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Secondary sourceBook1880

History of the Zulu War and Its Origin

Frances Ellen Colenso and Edward Durnford · 1880

An 1880 book by Frances Colenso and Edward Durnford defending Cetshwayo's conduct and criticising the British case for war.

This contemporary book defends Cetshwayo's conduct and criticises the British justification for the war against him.

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Full text (public-domain edition)

About this source

What it is

This is a book published in 1880 in London, written by Frances Ellen Colenso with help from Lieutenant-Colonel Edward Durnford on military matters. It presents a detailed account of the causes and events of the Anglo-Zulu War.

Why it matters

Written soon after the war, the book argues against the justifications given by colonial authorities, particularly Sir Bartle Frere, for invading Zululand, and defends King Cetshwayo's actions. It reflects a rare contemporary British viewpoint sympathetic to the Zulu side, shaped by Colenso's family's long involvement with Zulu affairs.

Look closer

  • Why might a British author in 1880 have chosen to defend the Zulu king rather than the colonial government?
  • What kind of evidence could Colenso and Durnford have used to make their case?
  • How might this account differ from official British reports on the war?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Cetshwayo kaMpande on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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