# List of Zulu kings

This is a list of the monarchs of the Zulu nation, including chieftains and kings of the Zulu royal family from their earliest known history up to the present time.

## Pre-Zulu

The Zulu King lineage stretches to as far as Luzumana, who is believed to have lived as long ago as the 16th century. Luzumana is the child of Mnguni, but details about him are unknown.
* Yeyeye
* Mnguni kaYeyeye
* Luzumana kaMnguni
* Malandela kaLuzumana

## Chieftains of the Zulus (c. 1500–1818)

When Malandela died, he divided the kingdom into two clans, the Qwabe and the Zulu.
* Zulu I kaMalandela (c. 1627 – c. 1709), founder of the clan
* Nkosinkulu kaZulu I
* Ntombela kaNkosinkulu
* Zulu II kaNtombela
* Gumede kaZulu
* Phunga kaGumede (c. 1657 – c. 1727)
* Mageba kaGumede (c. 1667 – c. 1745), son of Gumede, chief c. 1727 to c. 1745
* Ndaba kaMageba, son of Mageba, chief c. 1745 to 1763
* Jama kaNdaba (c. 1727–1781), son of Ndaba, chief 1763 to 1781
** Mkabayi kaJama (c. 1750 – 1843), daughter of Jama, regent 1781 to 1787 (until Senzangakhona came of age)
* Senzangakhona kaJama (c. 1762–1816), son of Jama, chief 1787 to 1816
* Sigujana kaSenzangakhona, son of Senzangakhona, chief c. 1816
* Shaka kaSenzangakhona (1787–1828), son of Senzangakhona, chief c. 1816 to 1828

## Kings of the Zulus (c. 1818–present)

After Dingiswayo's death at the hands of Zwide, king of the Ndwandwe, around 1818, Shaka assumed leadership of the remnants of the Mthethwa Paramountcy, thereby becoming king.

### Zulu Kingdom (Independent, 1816–1879)

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Shaka kaSenzangakhona | c. July 1787 – 22 September 1828 (aged 41) | 1816 | 22 September 1828 | Half-brother of Sigujana kaSenzangakhona | Zulu |
| Dingane kaSenzangakhona | c. 1795 – 29 January 1840 (aged 44–45) | November 1828 | 29 January 1840 | Half-brother of Shaka kaSenzangakhona | Zulu |
| Mpande kaSenzangakhona | 1798 – 18 October 1872 (aged 73–74) | 10 February 1840 | 18 October 1872 | Half-brother of Dingane kaSenzangakhona | Zulu |
| Cetshwayo kaMpande (1st reign) | 1834 – 8 February 1884 (aged 49–50) | 18 October 1872 | 28 August 1879 | Son of Mpande kaSenzangakhona | Zulu |

### Zululand (Dependency, 1883–present)

| Name | Lifespan | Reign start | Reign end | Notes | Family |
| Cetshwayo kaMpande (2nd reign) | 1834 – 8 February 1884 (aged 49–50) | 29 January 1883 | 8 February 1884 | Son of Mpande kaSenzangakhona | Zulu |
| Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo | 1868 – 18 October 1913 (aged 44–45) | 21 May 1884 | 18 October 1913 | Son of Cetshwayo kaMpande | Zulu |
| Solomon kaDinuzulu | 1891 – 4 March 1933 (aged 41–42) | 1 November 1913 | 4 March 1933 | Son of Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo | Zulu |
| Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon | (1924-08-04)4 August 1924 – 17 September 1968(1968-09-17) (aged 44) | 27 August 1948 | 17 September 1968 | Son of Solomon kaDinuzulu | Zulu |
| Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu | (1948-07-14)14 July 1948 – 12 March 2021(2021-03-12) (aged 72) | 17 September 1968 | 12 March 2021 | Son of Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon | Zulu |
| Misuzulu Zulu kaZwelithini | (1974-09-23) 23 September 1974 (age 50) | 7 May 2021 | Incumbent | Son of Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu | Zulu |