Mpande kaSenzangakhona vs Reza Shah

Mpande kaSenzangakhona became Zulu king in February 1840 after overthrowing his half-brother Dingane with the help of Boer forces. He agreed to cede land to the Boers in return for their support, establishing a cooperative relationship with the Natal Boers.

Mpande ceded large territories to the Boers, including the land that became the Natalia Republic, as part of his alliance with them. This land loss reduced Zulu territory but allowed Mpande to consolidate power internally and avoid further conflict with the Boers.

Mpande reigned as Zulu king for 32 years, from 1840 to 1872, the longest reign of any Zulu monarch. His reign was marked by relative peace and stability, as he avoided major wars with European powers and focused on internal consolidation and economic development.

Mpande died in October 1872, leading to a succession struggle between his sons Cetshwayo and Mbuyazi. Cetshwayo emerged victorious after the Battle of Ndondakusuka in 1856, but Mpande's death officially transferred power, setting the stage for the Anglo-Zulu War.

Reza Khan, commander of the Persian Cossack Brigade, led a coup that seized Tehran. This action overthrew the Qajar government and established Reza Khan as Minister of War, setting the stage for his eventual rise to the throne.

The Constituent Assembly voted to depose the Qajar dynasty and crown Reza Khan as Reza Shah Pahlavi. This founded the Pahlavi dynasty, which ruled Iran until 1979.

Reza Shah issued a decree banning the wearing of the hijab (headscarf) in public. Police forcibly removed veils from women, and the policy aimed to modernize Iranian society by adopting Western dress, causing widespread resentment among religious conservatives.

Reza Shah oversaw the completion of the Trans-Iranian Railway, connecting the Caspian Sea to the Persian Gulf. The railway was a major infrastructure project funded by a national tax on tea and sugar, facilitating trade and military transport.

British and Soviet forces invaded Iran to secure oil fields and supply routes to the USSR. Reza Shah's refusal to expel German nationals triggered the invasion, leading to his forced abdication and exile.

Following the Anglo-Soviet invasion, Reza Shah abdicated in favor of his son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. He was forced into exile by the British, first to Mauritius and then to South Africa, where he died in 1944.