Today it's on to the next card, the Emperor.
4 Emperor: Shaka
Archetype and divinatory meaning: The emperor represents strength, power, nobility and forces going into action. He is a ruler over the world by the use of his insight and his resources. For the diviner this indicates the realisation of goals and a time for action and change leading to success in a chosen path, especially if the foundations of the plans are sound.
Image: Shaka, the emperor and uniter, stands ready to lead his warriors into battle, in the midst of the fields already part of his kingdom. He is the strong and fearless leader, ready for council or war, able to inspire and guide his people.
Origin: The story of Shaka is a large part of the history of Southern Africa. Born out of wedlock, despised as a youth, he rose in military rank and welded a fighting force out of a band of tribes, founding the traditions of the present Zulu nation. Using the stabbing spear or assegai, and classic pincer maneuvers on the battlefield, the Zulus soon became a formidable fighting force.
Shaka is held by some to have been a tyrant and despot, ruling over the life and death of his subjects and often taking revenge on any he felt may have slighted him. Yet his memory is revered by the Zulu nation as their founder and father, and all speak of his wisdom and insight.
Shaka was assassinated by his half-brother, Dingane, who assumed his mantle. Dingane was the leader of the Zulus at the time that their contacts with white settlers became increasingly acrimonious, leading to such battles as Rorke’s Drift and Blood River, and finally to the subjugation of the Zulu.
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