Republic of Natalia

The Republic of Natalia was a short-lived Boer republic established in Natal, South Africa, following the Voortrekkers' victory over the Zulu at the Battle of Blood River in 1838. Bounded by the Zulu kingdom to the north and the Mpondo to the south, its existence was precarious. The British annexed Natal in 1843, driven by a desire to control the sea route to India and concerns about Boer negotiations with foreign powers. This annexation led many Afrikaners to leave for the Transvaal and Orange Free State, while the Zulu kingdom remained independent until its defeat by the British in 1879. Natal later became a British colony and eventually a province of South Africa.12