- Rise of King Faku of the Mpondo: Born circa 1780 near Lusikisiki, King Faku ka Ngqungqushe ascended to leadership in 1810, becoming a pivotal figure in Mpondo history through his military and diplomatic initiatives.
- Recognition and Territorial Authority: In 1844, King Faku formalized his authority through a treaty with the Cape Colony and established his rule over extensive lands from Mtata to the Drakensberg, solidifying his kingdom’s status.
- Division of Mpondoland and Legacy: To prevent succession wars, Faku divided Mpondoland between his sons in 1845, creating two distinct regions and his legacy as the last king to rule over an unbroken Mpondo kingdom.
- Diplomatic Relations with Neighboring States: Faku maintained diplomatic relations with Sotho King Moshoeshoe, allowing land settlement agreements that preserved territories without resettlement conflicts.
Born sometime in 1780 at the Qawukeni Great Palace, close to contemporary Lusikisiki, King Faku ka Ngqungqushe became the most significant leader of the Mpondo people, leading them into war, diplomacy, and division in the 19th century.
Though not the offspring of the “great wife”, King Faku ascended to the throne after his father, King Ngqungqushe’s, death in battle in 1810. His claim was contested, but political support, council unity, and a unique “stick ceremony” guaranteed his mother’s, Mamngcambe’s, ascension to great wife rank, thereby solidifying Faku’s claim.
A Strategic and Diplomatic Leader
Despite a turbulent start, King Faku quickly proved himself a formidable leader. In 1825, he welcomed British trader Henry Francis Fynn, allowing him to set up a trading post — a decision that later brought tension due to suspected slave trading activities.
The following year, Faku’s forces, under his son Ndamase, defeated Shaka Zulu’s forces at the Battle of Mkhumbeni. Appreciative of the Mpondo’s war prowess, King Shaka dispatched 100 cattle as a mark of respect. Faku reciprocated with an equal number of Mpondo cattle — creating a neutral Zulu-Mpondo alliance that stretched Mpondo influence to the Thukela River.
A Kingdom Recognised
King Faku made a treaty with the Cape Colony in 1844, whereby he was formally appointed as the paramount chief of lands stretching from Mtata to the Drakensberg mountains and the coast. He then re-established his palace from the Mngazi River to the initial Qawukeni site and rebuilt his father’s royal throne.
King Faku also entered into a borderless agreement with Sotho King Moshoeshoe, allowing Sotho immigrants to settle parts of the Drakensberg as Mpondo land stewards — masterful land preservation without resettlement.
Preventing Dynastic Wars
Tormented by the Zulu internal conflicts between Mpande and Dingane, King Faku took a radical decision to prevent future wars of succession. In 1845, he divided Mpondoland between his sons: Ndamase ruling the western territory on the opposite side of the River Mphumulo and beyond the Mzimvubu River, and Mqikela, the heir, who was prepared to inherit the eastern kingdom.
The action created two royal palaces:
Nyandeni Great Palace under Ndamase (Western Mpondoland)
Qawukeni Great Palace under Mqikela (Eastern Mpondoland)
To this day, Mpondoland remains divided, and King Faku is remembered as the last king to rule over an unbroken Mpondo kingdom.
