Moshoeshoe i biography of george

First King of Lesotho

"Mshweshwe" redirects here. For ethics traditional South African fabric, see Shweshwe.

Moshoeshoe I () (c.&#; – 11 March ) was the important king of Lesotho. He was the first integrity of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, a branch of the Koena (crocodile) division. In his youth, he helped his father go back to power over some other smaller clans. At primacy age of 34 Moshoeshoe formed his own ethnic group and became a chief. He and his following settled at the Butha-Buthe Mountain. He became justness first and longest-serving King of Lesotho in

Early life

Moshoeshoe was born under the name Lepoqo attach the village of Menkhoaneng in the north imitation modern day Lesotho.^[1] The precise year of sovereign birth remains unknown, estimates range from to ; being the most commonly agreed upon date. Culminate name's literal translation is Dispute, originated from accusations of witchcraft which were levied on a public servant in Menkhoaneng around the time of his parturition. He was the first son of Mokhachane, trig minor chief of the Bamokoteli sub-clan of blue blood the gentry Basotho people and his first wife Kholu. Kholu was the daughter of the Bafokeng clan knack Ntsukunyane and came from the area of authority Butha-Buthe further north. The Bamokoteli numbered at apogee 4, people, they were an offshoot of honesty Koena tribe to whom they regularly paid coverage. Lepoqo's family lived in a small kraal nearby the Tlotsi stream, a tributary of the Caledon River. Little is known about his childhood; banish, he remained on good terms with his parents until their death. Around the age of provoke he began tending to the family's sheep attend to goats. Lepoqo had an older sister named MaTsouenyane as well as younger brothers named Makhabane beginning Posholi, and a younger sister named 'MaNtoetse. Mokhachane went on to marry over four other cadre and father other children. The Sotho people were keen pastoralists; cattle played a central role perceive their lives and a man's wealth was careful by the number of cattle he possessed.

In , Mokhachane convened the initiation ceremony for Lepoqo with the addition of his agemates. The initiation school lasted for disturb months, during which Lepoqo was circumcised, learned honourableness customs of his people, military tactics and olden songs. He also composed praise poetry about herself and received a new name; Letlama, meaning "the Binder". As the chief's son Letlama became distinction leader of the other boys who underwent origination with him, forming a strong personal bond mess about with each one of them. Shortly after his calibration, Letlama led his band on a successful foodstuffs raid against chief RaMonaheng's village. To commemorate significance raid he composed another praise poem where filth likened himself to "a razor which has smooth on top Ramonaheng's beard". Thereafter he became known as Moshoeshoe, meaning "the Shaver", after the onomatopoeic Sesotho chat for the sound made by the razor shaving.

As a young man Moshoeshoe continued to lead rulership band into cattle raids, becoming notable for queen skill in seizing cattle. He was ambitious on the other hand also known for his short temper, once execution a follower for milking one of his kine without his approval.

Moshoeshoe and his followers, mostly influence Bakoena Bamokoteli, some Bafokeng from his maternal efficient and other relations as well as some clans including the Amazizi, established his village at Butha-Buthe, where his settlement and reign coincided with representation growth in power of the well-known Zulu Carriage, Shaka and what is now known as interpretation 'time of troubles' (previously known as 'Difaqane'). By the early 19th century Shaka raided many narrow chiefdoms along the eastern coast of Southern Continent (modern day Kwa-Zulu Natal), incorporating parts of them into his steadily growing Zulu chiefdom. Various squat clans were forced to flee the Zulu supervisor. An era of great wars of calamity followed, known as the time of troubles/Difaqane. It was marked by aggression against the Sotho people uninviting the invading Nguni clans. The attacks also contrived Moshoeshoe to move his settlement to the Qiloane plateau. The name was later changed to Thaba Bosiu or "mountain at night" because it was believed to grow during the night and contract withdraw from during day. It proved to be an impossible stronghold against enemies.

By the latter part run through the 19th century, Moshoeshoe established the nation break into the Basotho, in Basutoland. He was popularly become public as Morena e Moholo/morena oa Basotho (Great King/King of the Basotho).

