Mthimkhulu II
Wikipedia describes Mthimkhulu II (Ngwadlazibomvu) as king of the amaHlubi, born Prince Ngwadlazibomvu about 1778 at Nombamba in the Mzinyathi area near Utrecht, son of Bhungane II and Queen Ngiyiwe of the Radebe house. It says he succeeded in 1801, was crowned in 1804 and ruled until his death in 1819, and gives the name’s meaning as “Great Medicine Man”, linked to rainmaking and the medicine of kingship, with neighbouring rulers including Sobhuza I of the Swazi said to have consulted him; a modern reading, “great tree”, is tagged as needing a citation. The article is tagged as lacking inline citations, so its sources are unclear. Its list of Hlubi kings gives 1800 to 1818.
Death in the Mfecane wars
The Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims says that during Mthimkhulu II’s reign the amaNgwane attacked the amaHlubi and killed their king, that he died in 1818 in the war with Matiwane, and that Shaka then attacked and conquered the amaNgwane; it also says the Hlubi regiment iziYendane volunteered its services to Shaka. Wikipedia gives 1819, and says that in 1818 Dingiswayo attacked and looted the amaNgwane, who then raided the Hlubi for cattle, and that Mthimkhulu allied with his brother Mpangazitha (Pakalita) and died in the resulting battle. See Mpangazitha; the Commission calls Mpangazitha a son of Bungane, so a brother of Mthimkhulu.
Sons and succession
Both sources name the sons as Dlomo II (the heir), Langalibalele (Mtetwa), Duba, Magadla, Ludidi, Luzipho and Mhlambiso, with Wikipedia adding Ncwane and Luthuli. The Commission says the amaHlubi fled and Mpangazitha assumed leadership, and that after the Mfecane they returned under Mthimkhulu’s brother Mahwanqa; Wikipedia’s article says the full brother Mahwanqa became regent for the young heir Dlomo. See Mahwanqa, Dlomo and Langalibalele.
Where the sources disagree
The two sources differ on the death year (1818 or 1819), on whether Mpangazitha or Mahwanqa led after 1818 (Wikipedia’s king list gives Mpangazitha as regent 1818 to 1825 and Mahwanqa as regent 1825 to 1839), and on the heir’s number (the article calls him Dlomo II almost everywhere but Dlomo III once). Wikipedia says the Zulu king Dingane had the new Hlubi king murdered, which the Commission also says.
What we have not read
Wikipedia cites a genealogy page, the Hlubi submission to the Commission (2004), a page on the House of Bhungane and Soga’s The South-Eastern Bantu; the Commission page reports the Hlubi royal house’s own account. We have not read Wright and Manson, Colenso (1875) or Ndawo, or any response from other Hlubi houses.
Izithakazelo and totem
We found no recorded praises or totem for Mthimkhulu, so we are printing none. If you belong to the Hlubi royal house and recite its izibongo, we would like to record them, with your permission and credited to you.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Mthimkhulu II (lacks inline citations)
- Wikipedia: Hlubi Kings
- Commission on Traditional Leadership Disputes and Claims: Determination on the amaHlubi kingship claim (pp. 503 to 533 of the PDF)
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