Cape Frontier Wars also called Kaffir wars or Kafir wars (1779-1879) was 100 years of intermittent warfare and nine different wars between the Cape colonists and the Xhosa agricultural and pastoral peoples of the Eastern Cape, in South Africa. One of the most prolonged struggles by Africans against European intrusion, it ended in the annexation of Xhosa territory by the Cape Colony and the incorporation of its people.

• 1st Cape Frontier War, 1779
• 2nd Cape Frontier War, 1793
• 3rd Cape Frontier War, 1799-1801
• 4th Cape Frontier War, 1811
• 5th Cape Frontier War, 1818-19
• 6th Cape Frontier War, 1834-36
• 7th Cape Frontier War, 1846
• 8th Cape Frontier War, 1851-53
• 9th Cape Frontier War, 1877-78

The 6th Cape Frontier War, 1834-36

Catalyst for Piet Retief's manifesto and the Great Trek. In total 40 farmers (Boers) were murdered and 416 farmhouses were burnt down. In addition 5 700 horses, 115 000 head of cattle and 162 000 sheep were plundered by Xhosa tribes people.

By the end of the war 7 000 people of all races were left homeless. Cape governor Benjamin D'Urban took far-reaching steps to prevent similar conflict in future. These were however not to the liking of the British minister of colonies, Lord Glenelg, who revoked all the measures and accused the Boers of being the instigators of the conflict. As a result the Boer community lost faith in the British justice system and often took the law into their own hands when cattle rustlers were caught.

The 7th Cape Frontier War, 1846

Known as the "War of the Axe". Tension continued to simmer between farmers and marauders. When an axe was stolen from a farmer, events escalated until the eastern Cape Colony was once again in the grip of war.

See also

• Kaffir (Historical usage in southern Africa)
• Xhosa
• Zulu War

History of South Africa | Wars of Africa

Xhosa-krigene | Guerre di Frontiera del Capo