Zulu War the most up-to-date account was The washing of the spears by Donald R. Morris, so I read it. Now, forty years later, Ian Knight has produced a new account, and it is quite interesting to compare them. Both are very readable accounts, and well written.

In the intervening period there has been a lot of effort to collect more primary source material and make it more accessible to researchers, so Knight had access to a lot more source material than Morris did, and he quotes from it quite extensively. So Knight's book has some first-hand accounts from both sides (including excerpts from my great grandfather's diary). This makes the story come alive more, so that on reading it, one almost feels that one has been there.

This also means that Knight can fill in some gaps, and answer some of the questions that could not be answered in Morris's account. Morris, for example, mentions a 12-year-old drummer boy, who was strung up by the heels and had his throat cut. Knight mentions that there were rumours of such things in the press, and stories to that effect later told by soldiers to frighten new recruits, but there was no evidence that any such thing happened, or that there was anyone younger than 17 in the British army, and the drummers were mostly middle-aged men. There may have been a few that young on the Zulu side, but they were not actually soldiers, but rather camp followers, perhaps come to help carry equipment for an older brother, and to catch a glimpse of the excitement.

There are some curious differences in the accounts of the lead-up to the war. Morris and Knight emphasise different points, and each includes some things that the other omits. Morris's account, with fewer sources available, is sometimes contradictory. He appears to accept the British propaganda line that Zululand, with its large army was a threat to Natal, and that the British therefore had no choice but to invade Zululand to deal with this perceived threat, but at the same time he acknowledges that King Cetshwayo of Zululand had no hostile intentions towards Natal, and simply wanted to live in peace.

Both books deal with the confederation policy of Lord Carnarvon, the British Colonial Secretary, which was the real cause of the war. Carnarvon wanted to unite the various colonies, republics and independent kingdoms of southern Africa under British rule. Both books mention that the invasion of Zululand was preceded by the British annexation of the Transvaal by the erstwhile Natal secretary for Native Affairs, Theophilus Shepstone. Knight, however, comes up with the explanation, which was new to me (or else I simply hadn't appreciated it before) that Shepstone introduced the whole confederation scheme in conversations with Carnarvon, and convinced him that it could work in South Africa as it had in Canada in 1867.

Knight, however, omits all mention of James Anthony Froude, Carnarvon's spin doctor for confederation, who was sent to convince everyone of its benefits. He does mention that the Cape Colony was brought around to the idea by the simple expedient of sacking its prime minister, but omits a description of the way in which the same object was achieved in Natal, where Sir Garnet Wolseley was sent to "drown the liberties" of the colonists in sherry and champagne.

In military matters, though I am no expert in such things, I think Knight gives a more accurate picture. Morris speaks of Zululand as having a large "standing army", which is not quite true. The Zulu military system at that time more closely resembled that of the Swiss, with all males of military age subject to call-up, and being called upon to attend the king at various times. They generally provided their own weapons (only the shields were government issue). It was the British empire that had a standing army, like the two battalions of the 24th regiment, who were full-time professional soldiers, armed, fed and paid by the government. That was why the British lost the battle of Isandlwana, but won the war, because a standing army has a better chance in a drawn-out campaign.

Morris also, for some strange reason, plays down the fact that both sides used firearms. The blurb in the front of Morris's book emphasises this even more:

In 1879, armed only with their spears, their rawhide shields, and their incredible courage, the Zulus challenged the might of Victorian England and, initially, inflicted on the British the worst defeat a modern army has ever suffered at the hands of men without guns.

It is true that the British infantry were better trained in the use of firearms, and had state-of-the-art Martini-Henry rifles, which had a longer range and were more accurate than most of the guns in the Zulu army, but until the fighting got to very close quarters, most of it was by exchanges of gunfire. In hand-to-hand fighting, the British used bayonets fixed to the end of their rifles, while the Zulus used short stabbing spears. The bayonets had a longer reach, but once someone got inside that reach, it was over.

[Author:Ian Knight] also makes it pretty clear that war was not the romantic and glorious affair that was pictured in contemporary Victorian paintings. It was brutal, vicious and messy. Both sides killed prisoners and unarmed civilians. Some, like George Hamilton-Browne, would probably today be described as a war criminal, and his troops seem to have behaved like Arkan's Tigers in more recent times, though Hamilton-Brown treated his own troops pretty badly.

