The Natalia Republic was the name of a short lived Boer republic which was established in 1839 by local Afrikaans speaking Voortrekkers shortly after the famous battle at Nacome River. The Natalia Republic was located on the coast of the Indian Ocean beyond the eastern Cape. The region was previously named Natalia by Portuguese sailors. The Natalia Republic was conquered & annexed by Britain in 1843. The British were adverse to the notion of "subjects" trekking away from their "authority" into lands beyond their control. After the British annexation of the Natalia Republic most local Voortrekker Boers trekked north into Transorangia (later known as the Orange Free State) & the Transvaal.
Andries Pretorius: the victorius Boer General who lead the Boer retaliation against the Zulus at Nacombe River was the leader of the Natalia Republic. While the Boers defeated the Zulus in a battle, they did not conquer nor subjugate them as they continued to exist as a distinct group with their own dispensation within their own territory to the north & east known as Zululand. A Boer alliance with Mpande the new Zulu King maintained a peace between Boers & Zulus & allowed for the creation & stability of the Natalia Republic.
The former local Voortrekker Boer leaders Piet Retief & Gerhard Maritz obtained a Treaty to settle in part of the Zulu land from Dingaan: the then Zulu King. Upon reconsideration & a purported belief that the Boers were "wizards" (from watching them shooting their rifles), Dingaan killed Retief his son & Maritz after a formal ceremony where the Boer leaders where told to leave their weapons behind. After having killed about 70 members of the Boer delegation, Dingaan's Zulu impis went on to massacre almost 300 Boer civilians who had followed Retief into Natal as part migrations later known as the Great Trek. The land treaty that Retief obtained from Dingaan is seen by many Boers as a legitimate deed to the land in question.
The capital of the Natalia Republic was called Pietermaritzburg in honour of the slain leaders: Piet Retief & Gerhard Maritz of the Voortrekker Boers of Natal.
Flag
The flag of the Natalia Republic was a white isosceles triangle with red in the upper quadrant & blue in the lower quadrant. The flag was based on the red, white & blue tri-colour flag used at Swellendam & Graaff-Reinet in 1795 which was itself based on the Dutch flag.
The territory of the former Natalia Republic after being annexed by Britain & joined with Zululand (after its annexation by Britain in 1879) was known as Natal. It became on of the four founding provinces of South Africa. This province is currently known as Kwa-Zulu Natal & is one of nine provinces within the Republic of South Africa. This province is home to the Zulu nation and also has a large East Indian population. The Boers in the province live mainly in the northern region.
