▁to ▁the ▁most ▁famous ▁of ▁his ▁adopted ▁soldiers . ▁▁ ▁After ▁D ing ane ▁assass in ated ▁and ▁succeeded ▁Sh aka ▁he ▁remained ▁the ▁highest ▁ranking ▁political ▁and ▁military ▁officer ▁in ▁D ing ane ’ s ▁regime . ▁ ▁With ▁D ing ane ’ s ▁vol at ility ▁and ▁th irst ▁for ▁blood , ▁N d le la ▁proved ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁sh rew d ▁operator ▁by ▁maintain ing ▁these ▁highly ▁influ ential ▁positions ▁in ▁a ▁changing ▁regime ▁where ▁D ing ane ▁was ▁quick ▁to ▁order ▁an ▁execution ▁of ▁his ▁perce ived ▁enemies . ▁A ▁def ender ▁of ▁traditional ▁Z ulu ▁culture , ▁N d le la ▁strongly ▁object ed ▁when ▁D ing ane ▁allowed ▁Francis ▁O wen ▁of ▁London ' s ▁Ang lic an ▁Church ▁Mission ary ▁Society ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁mission ▁at ▁the ▁Z ulu ▁capital , ▁M g ung und h lov . ▁▁ ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁D ing ane ' s ▁in D una ▁- ▁his ▁chief ▁advis er ▁and ▁N d un ank ulu ▁( Pr ime ▁Minister ) ▁and ▁u M k hu zi ▁w ama But ho ▁ka Z ulu ▁- ▁Commander - In - Ch ief ▁of ▁the ▁Z ulu ▁Army . ▁He ▁led ▁a ▁campaign ▁against ▁the ▁Northern ▁N de be le ▁in ▁ 1 8 3 7 , ▁but ▁the ▁war ▁was ▁incon clus ive . ▁He ▁alleg edly ▁persu aded ▁D ing ane ▁to ▁kill ▁Piet ▁Ret ief ▁and ▁cr ush ▁the ▁Bo ers . ▁He ▁was ▁general ▁of ▁D ing