The Battle of Italeni
R150.00
On April 11, 1838 a battle took place on the rolling hills of Zululand, close to the Zulu capital, uMgungundlovu.
A brief Description Of The Battle of Italeni
On April 11, 1838 a battle took place on the rolling hills of Zululand, close to the Zulu capital, uMgungundlovu.
The Voortrekkers (Emigrants) tried to exact revenge for the loss of their leader Piet Retief and the subsequent massacre at Bloukrans, but met with a singular defeat at the hands of Ndlela kaSompisi, general of the Zulu Impi.
This is an account of European hubris and brashness, with discord and division amongst the leaders. It also explains the superior tactics of the day as divised by Shaka ka Senzangakhona years before.
Yet it is also a story of tremendous bravery on both sides. The legend of Piet Uys and his son Dirkie is well known and can now, for the first time, be told with the battle terrain in mind. The movements of the Zulu horns are described in detail, wedging the fleeing Emigrants against the streams, rockfa- ces and dongas.
Places of heroism were identified, and the graves of the fallen ones found, and are described in context to the battle itself, based on the memories of the old burghers involved.
It is also an acknowledgement and salute to the six hundred Zulus who fought and died on 11 April 1838, defending their country.
The tragedy of the day was lost to history for 185 years. It is never too late to grapple with the historical truths of a forged nation.
Gedokumenteerde geskiedenis is nooit volledig nie. Soos wat tyd aanstap word nuwe bronne bekend en derhalwe nuwe inligting. Dr. Gerrit Haarhoff is een van daardie navorsers wat voortdurend op soek is na daardie onontginde bronne om iets wat in die verlede gebeur het te boekstaaf. As dit nie vergange roetes en paaie is waarvan die ligging in die vergetelheid verdwyn het nie, dan is dit insidente gedurende oorloe van lank gelede. In hierdie geval n omstrede skermutseling wat gedurende die vestigingsperiode van die Voortrekkers in die binneland plaasgevind het. Hiermee het hy nuwe lig gewerp op hierdie geveg by Italeni.
The discipline of history can never be entirely satisfied. In other words, documented history is never complete. As time moves on new sources of information comes to light revealing further details about what happened long ago. Dr. Gerrit Haarhoff is one of those researchers constantly searching for this information to clarify the past. His book about the forgotten highways and byways of the past is well known. Now he ventured to shed new
light on an encounter that took place during the period of settlement after the Great Trek. This book is a new interpretation of the battle of Italeni.
Prof. Louis Changuion
“.. In sy boek, Italeni, wat op 11 April in die Voortrekkermonument se senotaafsaal bekendgestel is, Skep Gerrit ‘n ander verloop van gebeure. He weerlê vorige geskiedskrywers se weergawes met sy interpretasie wat meet geloofwaardig blyk te wees…” Slagveld waar Piet en Dirk Uys sterf word herbesoek. Christa Steyn Bezuidenhout.
Maroela Media
“…Met behulp van moderne tegnologie het nuwe navorsing onteenseglik bewys dat die huidige kennis oor die Slag van Italeni foutief is.
In sy boek Die slag van Italeni/The battle of Italeni, wat Dinsdagaand by die Voortrekkermonument bekend gestel is, kyk Dr. Gerrit Haarhoff (67), ‘n huisdokter van Mbombela, na die teenstrydighede en stel ‘n nuwe verloop van gebeure voor wat waarskynliker is as dié van die oorspronklike geskiedskrywers.
Die boek werp nou meer lig op die gebeure by Italeni, waar die slag presies was en waarskynlik ook waar die Uyse begrawe lê…” Seugnet van Zyl