African Kingdoms

Protectorate of Basutoland (British Empire) (Africa)
AD 1868 - 1965

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For long centuries Africa was largely unknown to Europeans, until a spirit of exploration took hold in the late fifteenth century and firm trading links could be established. The growing European powers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries gradually stepped up their interest in Africa, from maintaining trading interests to large-scale slave trading and then to increasing imperial controls over vast territories.

Such territories often contained multiple indigenous clan states, kingdoms, or even empires, but none stood for long against European firepower or political manoeuvring. In South Africa the primary early influence was from Dutch settlers, or Boers. Later interest came from Hanoverian Britain and trading interests which gave rise to a British overseas empire.

The British entered South Africa through the 'Cape Colony' which it seized from the Dutch in 1795. Colonial expansion followed into areas such as Natal and Zululand in the nineteenth century. This forced Boer farmers also to push eastwards and north-eastwards. Beginning in 1876 a number of Boers from Transvaal seemingly purchased land from the Swazi king, Umbandino, forming the 'Little Free State' in 1886. This was incorporated into Transvaal in 1891.

The first Boer settlers also arrived on the western borders of the Basuto tribal region from 1834, claiming land rights as they came. This act sparked decades of conflict with the Sotho natives there, forcing them in 1843 to sign a treaty with the Victorian British governor of the Cape Colony.

British military action in 1848 suppressed Boer activity for a while, but a temporary British withdrawal from the region between 1854-1868 led to the chief of the Basuto appealing directly to Queen Victoria for help. The result was that Basutoland was established as a British 'High Commission Territory' on 12 March 1868, essentially establishing borders which remain valid to this day.

This seemed to be the only way for the British authorities to protect the territory against continued encroachment by Boer settlers who were intent on taking all of the territory for themselves. Unfortunately the agreement involved permanently ceding Basutoland's western territories, which had been taken by the Boers in 1858.

During the protectorate period to 1965, Basutoland had no flag of its own. Instead it flew Britain's union flag as its national flag until independence in 1966. Today's Basutoland is known as Lesotho, still forming a kingdom nation state of its own.

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(Information by Peter Kessler and the John De Cleene Archive, with additional information by Juan Fandos-Rius (base details), from Urban Africa; Histories in the Making (Africa's Urban Past), David M Anderson & Richard Rathbone (Eds), from Africana: The Encyclopaedia of the African and African American Experience, Anthony Appiah & Henry Louis Gates (Oxford University Press, 2005), from The New Atlas of African History, G S P Freeman-Grenville (Rex Collins, London, 1991), from Times Atlas of World History (Maplewood, 1979), from the BBC documentary series, Lost Kingdoms of Africa, first broadcast on 5 January 2010, and from External Links: Encyclopaedia Britannica, and Lesotho Genealogy, and BBC Country Profiles, and Flags of the World, and History World.)

1868 - 1870

Ruling chief of the Basuto state since 1804. Died 11 Mar 1870.

1870 - 1891

Son. Born circa 1811. Died 20 Oct 1891.

1871

The administration of Basutoland is transferred from the chief of the Basuto state to the British Cape Colony, unfortunately without any reference to Chief Letsie I Moshoeshoe or his people.

The long-lived founder of the Basuto state, Chief Moshoeshoe I, remained on the throne for just long enough to see the benefits which were delivered by accepting the safety of a British protectorate, and is pictured here in very low quality, surrounded by his ministers

1881 - 1884

The British have been treating Basutoland in the same way as any of their acquisitions - governing it as a territory without any reference to the people who live there. This leads to the Gun War in 1881.

The conflict is triggered when the administration attempts to relieve the natives of their firearms, but the outcome is surprisingly beneficial for those natives. Basutoland is returned to the status of crown colony in 1884, and the Basutoland chiefs retain a large degree of autonomy.

1891 - 1905

Son. Ruled 20 Oct 1891-19 Aug 1905.

1905 - 1913

Son. Ruled 21 Aug 1905-28 Jan 1913.

1910

The union of South Africa is enacted in 1910 with the merging together of the Cape Colony, the Natal Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony.

The union of South Africa was established on 31 May 1910 by combining four British colonies: Cape Colony, Natal, Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony, to create a self-governing dominion within the British empire

Given those tensions which had arisen when Basutoland had been administered between 1871-1881 by the union's predecessor, the Cape Colony, there is strong and successful pressure within Basutoland to prevent the British from ceding this particular territory to the new republic.

1913 - 1939

Brother. Ruled 11 Apr 1913-Jul 1939.

1939 - 1940

Son. Ruled 3 Aug 1939-26 Dec 1940.

1939 - 1945

The Nazi German invasion of Poland on 1 September is the trigger for the Second World War. With both France and Britain, under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, pledged to support Poland, both countries have no option but to declare war on 3 September.

Both countries are forced to draw on the resources of their respective empires, with the result that twenty thousand Sotho serve in the British forces for the duration of the war.

Nazi-led German troops are shown here progressing in good order through a Polish town on the first day of the invasion, 1 September 1939

During that time - on 26 December 1940 - Chief Simon Seeiso Griffith dies. With his son only two years of age, the throne is initially safeguarded by Gabasane Masupha, principal chief of Thupa Kuba, as acting paramount chief.

1940 - 1941

Acting head of state, 26 Dec 1940-28 Jan 1941. Died 1949.

1939 - 1945

Following the regency of Gabasane Masupha, principal chief of Thupa Kuba, he is succeeded by Mantsebo Amelia 'Matsaba until the young Moshoeshoe II comes of age and can take the throne in 1960.

1941 - 1960

Female. Acting state head, 28/01/1941-12/03/1960. Died 1964.

1960 - 1965

Son of Simon. Ruled 12/03/1960-30/04/1965. King 1965-1966.

1965

With political parties having emerged in the 1950s, and the pressure for independence growing, Basutoland is granted autonomy by Britain in 1965.

Moshoeshoe II enjoyed an 'interesting' time as the leader of his people, being promoted from paramount chief of Basutoland to king in 1965, renaming the state as Lesotho in 1966, and twice being sent into exile during his kingdom's troubled political situation (he is shown here with Princess Marina representing Queen Elizabeth II during Lesotho's independence celebrations)

It becomes the kingdom of Basutoland on 30 April of that year. Paramount Chief Moshoeshoe (ie. the chief of chiefs) is now king in his own right, although with a certain level of hand-holding by Britain during this transition process.

1966

Full independence is gained for Basutoland from Britain on 30 October 1966. Chief Leabua Jonathan of the 'Basotho National Party' serves as the state's first prime minister, although the kingdom has already been renamed Lesotho (on 4 October).