Dingiswayo
Location of King Dingiswayo's kraal, Oyengweni, on a map of KwaZulu-Natal
| King Dingiswayo | |
|---|---|
| Reign | 1806 – 1817 |
| Born | Godongwana 1760 KwaZulu-Natal, near Melmoth |
| Died | 1817 (aged 56 or 57) |
| Issue | Somveli, Seyama, Mngoye, Sonkonde, Ngungumbana, Mthakathi, Mgcobo, Khuzwayo, Shuqu, Manqe |
| Father | Jobe kaKhayi |
| Mother | Mabamba kaDonda |
| Occupation | King of the Mthethwa Kingdom |
King Dingiswayo (Zulu pronunciation: [diŋɡisʷaːjo]) (c. 1760 – 1817) was a king of the Mthethwa Kingdom, well known in history for his mentorship over a young Zulu general, Shaka kaSenzangakhona, who rose to become the greatest of the Zulu Kings. His father was the Mthethwa King, Jobe kaKayi.
It was under King Dingiswayo that the Mthethwa rose to prominence, mostly employing diplomacy and assimilation of nearby chiefdoms to strengthen his power base. According to Mthethwa (1995), the Mthethwas are descended from the Nguni peoples of northern Natal and the Lubombo Mountains, whose modern identity dates back some 700 years.