Another thing that comes out in Knight's account is the parallels between the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the Iraqi-American War of 2003. There was the same spin-doctoring in search of a casus belli, the same scare tactics and bogus threats (weapons of mass destruction/the Zulu plan to invade Natal). The main difference is that the Zulus fought better than the Iraqis.

The centenary of the war in 1979 occurred at the height of the "revisionist" movement in South African historiography, and much of the writing at that time was of the Marxist school, in which a "rigid theoretical framework" and concentration on abstract economic forces made for dull reading. Learning that unamed people who were in a position to "extract surpluses" and actually did so in unnamed places is dead boring to read.

Knight, I am glad to say, does not follow that trend. He tells the story of people and events, and his theoretical framework, if any, is less obtrusive.

And the impression that I get from Knight is that, if he has told the story accurately, Theophilus Shepstone was the villain of the piece, aided by his family, whether they extracted surpluses or not. Shepstone it was who worked himself into a position where he controlled much of the lives of the black people of Natal. It was Shepstone who urged the confederation policy on Lord Carnarvon. It was Shepstone who recommended to Garnet Wolseley that Zululand be broken up into 13 statelets whose rulers fought, as a contemporary described it, like Kilkenny cats. In other words, Shepstone embodied the principle of "divde and rule" in his own person.

And Shepstone's brother John "continued to dominate the Natal Native Affairs department thoughtout the 1880s, using his considerable influence to block any attempted resurgence of the Zulu royal house. As late as 1904 he provided evidence to the South African Native Affairs Commission arguing against allowing black Africans a right to vote in colonial elections (Knight 2011:692) -- an injustice that was only rectified 90 years later, in 1994.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best military history books that I have read, this is an outstanding history of the two best known battles of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War – Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift. The book provides an excellent, detailed account of the campaign itself, examines the triggering events that led to the war, and places it all in the wider historical context. Ian Wright is a gifted writer he is equally adept at dramatically capturing the terror and chaos of the battlefield as dispassionately analyzing the personal and political motivations of the political and military leaders of both sides. (I especially enjoyed the sections of the book that examined the rise of the Zulu nation and the internal tensions and rivalries that greatly complicated Cetshwayo’s efforts to effectively defend Zululand.) Highly recommended.

[Adrienne Hennessey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently visited the Isandlwana & Rorke's Drift battlefields in South Africa & found all the information concerning the battles, British military involvement & catalogue of events all rather confusing. The enthusiastic Zulu who regaled us with the tales only served to heighten my bewilderment further, so to read this book was truly enlightening & insightful. I can thoroughly recommend it as I found it very informative, well written & clearly logged all the details, leaving me with a much clearer version of events.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author presents a historical perspective on the politics and military actions of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War. Despite my holding a degree in history, I had to read with a dictionary at had as the work appears to be an academic one. The author is also fond of non-English phrases. But the book does give an insite into the war.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very long and detailed introduction to the opening phases of the Anglo Zulu War of 1879, focussing on the twin Battles of Isandlwana and Rorke's Drift. Solid work that takes into account the latest investigations and findings about the former battle. Nice to see more Zulu evidence than in other books on the topic. But a huge let down in that the copious footnotes indicated through the text are not actually included. Big booboo on the part of the publisher there. Rated MA for strong battle violence. 3.5/5

[Dimitri · Rating 4 out of 5]

*blank* So well-written you devour the familiar twin battle story & only at the later stage of the war realize how erudite a magnum opus is after a lifetime of being the world's expert.

[Glen Gilpin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent read but gets very dry after 300 pages.

[L.M. Mountford · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for a book on the rise and fall of the Zulu Nation, look no further. This is the first time i've ever actually sat down and read a non-fiction reference book, but I'm researching for a new book i'm writing and wanted to do some research. Now the title is very misleading, though about half the book is solely focused on Isandlwana, there is so much more to this work than just the two famous battles, it accounts for much of the history and Culture of the Zulus, from before Shaka to the South African union, their rise and fall so to speak.

