How do you save the Zulu Kingdom, and make it a nation today. Maybe make it a little bigger?
That's what I was going to suggest.Have the British negotiate a separate protectorate of Zululand from South Africa that's a lot like a princely state in India. The Zulu supply troops to the British army and they support them against Boer encroachment. From there they are given independence as their own independent kingdom from decolonization on.
Have the British negotiate a separate protectorate of Zululand from South Africa that's a lot like a princely state in India. The Zulu supply troops to the British army and they support them against Boer encroachment. From there they are given independence as their own independent kingdom from decolonization on.
Or you could make a POD that somehow prevents the Europeans from reaching South Africa for hundreds of years, leaving the Zulu alone and intact.
Much too late. On the other hand, if the Portuguese had maintained their control of Natal and thus prevented the Boers and British occupation of the land you would not have expansionist Europeans pushing up from the south. In addition if you have a non expansionist enclave on the Cape a la the VOC and the Zulus don't have to worry about Europeans coming from the west either.The earliest mention I can find of the Zulu is in 1709, which is probably too late to prevent Europeans from colonizing.
It should not be hard to keep the British out of South Africa with a POD before (or even during) the French revolutionairy wars. A failed French revolution or a contained French revolution, or possibly even peace made with the revolutionairy France (the cape colony was returned to the Batavian republic during the treaty of Amiens after all) would all keep the Cape colony Dutch.My conclusion is that is to save the Zulu Kingodm you need to keep the British out of southern Africa. Any PoDs to do that?![]()
Much too late. On the other hand, if the Portuguese had maintained their control of Natal and thus prevented the Boers and British occupation of the land you would not have expansionist Europeans pushing up from the south. In addition if you have a non expansionist enclave on the Cape a la the VOC and the Zulus don't have to worry about Europeans coming from the west either.
The catch in both is that both Natal and the Cape are both on the route to British India and thus coould not be allowed to fall into hostile hands. The latter was reputedly seized to prevent Napoleon doing the same. The former was colonised by the Boers then seized by the British. My conclusion is that is to save the Zulu Kingodm you need to keep the British out of southern Africa. Any PoDs to do that?![]()
Sounds suspciously like the East India Company's expansion under Wellesey. OK so replace Bartle-Frere with a less aggressive adminstrator thus buying time for the Kingdom. Sooner or later though Britain will make a grab just as they did on the Boer Republics.That is in no way necessary. Neither London (for Natal) nor Cape Town, had any desire to annex the Zulu Kingdom when the war started, that was entirely down to Bartle-Frere being reckless and exceeding his authority.
My understanding of the rise of the Zulus was that it was due to internal reforms by Dingiswayo and Shaka. The only European influence appears to be commerce with the Portuguese.And considering the Zulu Kingdom didn't even exist as an entity until 1816, any PoD which keeps the British out of South Africa probably butterflies away the existence of the Zulu state anyway.
Sounds suspciously like the East India Company's expansion under Wellesey. OK so replace Bartle-Frere with a less aggressive adminstrator thus buying time for the Kingdom. Sooner or later though Britain will make a grab just as they did on the Boer Republics.
My understanding of the rise of the Zulus was that it was due to internal reforms by Dingiswayo and Shaka. The only European influence appears to be commerce with the Portuguese.
It should not be hard to keep the British out of South Africa with a POD before (or even during) the French revolutionairy wars. A failed French revolution or a contained French revolution, or possibly even peace made with the revolutionairy France (the cape colony was returned to the Batavian republic during the treaty of Amiens after all) would all keep the Cape colony Dutch.
As long as the Dutch keep the Cape colony I believe the Boer trek will be prevented or at least a lot smaller in scale. This would probably keep the Dutch/Boers out of the Zulu kingdom and even if it doesn't, I don't think the Dutch would be able to or even care to conquer it.
I'm not sure on the plausibility of this but if you somehow move up the Suez Canal's construction by 50 years or so then there is absolutely no need to get South Africa. I think it could be done if the British end up invading Egypt by land to help kick out Napoleon and see some chances to build the canal. Technology of the time made it a stretch but I think it could be done.
Another thought is if the idea of a Cairo to Cape railroad is made impossible by German or French expansion earlier on and therefore any impetus for expanding against the Zulus go away. I don't see the princely state idea working as the Zulus were militarily strong enough to offset the need for British protection and had no economy the British could exploit.
Alternatively expansion of Waghorne's Overland route would reduce the need for a canal. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Fletcher_Waghorn for details. Obviously there is no technical reason why it could not be set up earlier and it probably need to if it were to divert the British from southern Africa. I doubt though before trains it is really going to shift enough cargo to suit the East India Company.I'm not sure on the plausibility of this but if you somehow move up the Suez Canal's construction by 50 years or so then there is absolutely no need to get South Africa. I think it could be done if the British end up invading Egypt by land to help kick out Napoleon and see some chances to build the canal. Technology of the time made it a stretch but I think it could be done.