Shaka kaSenzangakhona (c. 1787 – c. 22 September 1828), also known as Shaka Zulu, is the most influential leader of the Zulu Kingdom.

He is widely credited with uniting many of the Northern Nguni people, specifically the Mtetwa Paramountcy and the Ndwandwe into the Zulu Kingdom, the beginnings of a nation that holds sway over the large portion of southern Africa between the Phongolo and Mzimkhulu Rivers, and his diplomacy and vigor mark him as one of the greatest Zulu kings.

He has been called a military genius for his reforms and innovations, and condemned for the brutality of his reign.

Other historians note debate about Shaka's role as a uniter versus a usurper of traditional Zulu ruling prerogatives, and the notion of the Zulu state as a unique construction, divorced from the localized culture and the previous systems built by his predecessor Dingiswayo.

Research continues into the character and methods of the Zulu warrior king, whose reign still greatly influences South African culture.