It's very well rehearsed, and reads much like a novel, however this also leads to its major flaw because although it does include many pictures of those who took part in the battles, and there are several maps, it mentions many places that are not displayed on either, so it is very hard to picture what you are reading at time. Never the less, this is still a great book.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is ample literature about Isandlewana and Rorke's Drift but I think this book is the benchmark. It is well researched and detailed yet highly readable. I read it a few weeks prior to visiting these two battlefields and doing so made it easier to visualise the events of all those years ago and relate to the events and dispositions of that fateful day. Highly recommend, without a doubt Ian Knight is the paragon of the Anglo-Zulu War

[Gary Letham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A superbly researched account of the massacre at iSandlwana and the subsequent and probably better known defence of Rorke's Drift. Ian Knight gives a superb background and build up to the events of January 1879. Using extracts from personal letters and reports you do get close to the ideas and aims of colonial Britain and the skullduggery involved in engineering the events that allowed it to happen. An excellent book, well worth the read if you like a bit of history

[Jim D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Epic history of the Anglo-Zulu war. Lots of background and detail which made it slow to read, however it was a thorough review of the battles and a good analysis of the reason for the war and the repercussions. Really needed maps though.

[Colonel Sir Cedric Wycliffe-Hawthorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift by Ian Knight

Zulu Rising: The Epic Story of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift by Ian Knight is a comprehensive and gripping account of two of the most significant battles in the British colonial campaign in South Africa. This book delves deep into the causes, events, and consequences of the battles of Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift, which became iconic moments in both Zulu and British military history. Knight, known for his detailed research and insightful analysis of Zulu history, presents a nuanced and compelling narrative of the battle that shifted the balance of power in South Africa.

Key Themes and Insights:

• The Battle of Isandlwana: The book’s exploration of the Battle of Isandlwana offers a detailed look at the overwhelming victory of the Zulu forces over the British army. Knight highlights the strategic missteps, overconfidence, and underestimation of the Zulu warriors, which led to one of the most stunning defeats in British military history. This battle is explored through the eyes of the soldiers and commanders on both sides, providing a humanized perspective on the battle’s brutal nature.

• Rorke’s Drift: In stark contrast to Isandlwana, the defense of Rorke’s Drift becomes a tale of valor and resistance. The book examines the determination of a small British garrison to hold their ground against overwhelming Zulu forces, a defense that would later earn eleven Victoria Crosses. Knight contrasts the two battles, showing how these events, though separated by mere days, represented both the destructive power and the resilience of the Zulu Kingdom.

• Zulu Warfare and the Legacy of the War: Knight presents a thorough analysis of Zulu warfare, examining not just the military strategies and tactics, but also the cultural significance of the conflict for the Zulu people. The repercussions of these battles, including the subsequent British revenge campaigns, are explored within the broader context of British imperialism and Zulu resilience.

• New Research and Archaeological Findings: Based on new research and previously unpublished material, Zulu Rising integrates fresh perspectives and insights from battlefield archaeology, Zulu oral history, and contemporary accounts, shedding new light on the events and human experiences that shaped this pivotal conflict.

Final Verdict:

Ian Knight’s Zulu Rising is an authoritative and insightful work on the Anglo-Zulu War, offering a balanced and human-centered view of two of the war’s most significant battles. His attention to detail, extensive use of new materials, and ability to craft a compelling narrative make this book a must-read for anyone interested in military history, particularly the history of colonial warfare in Africa. This edition’s thorough exploration of the battles and their aftermath ensures it stands as one of the definitive accounts of the Zulu War.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5) — A thoroughly researched and riveting narrative that not only recounts the battles but also delves into their profound impact on both the Zulu Kingdom and British imperial ambitions.

[Lewis Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really adored this book! As a recollection of Zulu history and the initial confrontation with the British empire, it is phenomenal. In terms of small details, you would almost think it fictional, which truly adds to just how amazingly well-researched each minute conversation and experience is described within these 700-or-so-pages.

