Shaka, also spelled Chaka or Tshaka, (born c. 1787—died Sept. 22, 1828), Zulu chief (1816–28), founder of Southern Africa’s Zulu Empire. He is credited with creating a fighting force that devastated the entire region. His life is the subject of numerous colourful and exaggerated stories, many of which are debated by historians.
The walls of the ancient Ethiopian city of Harar, which envelop 368 alleys into one square kilometre, were built between the 13th and 16th centuries but the city itself was founded more than a millennium ago. For many years during the 16th century Harar served as the capital of the Harari Kingdom before it became part of Ethiopia in 1887. Between the 16th and 19th centuries Harar functioned as an important trade centre between Africa, India, and the Middle East and as a major centre for Islamic learning and the spread of Islam into the Horn of Africa.
