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Lesotho
Lesotho is a small island kingdom within the heart of
the modern state of South Africa. Bantu-speaking tribes largely replaced the
indigenous Khoisan hunter-gatherers during the last phase of the Bantu
migrations in around AD 1000.
A single state emerged under the paramount chiefs of
the royal clan of the Bakwena in the early nineteenth century, and was
quickly drawn under
British control. (All information below by
Juan Fandos-Rius.) |
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Protectorate of Basutoland
AD 1868 - 1965
The protectorate was established on
12 March 1868. |
? - 1822 |
Mokhachane |
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1822 - 1870 |
Moshoeshoe I |
Born c.1780, died 11 Mar 1870. |
1843 |
Basutoland is established as a protectorate by
Britain on 13 December. |
1868 |
Basutoland becomes one of
Britain's High Commission Territories. |
1870 - 1891 |
Letsie I Moshoeshoe |
Born c.1811, died 20 Oct 1891. |
1891 - 1905 |
Lerothodi Letsie |
Ruled 20 Oct 1891 - 19 Aug 1905. |
1905 - 1913 |
Letsie II Lerothodi |
Ruled 21 Aug 1905 - 28 Jan 1913. |
1913 - 1939 |
Nathaniel
Griffith Lerothodi |
Ruled 11 Apr 1913 - Jul 1939. |
1939 - 1940 |
Simon Seeiso
Griffith |
Ruled 3 Aug 1939 - 26 Dec 1940. |
1940 - 1941 |
Gabasane Masupha |
Acting head of state 26 Dec 1940 - 28 Jan 1941. |
1941 - 1960 |
Mantsebo Amelia 'Matsaba |
Female. Acting head of state 28 Jan 1941 - 12 Mar 1960. |
1960 - 1965 |
Moshoeshoe II |
Ruled 12 Mar 1960 - 30 Apr 1965. |
1965 |
Basutoland is granted autonomy by
Britain, becoming a kingdom on 30 April with Moshoeshoe on the
throne. |
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Kingdom of Basutoland
AD 1965 - 1966
Upon gaining autonomy from
Britain, the protectorate became a kingdom on 30 April 1965. |
1965 - 1966 |
Moshoeshoe II |
King, 30 Apr 1965 - 30 Oct 1966. |
1966 |
Full independence is gained from
Britain and the kingdom is renamed Lesotho on 4 October. |
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Kingdom of Lesotho
AD 1966 - Present
The kingdom gained full independence from
Britain and was renamed on 4 October 1966. Lesotho remained within the
Commonwealth of Nations. |
1966 - 1970 |
Moshoeshoe II |
King, 30 Oct 1966 - 10 Feb 1970. |
1970 |
The ruling national party loses the first general election, but the prime
minister, Leabua Jonathan, refuses to cede power to the winning opposition
and declares himself back in the role of head of state. A low-level and
generally ineffective revolt begins against him. The king is reduced to the
role of ceremonial monarch. |
1970 |
Leabua Jonathan |
Head of state, 10 Feb 1970 - 5 Jun
1970. |
1970 |
Mamohato |
Queen Regent, 5 Jun 1970 - 5 Dec 1970. |
1970 - 1990 |
Moshoeshoe II |
Restored, 5 Dec 1970 - 10 Mar 1990. |
1986 |
A military coup forces the ruling party out of office. A military council is
established which grants executive power to the king, but after a falling
out the following year the king goes into exile. |
1990 |
Mamohato |
Queen Regent, 10 Mar 1990 - 12 Nov 1990. |
1990 - 1995 |
Letsie III |
Son. King, 12 Nov 1990 - 25 Jan 1995. |
1991 - 1995 |
The military junta changes hands in 1991 and as a result power is handed
over to a democratically elected gvernment in 1993. Moshoeshoe returns as a
private citizen in 1992 and Letsie abdicates in favour of his father in
1995. |
1995 - 1996 |
Moshoeshoe II |
Restored, 25 Jan 1995 - 15 Jan 1996. |
1996 |
Moshoeshoe dies in a potentially questionable car accident, and his son
succeeds him on the throne. |
1996 |
Queen Mamohato |
Queen Regent, 15 Jan 1996 - 7 Feb
1996. |
1996 - Present |
Letsie III |
Restored from 7 Feb. |
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