Zulu Vanquished: The Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom [Hardcover]

Ron Lock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 17, 2006

The Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 has become synonymous with Britain's humiliating defeat at Isandlwana and the heroic defense of Rorke's Drift, where little more than 140 British soldiers kept over 3,000 Zulu warriors at bay. But these celebrated actions were only part of a campaign that lasted for more than six months and resulted in the Zulu Kingdom's destruction, leading to a decade of civil war. In Zulu Vanquished, Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill - authors of the critically acclaimed Zulu Victory - explore in unparalleled detail the events which not only led to the initial British defeat at Isandlwana, but, with King Cetshwayo's failure to follow up his victory and invade Natal, allowed Chelmsford the opportunity to launch his second invasion of Zululand. In this perceptive study, Lock and Quantrill expose the political maneuvering and strategic incompetence that resulted. They describe the disastrous Hlobane Mountain attack, with new primary-source material throwing a fresh slant on Wood's conduct. This is followed by the decisive battles of Kambula, Gingindlovu and the Relief of Eshowe, and the Prince Imperial's death. Finally, we are led to the eventual torching of the Zulu capital of Ondini on the Ulundi plain. Founded on a wealth of first-hand accounts, some published for the first time, as well as the authors' intimate knowledge of the history and terrain of Zululand, Zulu Vanquished is a groundbreaking work that sheds light on the wider Anglo-Zulu conflict and will prove indispensable for scholars and enthusiasts alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dr. Timothy P. Mulligan, Anglo Zulu War Historical Society

 

 

“In the ever-growing literature of the Anglo-Zulu War, Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill have established a distinctive niche for their collaborative contributions. Based in South Africa, they combine extensive research among the primary sources, memoirs, and secondary studies of that conflict with an expert eye for the lay of the land where so many died. Their studies are distinguished by well-written narratives that incorporate extensive eyewitness accounts with unflinching verdicts. Zulu Vanquished marks their latest effort, an examination of the war’s course from February 1879 through the climactic Zulu defeat at Ulundi that complements their previous treatment of the opening battles, Zulu Victory...In sum, Zulu Vanquished offers an authoritative account of the epic and tragic story at the heart of the Anglo-Zulu War, and demonstrates that what followed Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift was anything but an anticlimax.”

Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: Greenhill Books; First edition (March 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853676608
• ISBN-13: 978-1853676604
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,505,449 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Zulu's Fate, January 17, 2007

By 

lordhoot "lordhoot" (Anchorage, Alaska USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zulu Vanquished: The Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom (Hardcover)

Zulu Vanquished proves to be a well written sequel to the authors' first book, Zulu Victory. However, unlike the first book where the prime subject was the Battle of Isandlwana (excellent account), this book deals with the second campaign against the Zulu Kingdom between February to July of 1879. Also missing from this book is the account of Rorke's Drift although with all honesty, there are enough books written about this battle to satisfied anyone and that Rorke's Drift is part of the initial campaign and won't fit into the premise of the second campaign.

The book covers the preparation and actions of the British forces as they recovered from the defeat at Isandlwana and Lord Chelmsford's race to finished off the campaign before his relief from command. One of the main characters of the book lies around the actions and generalship of Colonel Evelyn Wood whose major defeat at Hlobane Mountain one day was off set by his great victory at Kambula the next day. The account of both battles were excellently written and researched by the two authors.

Book continued on until the final battle of Ulundi where the Zulu Kingdom was finally overthrown. Zulu efforts to find a peaceful solution was totally rejected by Chelmsford who needed a military victory to redeemed himself from the shadow of Isandlwana. There's also a nice chapter on the death of Prince Louis Bonaparte which marked this war on the front pages of every European newsapers.

Its pretty clear that the authors' knowledge on this war proves to be very complete. They also seem to have clear understanding of the terrain it was fought under and its conditions. Many first hand sources were used to reflect on numerous incidents of the war. The book also come with clearly marked maps and color photographs.

If there was a weak point in this book, I thought the authors could have gone into the aftermath of the war more deeper. Fate of Lt. Carey whose's action led to the death of Prince Louis remains a mystery unless the reader have a prior background knowledge. However, while the book isn't as detailed as the first one, I believed that the book did great justice to the understanding of this war.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Zulu Vanquished, May 6, 2006

By 

Stanley Caine "Bromhead" (Lanham, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zulu Vanquished: The Destruction of the Zulu Kingdom (Hardcover)

This is a sequel to the authors' previous book, ZULU VICTORY (2004), the story of the disastrous British defeat at Isandlwanda early in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. ZULU VANQUISHED continues the story of the war from February through July 1879, culminating in the overthrow of the Zulu Kingdom after the Battle of Ulundi. This is a very well-written and fast-paced book, based on primary sources, memoirs, and secondary studies, with extensive use of eyewitness accounts by participants. The authors' assessment of the Battle of Hlobane (28 March 1879) is a major contribution that revises earlier studies, based on the previously-unused papers of a colonial officer. Outstanding photographs, many in color, assist the reader in understanding the distinctive terrain features. A must-have for anyone interested in the Zulu War.