GwaTshani

The national flag of the diNkosi gwaTshani.

The **diNkosi gwaTshani,** or Kingdom of Gwatshani, was a state located in the savannah region along the Kaliba River in eastern Sabrim. The capital and largest city was the now-abandoned settlement of Guhwa-Isiweni.

## Early History

The Tshani people trace their origins back to two main groups. The first of which are the *amaPirena*, meaning "horsemen" in isiTshani, a nomadic people known for their equestrian prowess. The *amaPirena* (and their relatives and ancestors) moved around much of the valleys and hills of the greater gwaTshani region for millennia, even well before the introduction of domesticated horses to the region (albeit the local domesticated donkey population is derived from the local subspecies of wild ass, indicating a later, separate domestication event). The second group the Tshani consider their ancestors are the *amaNimi*, or "farmers". This latter group is not a single entity, consisting of various groups of settled agriculturalists who moved into the Kaliba River Valley at the advent of the iron age, mostly from the southeast. It is from the combining of the two cultures into one that the modern isiTshani language came to be.

## Age of *uNamandla*/Age of Tribes

The state of gwaTshani, however, did not come to be until several centuries after the Tshani people's ethnogenesis occurred. Society in these days was organized around villages or nomadic bands led by an *unamandla,* the paramount leader of a tribe. The *unamandla* role was usually a non-hereditary one, though many *unamandla* gained their role from being appointed into it by an older relative, and tribes were comprised of mostly related individuals. The *unamandla* depended on the consent and support of the whole tribe for their leadership, however, and if one failed their duties of leadership then a new *unamandla* would be chosen and the old one exiled. This cultural phenomenon is thought by most anthropologists to be on originally amaPirena practice, though some archaeologists have indicated that similar roles existed among at least some of the various amaNimi groups as well.

An *unamandla* would come to power most often through good deeds- saving another person's life, winning a battle, or any multitude of esteemed work. Though seen as a paragon of a human by many, the *unamandla* was often held to higher standards than other tribe members. *uNamandla* were expected to never commit adultery, never be drunk except during festivals, always have the tribe's best interest in mind, and follow the rules of Xoyanga without failure- among other things. Upon appointment of an *unamandla*, the tribe would discuss candidates and vote to appoint one who would serve until death or whenever the tribe or even *unamandla* themself decides they are unfit to rule anymore. As leader, the *unamandla* enjoyed many privileges, which varied from tribe to tribe but all included near-absolute power, so long as it was of benefit to the tribe. Thus, many Tshani parents of the era would encourage their children to act disciplined and be generous by telling them that if they behaved well they could become the *unamandla* one day.

Tshani historians regard the middle period between the ethnogenesis and unification of the amaTshani to be the "Age of *uNamandla*", as this was how nearly every tribe was organized. While the various tribes shared a common language, culture, and religion, the tribes also saw themselves as politically separate entities. It was common for women to marry into an allied tribe to build or secure an alliance, especially if the tribes shared a common enemy. Warfare between tribes was not uncommon, however being only small tribes these conflicts would be relatively brief exchanges with few deaths. Still, it was expected that each able-bodied adult tribesperson, regardless of gender, was able to fight as battle could be conducted anywhere at anytime, and it was fairly common for the losers of a battle to be taken as slaves.

## Unification Wars

Over about four centuries the Age of *uNamandla* lasted. It is generally considered to have ended as tribes gave way to proper chiefdoms and kingdoms, with specific hereditary leaders taking leadership instead of a semi-official *unamandla,* though many of the old principles of the *unamandla* system still applied. The transition to chiefdom truly began as tribes combined villages together, with *unamandla* marrying one another or each others' spouses, or by the conquest of other villages in battle. Multi-settlement tribes were not able to appoint *unamandla* as easily as they once could, and while they could be appointed locally, a chief-king (known in isiTshani as an *Nkosi*) would still hold power over them. The hereditary role of the *Nkosi* was merely a pragmatic alternative to *unamandla* when it came to governing large areas.

For about a century or so (some historians say as many as 117 years), about 7 chief-kingdoms, or *diNkosi,* consolidated nearly all of the land occupied by the amaTshani people. The *diNkosi* of Ingwe, Iyu, Mahle, Unwabu, Fane, Uthutwa, and Langa each stood in a period of gridlock during this time, known as the Hundred-Year Seven-Kingdom era (*Ikhuluata-Nyena Ci-diNkosi Nkhathi)* in local history. It was commonly assumed that by this point, one of these seven states was destined to rule all of the land of gwaTshani, but during that period no state in particular was powerful enough to take down another and disrupt the balance of power. Only when the Nkosi of Iyu died without an heir did the balance finally break, and the state was absorbed into Unwabu. Citing the disruption of the power balance, the Nkosi of Ingwe, Mlungisi kaThemba, called the other 4 states into a coalition war against the newly empowered Unwabu and defeated them. Seeing the camaraderie of the warriors of the 5 united diNkosi, Mlungisi and the other Nkosi agreed to turn their united front into a single unified state.

## Founding of the *diNkosi gwaTshani*

The 5 united diNkosi split the land of Iyu and Unwabu among themselves, and agreed that all 5 Nkosi would be co-rulers of the state until the last one remained. The order of death would determine the cyclical order of the heir to all of gwaTshani. After Vusumusi kaZakhele, Nkosi of Mahle and the last survivor of the "Great Five" as they are known died, the then-ruler of Langa became the next ruler of gwaTshani, with his heir becoming the new leader of Langa. The 5 sub-diNkosi (*Nxa-diNkosi*) retain a level of autonomy, but are subject to the leader of the nation still.
The order of inheritance goes as follows:

* Langa
* Fane
* Uthutwa
* Ingwe
* Mahle

Prior to the state's collapse, the clan of Ingwe held the premier leadership, with the last monarch Mozizwe gaMusa. The cycle was on its second round, making Mozizwe the 9th ruler since the beginning of the cycle and 10th absolute ruler of all of gwaTshani.

## Downfall

It is not known why the kingdom of gwaTshani fell. It is likely due to their relative isolation and lack of trade that their economy began to falter, and many of the amaTshani returned to their pastoral village lifestyles. Another theory maintains that since Mozizwe did not have a true successor, a succession crisis destroyed the politcal unity of the nation; others suggest a great natural disaster, like a disease or famine, caused enough stress to fracture the state.

The oral histories, so meticulously kept by the amaTshani otherwise, are uncharacteristically silent on the downfall of the one unified amaTshani state. It is likely that the true story was considered one of great shame to the people of the era, and their descendants have not been told the story. It is therefore only up to archaeological guesswork that the true nature of the diNkosi gwaTshani's downfall can be deciphered.