List of rulers of the Xhosa

The Xhosa are a nation that came down from the north of Africa. Xhosa, the one after whom the Xhosa people are named, descended, and during his emergence from the north, he fathered Malangana. The Xhosa kingship separated when the line got to Phalo because of what happened when he married.

Xhosa begot Malangana,

Malangana begot Malandela,

Malandela begot Nkosiyamntu,

Nkosiyamntu begot Tshawe (Xhosa royal clan is named after him)

Tshawe begot Sikhomo,

Sikhomo begot Togu,

Togu begot Ngconde,

Ngconde begot Tshiwo,

Tshiwo begot Phalo,

Phalo begot Gcaleka & Rharhabe.

NB: It was during Phalo's rule that the Xhosa nation got divided into two Houses (The Great House & The Right hand House).

When King Phalo had to marry a wife that would produce an heir to the throne, two royal brides (One from Amampondo people & the other from AbaThembu people) arrived the same day. This caused a dilemma for the Xhosa King as it meant that if he chose either of them, the father of the unpicked bride would be offended and possibly the relations would be strained between the two tribes from such an offence.

Xhosa elders and all the known wise men who knew the Xhosa laws & customs across Xhosa land were summoned to Komkhulu (The great place - in the present day town of Butterworth) to solve this problem. It has been said in the Xhosa oral history that, it was one old man by the name of Majeke who came with a solution to that problem.

His solution was:

"A human body consists of two strongest limbs: The Head, which is the strongest and the Right hand which is the least strongest.

The head would symbolize the Great House and the Right hand would symbolize the Right Hand House". And that way, the problem was solved.

King Phalo produced two known sons: Gcaleka and Rharhabe.

Gcaleka would later become the leader of the AmaGcaleka (Great House) sub group and Rharhabe became the leader of the AmaRharhabe (Right hand House) sub group.

NB: Prior the arrival of the Europeans, the Xhosa territory stretched from Mbhashe River to Gamtoos River in the Southern Cape.

King Gcaleka was the King of all AmaXhosa, with jurisdiction from Mbhashe river to Kei river, and Chief Rharhabe as a paramount chief of the Xhosa beyond the Kei River.

Great House: Amagcaleka

Gcaleka begot Khawuta,

Khawuta begot Hintsa (The most renowned & respected King in Xhosa history - Ahhh Zanzolo!!),

Hintsa begot Sarili,

Sarili begot Sigcawu,

Sigcawu begot Gwebinkumbi,

Gwebinkumbi begot Zwelidumile,

Zwelidumile begot Xolilizwe,

Xolilizwe begot Zwelonke (The Present Xhosa King).

Right Hand House: amaRharhabe

Rharhabe begot Mlawu,

Mlawu begot Ngqika,

Ngqika begot Sandile & Maqoma (The Most brave chief in Xhosa land, and King Hintsa's trusted general - Ahhh Jongumsobomvu),

Sandile begot Gonya,

Gonya begot Faku (Not to be confused with the Amampondo King)

Faku begot Haji