Dlamini I
| Dlamini I | |
|---|---|
| Early leader of the House of Dlamini | |
| Reign | 16th century |
| Successor | Mswati I |
| Issue | |
| Dynasty | House of Dlamini |
| Father | Chief Langa (according to oral history) |
| Religion | Traditional African religion |
Dlamini I (also known as Matalatala) was a 16th century Embo-Nguni prince[1] and early leader of the House of Dlamini.[1][2] He was the founder of the Embo-Dlamini line.[1]
Dlamini I's people and ancestors historically lived in the region around the Tembe River and were subjects of the powerful Tembe Kingdom[3] , which derived its influence and wealth from coastal trade networks[4] and exercised authority across the Lubombo Mountains and southwards toward the Lusutfu River.[1][5]
Family and succession
Dlamini I was the father of Mswati I and Prince Mathonga.[1] According to Swazi oral tradition recorded by historians such as J.S.M. Matsebula and A.T. Bryant, Dlamini I was a son of Chief Langa, leader of an Embo-Nguni community that settled within the Tembe territories near Delagoa Bay.[3] Oral accounts state that Langa had two sons, Dlamini I and Hlubi, whose followers later separated and migrated in different directions.[3] Dlamini’s followers moved northward across the Lubombo Mountains and formed early Ngwane communities, while Hlubi’s followers migrated southward along the Pongola River and became the ancestors of the amaHlubi.[3]
Following Dlamini I’s death, leadership passed to Mswati I.[1] Unlike his brother Mathonga, who was described as quiet and politically restrained, Mswati I was warlike and highly mobile. He frequently relocated his bases and conducted raids against neighbouring groups in pursuit of land and cattle.[1]
According to historian J.S.M. Matsebula, cattle captured during Mswati I’s raids were often transferred to his brother Mathonga, reinforcing internal cohesion within the ruling house.[1]
References
- ^ abcdefghMatsebula, J. S. M (1988). A History of Swaziland. 3rd ed., p. 8.
- ^Schoeman, Stan (1986): Swaziland: A Modern Monarchy (PDF), Africa Insight, Volume: 16, Issue: 3, pages: 169
- ^ abcdSikhondze, Bonginkosi Bhutana. State Within A State: The History of the Evolution of the Mamba clan of Swaziland Transafrican Journal of History, vol. 15, 1986, pp. 144–63. JSTOR. Accessed 22 Dec. 2025.
- ^Mathebula, Mandla (2017). "Some notes on the early history of the Tembe, 1280 AD–1800 AD". New Contree. 78: 42–59. Retrieved 11 November 2025.
- ^Bryant, A. T (1929). The Olden Times in Zululand and Natal. p. 316.
