ZULU warrior king Cetewayo made a remarkable sight as he and his retinue from the African tribe set foot in Southampton back in the late 1880s.

It was this fearless fighting monarch together with his Zulu Impis soldiers, armed with just spears, knives and shields, who only a few years earlier had inflicted crushing defeats on British forces in South Africa.

Cetewayo was eventually captured by the British and stripped of his position as king but in 1882 he was given permission to travel to England, where the former ruler was to receive an audience with Queen Victoria at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight.

The Zulua king was an impressive figure who was said to have hips measuring 60 inches and a waist of 46 inches, and so great was the physical force he radiated that one American woman, who met him in Africa, was to later say that she felt as if she had been overthrown by a “wave of power”.

On another occasion a missionary tried to convert the king to Christianity by telling him about hell and the Devil.

Cetewayo was not so easily scared and said: “Hell fire! Do you frighten me with hell fire? My soldiers would put it out. See,” and he pointed to a grass fire, which was burning over a considerable tract of land, and calling to the officer commanding a regiment, he ordered: “Before you look at me again, eat up that fire.”

In an instant thousands, shouting their war cry, bounded toward the fire, leaping into barefooted, and the fire was soon “eaten up” without regard to those who were maimed and permanently injured.

Cetewayo’s reputation meant that hundreds of Southampton people came out to make sure of glimpsing the African warrior who had voyaged to England on the Union Company’s vessel, Arab.

As the vessel entered Southampton Water the former king, together with his entourage, which included his personal medicine man called Zymgwayo, transferred to the tug Alexandria that had been sent from the docks to ferry the Zulus on the last part of their voyage.

The Hampshire Advertiser, an early Southampton newspaper, reported: “Cetewayo was travelling with his cousin, Ungconge-wana, and two Zulua chiefs, Umkosana and Ungobozana.

“Ungconge-wana is a powerful Zulu of 60 years of age, while a grim interest attaches to Umkosana and Ungobozana by reason of the former having led an army against the British and the latter one who attacked the little force at Rorke’s Drift.”

The Battle of Rorke’s Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke’s Drift, was an engagement in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke’s Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, and Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead immediately followed the British Army’s defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana on January 22, 1879, and continued into the following day, January 23.

Just over 150 British and colonial troops successfully defended the garrison against an intense assault by 3,000 to 4,000 Zulu warriors. The massive, but piecemeal, Zulu attacks on Rorke’s Drift came very close to defeating the tiny garrison but were ultimately repelled. A total of 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the defenders, along with a number of other decorations and honours.

“It must be said of Cetewayo that he has a wonderful command of countenance, and that his equanimity is of the highest character.”

A special train had been sent to the city’s Eastern Docks to convey the king and the rest of the delegation to London but this form of transport “completely astounded” the Zulus.

“It is stated that they placed their fingers in their ears and gazed stupified, if not with alarm,” said the Hampshire Advertiser, reporting every details of Cetewayo’s arrival.

As the Zulus travelled through the Hampshire countryside on their way to the capital, the king is said to have told his companions: “There are cows for everyone in England and the corn fields are as large as the sea between Cape Town and Southampton.”

The following day the Zulus were back in Hampshire, this time in Portsmouth, where they embarked on the Admiralty yacht, Fire Queen, for the crossing to East Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

“Wearing a black suit and tall black hat that shone resplendently in sunlight, Cetewayo had a pleasant smile and dignified department which created quite a favourable impression,” said the Hampshire Advertiser.

An open carriage from the royal stables was waiting to take Cetewayo to Osborne House, where he was received by Queen Victoria in her private reception room.

After just 15 minutes the audience came to an end and Cetewayo and his party were given a conducted tour of the ornamental gardens and grounds of Osborne House.

Cetewayo was promised that his old powers as king would be restored to him on his return to South Africa but these assurances were soon forgotten and his kingdom split into three with his influence restricted to just one area.

In February, 1884 Cetewayo died. Some accounts insist that he was poisoned, while others say he suffered a heart attack.