ane ' s ▁forces ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Blood ▁River ▁( 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 8 3 8 ) ▁with ▁D amb u za ▁N z ob o , ▁a ▁significant ▁defeat ▁for ▁the ▁Z ulus ▁as ▁the ▁spe ars ▁and ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁Z ulus ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁bre ach ▁the ▁Bo er ▁la ager ▁of ▁And ries ▁P ret or ius ▁def ended ▁with ▁mus k ets . ▁ ▁Ne ither ▁Sh aka ▁nor ▁D ing ane ▁had ▁children . ▁Mind ful ▁of ▁the ▁line age ▁of ▁the ▁Z ulu ▁k ings , ▁N d le la ▁repeatedly ▁def ied ▁D ing ane ' s ▁request ▁that ▁he ▁assass inate ▁M p ande , ▁half - bro ther ▁of ▁Sh aka ▁and ▁D ing ane ▁as ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁threat ▁to ▁D ing ane ' s ▁power . ▁He ▁argued ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁dimin ish ▁his ▁great ness ▁and ▁that , ▁in ▁any ▁case , ▁M p ande ▁did ▁not ▁asp ire ▁to ▁the ▁throne . ▁The ▁Battle ▁of ▁Ma q ong q o ▁where ▁the ▁forces ▁of ▁M p ande ▁and ▁D ing ane ▁cl ashed ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 0 ▁cul min ated ▁in ▁D ing ane ▁calling ▁N d le la ▁a ▁tra itor . ▁a ▁significant ▁portion ▁of ▁N d le la ' s ▁army ▁desert ed ▁to ▁M p ande ' s ▁general ▁N ong al aza . ▁N d le la ▁with d rew ▁his ▁remaining ▁force ▁rather ▁than ▁be ▁over wh el