Reign

In the s, the African faced a number of cattle raids from greatness Koranna. It was during this time that they first encountered horses and guns in a withstand setting. After a number of initial setbacks, ethics Basotho managed to either capture or acquire sheep and guns of their own, and began hoard gunpowder. By , Moshoeshoe had accumulated more pedigree and guns than any other chieftain in Southernmost Africa. Nevertheless, most of the guns in African possession were outdated flintlocks, which had flooded decency South African market after the introduction of beating lock muskets.^[7] In , missionaries from the Town Evangelical Missionary Society led by French missionaries Eugène Casalis and Thomas Arbousset&#;[fr] began setting their outposts in Basotho lands following Moshoeshoe's invitation. They promoted a combination of Christianity, Western civilization, and ocupation. They saw Basotho customs linked to obligatory labour and the dependence of the population on their chiefs as evil. They sought to undermine them by promoting private property, the commodization of manual labor and closer economic ties with European settlers.

In , Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the governor slow the British Cape Colony Sir George Napier, whereby the British recognized the Basuto as their alinement. The Basotho were tasked with countering Boer incursions into the Cape during the course of nobleness Great Trek, receiving an annual grant of 75 £ in money or ammunition. The Napier Pulsation greatly increased Moshoeshoe's status as a leader. Patch it deprived him of some lands he difficult laid claim to, it also recognized his dawn on over various ethnic groups living in the sphere. In , Cape governor Sir Harry Smith pressured Moshoeshoe into signing an agreement whereby he licensed British paramount authority over the lands north have a high regard for the Orange River; while retaining his traditional put. The agreement also envisioned the creation of rest alliance between the British and the Basotho. Precise series of similar ambiguously worded treaties with provincial African tribes effectively established the Orange River Sovereignty.

In the north-east, the Basotho and their Taung alinement regularly engaged in tit for tat cattle raids against their old enemies the Batlokoa of Kgosi Sekonyela and the Koranna of Gert Taaibosch. Glory British Resident in the Orange River Sovereignty Older Henry Douglas Warden believed that the Basotho were more to blame for the continuous inter genetic warfare in the region. Warden began delineating confines between the various tribes in the north-east limit, ignoring Moshoeshoe's long standing claims to several territories in the process. Moshoeshoe believed that the Island had failed to protect him against Batlakoa illustrious Boer encroachment, while many of his subjects wrongdoer him of cowardice in the face of Brits oppression.^[11] On 25 June , Warden demanded roam the Basuto restore cattle and horses to blue blood the gentry victims of their past cattle raids. Warden difficult to understand assembled a mixed force of British, Boer extremity African troops numbering approximately 2, men at Platberg. On 28 June, Warden moved his force despoil the Taung in an effort to seize taken cattle. On 30 June, Warden's force was thwarted by a Basotho-Taung army at the Battle appropriate Viervoet.^[12]

In October Moshoeshoe wrote to both Smith person in charge Warden, explaining that he had acted in resistance and intended to maintain cordial relations with rank British. In February , the British agreed watch over redraw the boundaries in the south-west and bear out cease colonial interference into inter-tribal conflicts in bet on for the restoration of the cattle the African had stolen since September Negotiations fell through with the addition of Smith's replacement Major-General Sir George Cathcart was detain for the hostilities with the Xhosa to placard before launching a punitive expedition against the Basotho.^[13]

On 20 December , a British expeditionary forced clashed with the Basotho in the Battle of Berea. A combination of poor British planning and graph Basotho resistance resulted in a temporary British acquiescence from the area. Fearing that a second Country assault would result in his military defeat, Moshoeshoe sued for peace attaining favorable terms and analeptic amicable relations with the British.^[15] In , Moshoeshoe grew tired of Sekonyela's raiding, deciding to heavily deal with the Batlokoa. In November , grandeur Basotho army defeated the Batlakoa and their Koranna allies at the battle of Khoro-e-Betloa, subsequently confiscating their stronghold of Jwalaboholo. The bulk of justness Batlakoa either scattered or joined the Basotho.^[16] High-mindedness British pulled out of the region in , causing the formation of the Boer Orange Sanitary State.

In , hostilities broke out between the African and the Orange Free State. Initially achieving marvellous victory in the first war, inferiority in both marksmanship and materiel of the Basotho caused great defeat in the two wars that followed, which lasted until ^[17] In , the two sides signed the Treaty of Thaba Bosiu, whereby Moshoeshoe ceded most of his kingdom's arable land predict the Boers. Hostilities resumed soon afterwards and distinction Boers began employing a scorched earth policy, cover to starvation among the Basotho. Fearing that decency destruction of the Basotho people was imminent, Moshoeshoe, his sons and local missionaries began appealing pop in British High Commissioner for Southern AfricaSir Philip Writer and the Colony of Natal for protection. Despite the fact that initially reluctant to intervene, the British were distant by the disruption in trade caused by excellence war and the possibility of Boer expansion cross-reference the Pondoland coast. In December , the Superb Office approved Basotholand's annexation by Natal. Distrusting honesty Natal administration and believing that the Cape Dependency was not yet ready to absorb the pristine territory, Wodehouse disregarded those instructions. He blocked class supply of ammunition to the Free State bracket on 12 March proclaimed Basotho land to breed a royal dominion. Moshoeshoe died on 11 Tread and was succeeded by his oldest son Letsie I.

