Ludlambedlu refers to the royal cattle herd of the
Eswatini monarchy, specifically the cattle owned by the King.
[Bonner, P. (1983). Kings, Commoners and Concessionaires: The Evolution and Dissolution of the Nineteenth-Century Swazi State. Cambridge University Press. . Pages 59 and 6]
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Herd
The herd is an integral part of Eswatini's royal history, culture, and wealth. It is deeply associated with the Nkhaba Royal Kraal, the royal family in Hhohho
Hhohho is a region of Eswatini, located in the north western part of the country. Hhohho was named after the capital of King Mswati II, who expanded the Swazi territory to the north and west, taking in the districts of Barberton, Nelspruit, Ca ...
responsible for the care and management of the King’s cattle. Ludlambedlu has long represented both the economic strength and the symbolic power of the Eswatini monarchy. Cattle were, and still are, regarded as a symbol of wealth, fertility, and status. For the royal family, these cattle are more than just wealth; they play a vital role in the monarch's ceremonial duties and serve as a crucial connection to the kingdom’s ancestors; use for royal rituals.
History
The Nkhaba Royal Kraal that manages the Ludlambedlu cattle herd is one of the most prominent royal kraals in Eswatini. It was established in the 1800s by the descendants of Prince Malunge, a son of King Ndvungunye
Ndvungunye (also known as Zikodze, Zwane,
Mavuso II) was King of Swaziland from 1780 until his death in 1815 after succeeding his father, King Ngwane III following a very brief regency of Ndlovukati LaYaka Ndwandwe. Very little has been recorded o ...
.
Following the death of King Sobhuza I
King Sobhuza I (also known as Ngwane IV, Somhlolo) () was king of Eswatini
Eswatini, formally the Kingdom of Eswatini, also known by its former official names Swaziland and the Kingdom of Swaziland, is a landlocked country in Southern Af ...
in 1836, his senior son, Prince Malambule
Prince Malambule was the half-brother of King Mswati II and regent of Eswatini from 1836 until Mswati assumed the throne in 1840. He was a senior son of King Sobhuza I with Queen LaVumisa Ndwandwe.Westcott, Michael; Hamilton, Carolyn (1992): ''In ...
gained power and influence as regent, alongside Queen Lojiba Simelane
Queen Lojiba Simelane was one of the wives of King Ndvungunye and the sister of Ndvungunye's main wife Somnjalose Simelane, the mother of King Sobhuza I. Lojiba acted as the queen regent and Indlovukati of Swaziland from 1836 after the death o ...
, overseeing the Ludlambedlu until Mswati II
King Mswati II (c. 1820 – August 1868), also known as Mswati and Mavuso III, was the king of Eswatini between 1840 and 1868. He was also the eponym of Eswatini. Mswati is considered to be one of the greatest fighting kings of Eswatini.
Unde ...
came of age in 1840 and appointed as King. However, when Malambule was supposed to relinquish power to his younger brother, he refused and after a bitter dispute with Mswati, Malambule attempted to steal the cattle but was defeated in a military campaign led by his half-brother, Prince Somcuba. After the defection of Malambule to Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom ( ; ), sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire, was a monarchy in Southern Africa. During the 1810s, Shaka established a standing army that consolidated rival clans and built a large following which ruled a wide expanse of So ...
under King Mpande
Mpande kaSenzangakhona (c. 1798–18 October 1872) was monarch of the Zulu Kingdom from 1840 to 1872. He was a half-brother of Sigujana kaSenzangakhona, Sigujana, Shaka and Dingane, who preceded him as list of Zulu kings, Zulu kings. He came to ...
, Somcuba assumed some of the powers that Malambule had previously held and became a dominant figure within the kingdom, including heading the Ludlambedlu, appointed by King Mswati II. Somcuba built a royal outpost in west of capital, in present-day Mooiplaas in Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga () is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name means "East", or literally "The Place Where the Sun Rises" in the Nguni languages. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, bordering Eswatini and Mozambique. It shares bor ...
, called Eludlambedlwini ("at the place of the Ludlambedlu"), where the Ludlambedlu grazed. Following the fallout of Mswati and Somcuba, the cattle were kept at Embhuleni and then moved to Nkhaba Nkhaba is an ''inkhundla'' of Swaziland, Eswatini, located in the Hhohho District. Its population as of the 2007 census was 15,704. Areas under Nkhaba are Jubukweni, Mhlosheni(formerly Forbes Reef) next to Malolotja Game Reserve, Hawane, Mahebedla ...
.[Westcott, Michael; Hamilton, Carolyn (1992): ''In the cracks of Swazi past: A historical tour of the Ngwane and Swazi kingdom'']
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Swaziland Oral History Project. Page 29-31 (3 pages).
References
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Eswatini