A war fought between Britain and Zululand. Until he occupied the Transvaal in 1877, the policy of the Natal Secretary for Native Affairs, Theophilus Shepstone, had been to protect the Zulu empire of Cetshwayo against Afrikaner aggression. After the annexation, he reversed this policy to placate the Afrikaner population, and a scheme was prepared to seize Zululand. Frontier incidents provided opportunities, and the British High Commissioner ordered the disbandment of the Zulu army within 30 days. However, Cetshwayo did not comply, and war began on 11 January 1879. On 22 January the British suffered disaster at Isandhlwana, but with reinforcements the Zulu capital, Ulundi, was burnt, Cetshwayo was captured (28 August), and the war ceased on 1 September.