View source for Eshowe

{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Eshowe
| image_skyline      = Fort Nonquai Eshowe.jpg
| image_caption      = [[Fort Nongqayi]] in Eshowe
| pushpin_map        = South Africa KwaZulu-Natal#South Africa
| coordinates        = {{coord|28|53|18|S|31|26|54|E|region:ZA|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = [[South Africa]]
| subdivision_type1  = Province
| subdivision_name1  = [[KwaZulu-Natal]]
| subdivision_type2  = District
| subdivision_name2  = [[King Cetshwayo District Municipality|King Cetshwayo]]
| subdivision_type3  = Municipality
| subdivision_name3  = [[uMlalazi Local Municipality|uMlalazi]]
| subdivision_type4  = Main Place
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1880<ref name=established>{{cite thesis |last=Robson |first=Linda Gillian |title=The Royal Engineers and settlement planning in the Cape Colony 1806–1872: Approach, methodology and impact |date=2011 |type=PhD thesis |publisher=University of Pretoria |chapter=Annexure A |chapter-url=https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/26503/05back.pdf?sequence=6&isAllowed=y#page=31 |url=https://repository.up.ac.za/handle/2263/26503 |hdl=2263/26503 |pages=xlv–lii}}</ref>
| leader_title       = Councillor
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="census2011">{{cite web |url=http://census2011.adrianfrith.com/place/589080 |title = Main Place Eshowe |work=Census 2011}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 18.23
| population_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| population_total   = 14744
| population_as_of   = 2011
| population_density_km2 = auto
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->| demographics_type1 = Racial makeup (2011)
| demographics1_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics1_title1 = [[Bantu peoples of South Africa|Black African]]
| demographics1_info1 = 82.7%
| demographics1_title2 = [[Coloureds|Coloured]]
| demographics1_info2 = 5.0%
| demographics1_title3 = [[Indian South African|Indian]]/[[Asian South African|Asian]]
| demographics1_info3 = 4.6%
| demographics1_title4 = [[White South African|White]]
| demographics1_info4 = 7.4%
| demographics1_title5 = Other
| demographics1_info5 = 0.4%
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->| demographics_type2 = [[First language]]s (2011)
| demographics2_footnotes = <ref name="census2011" />
| demographics2_title1 = [[Zulu language|Zulu]]
| demographics2_info1 = 75.8%
| demographics2_title2 = [[South African English|English]]
| demographics2_info2 = 17.5%
| demographics2_title3 = [[Afrikaans]]
| demographics2_info3 = 2.9%
| demographics2_title4 = [[Southern Ndebele language|S. Ndebele]]
| demographics2_info4 = 1.2%
| demographics2_title5 = Other
| demographics2_info5 = 2.6%
<!-- blank fields (section 2) -->
<!-- Other information -->| timezone1          = [[South African Standard Time|SAST]]
| utc_offset1        = +2
| postal_code_type   = [[List of postal codes in South Africa|Postal code]] (street)
| postal_code        = 3815
| postal2_code_type  = [[Post-office box|PO box]]
| postal2_code       = 3815
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in South Africa|Area code]]
| area_code          = 035
}}
'''Eshowe''' is the oldest town of European settlement in [[KwaZulu-Natal|Zululand]],{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}  historically also known as '''Eziqwaqweni''', '''Ekowe''' or '''kwaMondi'''. Eshowe's name is said to be inspired by the sound of wind blowing through the more than 4&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> of the indigenous [[Dlinza Forest]], the most important and striking feature of the town. Although the name is most likely to be derived from the [[Zulu language|Zulu]] word for the ''[[Xysmalobium]]'' shrubs, ''showe'' or ''shongwe''.

Today Eshowe is a market town, with a 100&nbsp;km radius [[catchment area (human geography)|catchment area]], two shopping centres, a main bus station serving the hinterland, a major hospital, and several schools.

==History==
In 1860 [[Cetshwayo]], then only a Zulu prince, built a [[kraal]] here and named the place Eziqwaqweni ''(the abode of robbers)''.
A mission station was established at Eshowe in 1861 once permission had been obtained from the Zulu King Cetshwayo by [[Norway|Norwegian]] missionary, the Reverend [[Ommund Oftebro]]. Later the station was called the [[KwaMondi Mission Station]] ''(place of Mondi)'' after the Zulu name which was given to Oftebro.

== Siege of Eshowe ==
{{Main|Siege of Eshowe}}
During the [[Anglo-Zulu War]] of 1879, Colonel [[Charles Pearson (soldier)|Charles Pearson]] led the coastal column to Eshowe. This column encountered part of the Zulu army at the [[Nyezane River]], but after a short battle pushed on to the KwaMondi Mission which was fortified and called [[Fort Ekowe]].<ref>[http://www.battlefieldsroute.co.za/place/the-siege-of-fort-kwamondi/ The Siege of Fort KwaMondi], Battlefields Route</ref>  The forces under Colonel Pearson were besieged for 10 weeks until relieved on April 3 by [[Frederick Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford|Lord Chelmsford]] after the [[Battle of Gingindlovu]].

After the British evacuated the area, Fort Ekowe was burned down by the Zulus.

== Capital of Zululand ==
After the war Eshowe was established as the capital of Zululand and the home of the [[United Kingdom|British]] resident in Zululand, [[Melmoth Osborne]]. The nearby town of [[Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal|Melmoth]] is named after him.

In 1887 Eshowe became the capital of Zululand and was officially declared a township in 1891.

In 1947 the British Royal Family ([[George VI of the United Kingdom|King George VI]], [[Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon|Queen Elizabeth]], [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Princess Elizabeth]] and [[Princess Margaret]]) visited and were welcomed in Eshowe by [[Cyprian Bhekuzulu kaSolomon|King Cyprian]].  The family toured the Dlinza Forest and spent a night in 'The Residency' in Eshowe.

Eshowe served as the seat of the first Black Diocesan Bishops in [[South Africa]], of the [[Anglican]] and [[Roman Catholic Church]]. Eshowe is still the seat of the Bishop of the Anglican [[Diocese of Zululand]].

==Nearby nature conservation areas==
* [[iSimangaliso Wetland Park]]
* [[Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve]]
* [[Itala Game Reserve]]
* [[Lubombo Transfrontier Conservation Area]]

==Notable people==
* [[Malusi Gigaba]] - politician, former national minister
* [[Dawn Thandeka King]] - actress
* [[Culoe De Song]] - music producer, DJ, recording artist

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage|Eshowe}}
*[http://www.eshowe.com Tourism vendor in Eshowe]
*[http://www.eshoweguide.co.za More information about Eshowe]

{{Uthungulu District Municipality}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eshowe, Kwazulu-Natal}}
[[Category:Populated places in the uMlalazi Local Municipality]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1880]]
[[Category:1880 establishments in South Africa]]