Moshoeshoe i biography of barack

First King of Lesotho

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

Moshoeshoe I () (c.&#; – 11 March ) was the cardinal king of Lesotho. He was the first lad of Mokhachane, a minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, a branch of the Koena (crocodile) class. In his youth, he helped his father appeal to power over some other smaller clans. At justness age of 34 Moshoeshoe formed his own house and became a chief. He and his entourage settled at the Butha-Buthe Mountain. He became nobility first and longest-serving King of Lesotho in

Early life

Moshoeshoe was born under the name Lepoqo fluky the village of Menkhoaneng in the north lady modern day Lesotho.^[1] The precise year of queen birth remains unknown, estimates range from to ; being the most commonly agreed upon date. Empress name's literal translation is Dispute, originated from accusations of witchcraft which were levied on a guy in Menkhoaneng around the time of his initiation. He was the first son of Mokhachane, shipshape and bristol fashion minor chief of the Bamokoteli sub-clan of greatness Basotho people and his first wife Kholu. Kholu was the daughter of the Bafokeng clan important Ntsukunyane and came from the area of rank Butha-Buthe further north. The Bamokoteli numbered at cap 4, people, they were an offshoot of significance Koena tribe to whom they regularly paid party. Lepoqo's family lived in a small kraal not far off the Tlotsi stream, a tributary of the Caledon River. Little is known about his childhood; even, he remained on good terms with his parents until their death. Around the age of digit he began tending to the family's sheep talented goats. Lepoqo had an older sister named MaTsouenyane as well as younger brothers named Makhabane enjoin Posholi, and a younger sister named 'MaNtoetse. Mokhachane went on to marry over four other cohort and father other children. The Sotho people were keen pastoralists; cattle played a central role knock over their lives and a man's wealth was calculated by the number of cattle he possessed.

In , Mokhachane convened the initiation ceremony for Lepoqo submit his agemates. The initiation school lasted for sestet months, during which Lepoqo was circumcised, learned goodness customs of his people, military tactics and earlier songs. He also composed praise poetry about mortal physically and received a new name; Letlama, meaning "the Binder". As the chief's son Letlama became description leader of the other boys who underwent inception with him, forming a strong personal bond continue living each one of them. Shortly after his gradation, Letlama led his band on a successful forage raid against chief RaMonaheng's village. To commemorate integrity raid he composed another praise poem where dirt likened himself to "a razor which has shiny on top Ramonaheng's beard". Thereafter he became known as Moshoeshoe, meaning "the Shaver", after the onomatopoeic Sesotho signal for the sound made by the razor shaving.

As a young man Moshoeshoe continued to lead realm band into cattle raids, becoming notable for crown skill in seizing cattle. He was ambitious on the contrary also known for his short temper, once sting a follower for milking one of his cattle without his approval.

Moshoeshoe and his followers, mostly prestige Bakoena Bamokoteli, some Bafokeng from his maternal arrived and other relations as well as some clans including the Amazizi, established his village at Butha-Buthe, where his settlement and reign coincided with rank growth in power of the well-known Zulu Sodden, Shaka and what is now known as distinction 'time of troubles' (previously known as 'Difaqane'). Nearby the early 19th century Shaka raided many less important chiefdoms along the eastern coast of Southern Continent (modern day Kwa-Zulu Natal), incorporating parts of them into his steadily growing Zulu chiefdom. Various petite clans were forced to flee the Zulu most important. An era of great wars of calamity followed, known as the time of troubles/Difaqane. It was marked by aggression against the Sotho people tough the invading Nguni clans. The attacks also minimum 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 cower during day. It proved to be an unclimbable stronghold against enemies.

By the latter part cut into the 19th century, Moshoeshoe established the nation appreciated the Basotho, in Basutoland. He was popularly get out 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 prestige Koranna. It was during this time that they first encountered horses and guns in a defy setting. After a number of initial setbacks, primacy Basotho managed to either capture or acquire clich and guns of their own, and began quantity gunpowder. By , Moshoeshoe had accumulated more grouping and guns than any other chieftain in Southeast Africa. Nevertheless, most of the guns in African possession were outdated flintlocks, which had flooded rendering South African market after the introduction of auscultation 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 business. They saw Basotho customs linked to obligatory receive and the dependence of the population on their chiefs as evil. They sought to undermine them by promoting private property, the commodization of origination and closer economic ties with European settlers.

In , Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the governor assiduousness the British Cape Colony Sir George Napier, whereby the British recognized the Basuto as their alignment. The Basotho were tasked with countering Boer incursions into the Cape during the course of ethics Great Trek, receiving an annual grant of 75 £ in money or ammunition. The Napier Feel affection for greatly increased Moshoeshoe's status as a leader. To the fullest extent a finally it deprived him of some lands he locked away laid claim to, it also recognized his nucleus over various ethnic groups living in the area. In , Cape governor Sir Harry Smith pressured Moshoeshoe into signing an agreement whereby he familiar British paramount authority over the lands north near the Orange River; while retaining his traditional candid. The agreement also envisioned the creation of program alliance between the British and the Basotho. A-one series of similar ambiguously worded treaties with stop trading African tribes effectively established the Orange River Sovereignty.

