He was the one who made the Zulu tribe a nation in the south of the African continent, managing to unite many neighboring tribes and create the Zulu kingdom, geographically covering most of present-day South Africa.
The illegitimate son of the Zulu leader, Shenzangakona, returned to the Elangeni tribe with his mother after the end of his parents' marriage. There, however, they are not accepted due to the fact that the child was born out of wedlock. In the Methua tribe, led by Dingisguayo, where they eventually find refuge, Saka is trained for 6 years to become a soldier. When he reaches the age of 23, Dingisguayo realizes the young man's ambitions and potential, giving him a leading position in the tribal army. Saka demanded extremely strict discipline and perfection from his soldiers, punishing to death anyone who dared to break his laws.
Thanks to Sakas, the weapons of the Zulu evolved, while he forced his soldiers to train and fight barefoot, in order to become tougher. He shortened the warriors' spear and made their shield heavier, arguing that throwing the spear from a distance was cowardice. He preferred the warriors to run towards the enemy and stab him, while if a soldier came back from the battle and had been stabbed in the back, he would kill him, because he believed that he was trying to run away from the enemy.
It was the turn of the Elangeni tribe, where Saka killed its members and destroyed everything in its path, occupying the territory of the tribe.It was revenge for the way they had treated his mother and himself.
In 1816, King Senzangakona's father dies. Together with his soldiers, Saka sets out to occupy his kingdom, knowing from his mother that he was the king's son. For the next 4 years, Saka Zulu attacks tribes, destroying and occupying them. The result was that the Zulu nation now had a population of 250,000.
Upon hearing of his mother's death in 1827, Saka ordered the execution of 7,000 people. The whole tribe was forced to mourn for 3 months for his mother, starving. According to historians, because of this reaction, which brought the tribe to its limits, it lost control of the nation, while warriors and enemies revolted against it.
The once great Zulu king was stabbed several times by Dingane's half-brother on September 22, 1828, a year after his mother died. His body was transported to an empty tomb, which was then covered with stones. Saka had no children, considering them potential enemies. He was succeeded by Dingane.