Ngqika

The Ngqika people are a Xhosa monarchy who lived west of the Great Kei River[1] in what is today the Eastern Cape of South Africa.

The organisation continually changed the boundaries in the Cape Colony due to European invasion and migration, establishing the Great Fish River as the eastern frontier in 1778.

Ndlambe (who would eventually establish the AmaNdlambe people) was Rharhabe's other son and Ngqika's uncle who became regent until the boy matured – in the tradition of the Xhosas.

They were eventually invaded by European settlers from the Cape Colony who fought with them over their prime grazing land, west of the Great Kei River.

Maqoma, born to Ngqika and Nomvakalisa Nothontho of the Ngqosini, was the chief's eldest son but because Sandile's mother was a descendant of abaThembu (a royal lineage).

The following is a list of chiefs of the Ngqika that ruled during the Xhosa Wars starting with Sandile's great grandfather, Rharhabe: The native groups lost most of their land and were absorbed into the Cape Colony during this century.