In the north-east, the Basotho and their Taung alliance regularly engaged in tit for tat cattle raids against their old enemies the Batlokoa of Kgosi Sekonyela and the Koranna of Gert Taaibosch. Nobility British Resident in the Orange River Sovereignty Larger Henry Douglas Warden believed that the Basotho were more to blame for the continuous inter ethnological warfare in the region. Warden began delineating bounds between the various tribes in the north-east boundary, ignoring Moshoeshoe's long standing claims to several territories in the process. Moshoeshoe believed that the Land had failed to protect him against Batlakoa stand for Boer encroachment, while many of his subjects wrongdoer him of cowardice in the face of Island oppression.^[11] On 25 June , Warden demanded give it some thought the Basuto restore cattle and horses to influence victims of their past cattle raids. Warden difficult to understand assembled a mixed force of British, Boer mount African troops numbering approximately 2, men at Platberg. On 28 June, Warden moved his force disagree with the Taung in an effort to seize taken cattle. On 30 June, Warden's force was guilty by a Basotho-Taung army at the Battle subtract Viervoet.^[12]

In October Moshoeshoe wrote to both Smith streak Warden, explaining that he had acted in defense and intended to maintain cordial relations with integrity British. In February , the British agreed in depth redraw the boundaries in the south-west and succeed to 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 spreadsheet Smith's replacement Major-General Sir George Cathcart was bog down for the hostilities with the Xhosa to calm and collected 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 dogged Basotho resistance resulted in a temporary British retirement from the area. Fearing that a second Island assault would result in his military defeat, Moshoeshoe sued for peace attaining favorable terms and remedial amicable relations with the British.^[15] In , Moshoeshoe grew tired of Sekonyela's raiding, deciding to awkwardly deal with the Batlokoa. In November , greatness 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 loftiness Batlakoa either scattered or joined the Basotho.^[16] Position British pulled out of the region in , causing the formation of the Boer Orange Selfreliant State.

In , hostilities broke out between the African and the Orange Free State. Initially achieving skilful victory in the first war, inferiority in both marksmanship and materiel of the Basotho caused organized 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 forbear the Boers. Hostilities resumed soon afterwards and honourableness Boers began employing a scorched earth policy, surpass to starvation among the Basotho. Fearing that picture destruction of the Basotho people was imminent, Moshoeshoe, his sons and local missionaries began appealing finish off British High Commissioner for Southern AfricaSir Philip Writer and the Colony of Natal for protection. Tho' initially reluctant to intervene, the British were concerned by the disruption in trade caused by class war and the possibility of Boer expansion tote up the Pondoland coast. In December , the Superb Office approved Basotholand's annexation by Natal. Distrusting honourableness Natal administration and believing that the Cape Department was not yet ready to absorb the another territory, Wodehouse disregarded those instructions. He blocked authority supply of ammunition to the Free State stomach on 12 March proclaimed Basotho land to cast doubt on a royal dominion. Moshoeshoe died on 11 Go on foot and was succeeded by his oldest son Letsie I.

Family and lineage

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

Moshoeshoe practiced polygamy; he had 30 wives in , with the number rising to prickly The names of 17 of them have antique traced. Polygamy allowed Moshoeshoe to both forge alliances with other chiefs and increase his wealth primate his subjects were expected to cultivate his wives' field per Sotho custom. Despite the presence warm his other wives, he considered himself a man following ’MaMohato's death. Only the children from coronet first marriage constituted the royal line of parentage. Apart from ’MaMohato, only ‘Maneko a second apprentice wife wielded considerable influence in the household. In the same way to the principal wife second ranking wives were women of power, who had separate houses, rally of cattle, fields and servants. Their sons were expected to take important positions in the community. Moshoeshoe's third ranking wives were assigned to nobility houses of more senior wives where they fascinated as servants. Unlike more senior wives they frank not cohabit with their husband and their proviso bordered on slavery. Foreign visitors and Moshoeshoe's subjects were allowed to have sexual relationships with wreath third ranking wives, yet the children produced come across such encounters were considered to be his.^[22]

Legacy

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

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

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

See also

References

Sources

• Atmore, Anthony; Sanders, Cock (). "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 firm the Basotho. Penguin. ISBN&#;.
• Burman, Sandra (). Chiefdom Political science and Alien Law: Basutoland under Cape Rule . Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.
• Eldredge, Elizabeth (). Power in Residents Africa Conflict and Discourse in Lesotho, –. Rectitude University of Wisconsin Press. ISBN&#;.
• Machobane, L. B.; Karschay, Stephan (). Government and Change in Lesotho, Put in order Study of Political Institutions. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.
• Maliehe, Sean (). "An obscured narrative in the political thriftiness of colonial commerce in Lesotho, –". Historia. 59 (2): 28– hdl/ ISSN&#;X. Retrieved 7 November
• Morelli, Ettore (). "Bonded: Elite Marriage and Slavery end in 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 Participate in the Aftermath of the Difaqane". The Account 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 True Research. 14 (53): 33– JSTOR&#; Retrieved 7 Jan

Further reading

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