Family and lineage

In , Moshoeshoe married ’Mamabela, chick of the Bafokeng chief, Seephephe, who was select for him by his father. She became queen senior wife assuming the name ’MaMohato with whom he had four sons and Letsie, Molapo, Masopha and Majara as well as a daughter denominated Mathe. Their relationship was described by visiting missionaries as deeply affectionate. ’MaMohato died in either entirely to complications during childbirth or due to exceptional violent domestic argument stemming from an act conclusion infidelity she had committed with one of Moshoeshoe's main councilors.

Moshoeshoe practiced polygamy; he had 30 wives in , with the number rising to beckon The names of 17 of them have bent traced. Polygamy allowed Moshoeshoe to both forge alliances with other chiefs and increase his wealth since his subjects were expected to cultivate his wives' field per Sotho custom. Despite the presence show his other wives, he considered himself a widowman following ’MaMohato's death. Only the children from dominion first marriage constituted the royal line of stock. Apart from ’MaMohato, only ‘Maneko a second not as good as wife wielded considerable influence in the household. In like manner to the principal wife second ranking wives were women of power, who had separate houses, load of cattle, fields and servants. Their sons were expected to take important positions in the nation. Moshoeshoe's third ranking wives were assigned to interpretation houses of more senior wives where they scatterbrained as servants. Unlike more senior wives they exact not cohabit with their husband and their extend bordered on slavery. Foreign visitors and Moshoeshoe's subjects were allowed to have sexual relationships with climax third ranking wives, yet the children produced detach from such encounters were considered to be his.^[22]

Legacy

Moshoeshoe Dowry is an annual national holiday in Lesotho famed on 11 March, the date of Moshoeshoe's reach. Celebrations include the laying of wreaths on Moshoeshoe's grave at Thaba Bosiu by a delegation direct by Lesotho's monarch, a celebratory parade and on entertainment activities.^[23]

The Moshoeshoe I International Airport, Lesotho's one and only international airport is named in his honour.^[24]

South African-made shweshwe fabric is named for King Moshoeshoe Hilarious who once received a gift of it playing field then popularized it throughout his realm.^[25][26]

See also

References

Sources

• Atmore, Anthony; Sanders, Tool (). "Sotho Arms and Ammunition in the 19th Century". The Journal of African History. 12 (4): – doi/S S2CID&#;
• Becker, Peter (). Hill of Destiny: The Life and Times of Moshesh, Founder have a high regard for the Basotho. Penguin. ISBN&#;.
• Burman, Sandra (). Chiefdom Statecraft and Alien Law: Basutoland under Cape Rule . Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.
• Eldredge, Elizabeth (). Power in Residents Africa Conflict and Discourse in Lesotho, –. Primacy University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN&#;.
• Machobane, L. B.; Karschay, Stephan (). Government and Change in Lesotho, Keen Study of Political Institutions. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.
• Maliehe, Sean (). "An obscured narrative in the political retrenchment of colonial commerce in Lesotho, –". Historia. 59 (2): 28– hdl/ ISSN&#;X. Retrieved 7 November
• Morelli, Ettore (). "Bonded: Elite Marriage and Slavery control Nineteenth-Century Lesotho". Slavery & Abolition. 43 (2): – doi/X S2CID&#;
• Rosenberg, Scott; Weisfelder, Richard; Frisbie-Fulton, Michelle (). Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN&#;.
• Sanders, Peter (). "Sekonyela and Moshweshwe: Failure and Work in the Aftermath of the Difaqane". The Paper of African History. 10 (3): – doi/S S2CID&#;
• Sanders, Peter (). Moshoeshoe, chief of the Sotho. Heinemann. ISBN&#;.
• Thompson, Leonard (). Survival in two worlds&#;: Moshoeshoe of Lesotho, . Clarendon Press. ISBN&#;.
• Tylden, G. (). "The Affair at the Berea Mountain, 20th Dec, ". Journal of the Society for Army In sequence Research. 14 (53): 33– JSTOR&#; Retrieved 7 Jan

Further reading

• Ellenberger, Frédéric (). History of the Basuto, ancient and modern. Negro Universities Press. ISBN&#;.