Rarabe ka Phalo (about 1722 - 1787) was a Xhosa Prince and the founder of the Right Hand House of the
Xhosa
Xhosa may refer to:
* Xhosa people, a nation, and ethnic group, who live in south-central and southeasterly region of South Africa
* Xhosa language, one of the 11 official languages of South Africa, principally spoken by the Xhosa people
See als ...
nation. Rarabe was the eldest son and right hand son of King
Phalo ka Tshiwo
King Phalo kaTshiwo was the king of the AmaXhosa Nation from 1736 until his death in 1775.
King Phalo KaTshiwo (Born:1702-Died:1775) was the second son of King Tshiwo KaNgconde but his older brother Prince Gwali KaTshiwo was from a junior wife ...
.
Rharhabe died near present-day
Dohne in the
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
province.
Family
He fathered the following known children (
Mlawu ka Rarabe
Mlawu ka Rarabe was a son of Rarabe ka Phalo, the founder of the right hand house of the Xhosa nation.
Mlawu is known to have had three sons of which the Great son Ngqika ka Mlawu disposed of his uncle Ndlambe ka Rarabe as paramount chief of t ...
(Great son),
Ndlambe ka Rarabe,
Sigcawu ka Rarabe Sigcawu is a South African surname that may refer to
* Sigcawu ka Sarili (died 1902), South African Royal
*Daliza Sigcawu, South African royalty son of Sigcawu
*Salukaphathwa Gwebi'nkumbi Sigcawu (died 1921), South African royal and son of Sigcaw ...
,
Cebo ka Rarabe (Right Hand son),
Hlahla ka Rarabe,
Nzwane ka Rarabe,
Mnyaluza ka Rarabe,
Ntsusa ka Rarabe (a daughter) and
Nukwa ka Rarabe.
Death
Rharhabe-Qwathi War
Rharhabe's daughter Ntsusa married the Qwathi chief Mdandala, who as dowry(lobola) sent a miserable hundred head of cattle to Rharhabe. This was seen by Rharhabe as a great insult for someone of his stature so he sent his Right Hand Son Cebo to Thembuland to demand more cattle. When Cebo arrived at Mdandala's homestead to demand the cattle as instructed by Rharhabe, the amaQwathi fell upon this prince and killed him.
These events enraged Rharhabe so he with his army entered Thembuland to remedy the affront at the tip of an assegai(spear). War broke out where the Rharhabe scattered the amaQwathi and seized many of their cattle. Chief Mdandala is said to have died in this battle. Although the Qwathis were defeated, Rharhabe was fatally wounded and died. This battle is estimated to have occurred around 1787.
Xhosa people
18th-century Xhosa people
Year of birth uncertain
1782 deaths
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