My only complaint is that it’s too interesting for it to end as it did. While the introduction to Zulu civilisation and British arrival received great detail (perhaps too much given the title events of this book are given significantly less pages in comparison?), the longer-term aftermath of the war was brushed over in the span of around twenty pages out of the seven hundred if I recall correctly. Where important soldiers or Zulu sects end up is summarised in mere paragraphs or sometimes individual sentences despite pages-worth of build up in earlier segments of the book.

To be extra-picky, perhaps with the level of detail given by the book. It may have been nice to have an in-depth reference point at the back of the book for names along with short bios. As a newcomer to this topic, you’ll likely scan over names and families as they initially appear (especially complex Zulu names and lineages) without realising they’ll be referenced frequently and so should be kept in mind for future recall. Perhaps just being picky though.

If the book had been given perhaps an extra 100 pages to beef up concluding stories to each of the intriguing characters and sects of Zululand (perhaps even a teasing of the lead up to the Boer war), along with perhaps a reference point for names at the end, this book would easily be a 5/5 ideal Zulu read on my shelf! Highly recommend to those interested in the history of this conflict (both lead up and battles) as long as you’re willing to dedicate a lot of time to this beefy book!

[MR M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably the definitive book so far at least on the Anglo Zulu War. My main interest starting off was the battles at iSandlwana & Rorkes Drift. I was not to be disappointed as Knight fulfils all expectations with his prior knowledge & wonderful personal fascination.
iSandlwana is described here in detail, from the 1st reports of the Zulu attack to the grisly, last desperate moments as the 24th tried to hold the camp against all odds. As you go through the various stages of the camp's fall you can't help see the danger & a voice yelling inside "No you fools! Retreat now, get the infantry back to the camp before you are cut off". However Knight details the fight correctly & the fact that the 'Indunas' of the Zulu command percieved that an opportunity was there for complete victory.

[Liam MacDiarmada · Rating 2 out of 5]

It might be good

As a lover of history of all sorts of places I was looking forward to this book, however I have had to give up on this one. I has so much detail in it that it had my head spinning. I would need to read the earlier chapters over several times to get things clear and I just don't have the time. It goes a great deal into the history of the zulu nation and other people groups of the area, which is interesting and would have been good on its own, however I thought I was buying a book about ISandlwansa and Rorkes Drift. I the end this book did not grap me so I gave up.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling book. Got as a reference book for a lecture course but ended up reading it from cover to cover. Very little understanding of Zulu Wars prior to reading this book . it went into a lot of detail and some of the names of the characters and tribes were confusing at times but the glossary at the end of the book helped. Thoroughly recommend for those who enjoy British history

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

The whole scope .... in detail. The majority of the story is taken with the events surrounding Isandlwana with the Roarke's drift almost coming as an after thought. Heroes, villains and the innocent all caught up as two cultures clash.

[David Randall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read a number of books on this subject and recently visited Isandwana and Rorkes Drift I can thoroughly recommend this text for the background it provides and the description of the battles themselves.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rich in details of the battles and the the men who caused and fought them, Zulu Rising is a must read for anyone interested in the turbulent history of South Africa and the nations who fought over it.

[AVid_D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fairly substantial book which not only deals with the 2 battles mentioned but also puts them into a good historical context.

For this layman, who loves a good history book, this ticked the boxes for me.

[Aidan Mc Carthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fine book about the disaster of iSandlewana and the heroic defence of Rorke's Drift ..
Ian Knight is well placed to tell this story as his previous books and undoubted knowledge has him in the forefront where the Zulu War is concerned...






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[Simon Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most people know about rorke’s drift, but the real story was Isandlwana - great book giving the background to to the colonialisation od South Africa and the forming of the Zulu’s, and the unfortunate results when the two met

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knight’s book is very, very good, though its title obscures who was at fault for the war. English aggression drove the war, and set in motion the later war with the Boers. Nevertheless, the book is a towering achievement.

[Alistair Elliot-Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really interesting, and well-researched read. Pity the eBook version was terribly edited though.

[Janetcowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed account of the events which was engaging and interesting. I learnt much about the Zulu’s point of view and the prevailing customs of the day

[SIMON ROCKETT · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book, but just too much detail for me so could have been a bit more concise and shorter. Not my usual read, so to be fair I am probably not the target audience.

[Allan Thomson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great narrative of the Zulu wars. As good as I have read in a while.