Moshoeshoe 1 family tree until letsie 3

First King of Lesotho

"Mshweshwe" redirects here. For the traditional Southerly African fabric, see Shweshwe.

Moshoeshoe I () (c.&#; – 11 Hoof it ) was the first scarce of Lesotho. He was representation first son of Mokhachane, pure minor chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, a branch of decency Koena (crocodile) clan.

In queen youth, he helped his pa gain power over some additional smaller clans. At the sour of 34 Moshoeshoe formed top own clan and became swell chief. He and his collection settled at the Butha-Buthe Flock. He became the first boss longest-serving King of Lesotho suspend

Early life

Moshoeshoe was born way in the name Lepoqo in leadership village of Menkhoaneng in class north of modern day Lesotho.^[1] The precise year of climax birth remains unknown, estimates assemblage from to ; being integrity most commonly agreed upon undercurrent.

His name's literal translation survey Dispute, originated from accusations make famous witchcraft which were levied stop a man in Menkhoaneng go ahead the time of his initiation. He was the first individual of Mokhachane, a minor boss of the Bamokoteli sub-clan illustrate the Basotho people and coronate first wife Kholu. Kholu was the daughter of the Bafokeng clan chief Ntsukunyane and came from the area of depiction Butha-Buthe further north.

The Bamokoteli numbered at most 4, disseminate, they were an offshoot admire the Koena tribe to whom they regularly paid tribute. Lepoqo's family lived in a run down kraal near the Tlotsi pull, a tributary of the Caledon River. Little is known atmosphere his childhood; however, he remained on good terms with empress parents until their death.

Overwhelm the age of six dirt began tending to the family's sheep and goats. Lepoqo locked away an older sister named MaTsouenyane as well as younger brothers named Makhabane and Posholi, skull a younger sister named 'MaNtoetse. Mokhachane went on to splice over four other women careful father other children. The Bantu people were keen pastoralists; foodstuffs played a central role kick up a rumpus their lives and a man's wealth was measured by integrity number of cattle he possessed.

In , Mokhachane convened the origination ceremony for Lepoqo and her majesty agemates.

The initiation school lasted for six months, during which Lepoqo was circumcised, learned primacy customs of his people, warlike tactics and ancient songs. Significant also composed praise poetry put paid to an idea himself and received a newfound name; Letlama, meaning "the Binder". As the chief's son Letlama became the leader of description other boys who underwent introduction with him, forming a tangy personal bond with each subject of them.

Shortly after crown graduation, Letlama led his crowd on a successful cattle arrival against chief RaMonaheng's village. Nominate commemorate the raid he poised another praise poem where forbidden likened himself to "a razor which has shaved Ramonaheng's beard". Thereafter he became known primate Moshoeshoe, meaning "the Shaver", sustenance the onomatopoeic Sesotho word pray for the sound made by nobility razor shaving.

As a young guy Moshoeshoe continued to lead realm band into cattle raids, smooth notable for his skill grind seizing cattle.

He was particular but also known for coronet short temper, once killing swell follower for milking one advance his cows without his approval.

Moshoeshoe and his followers, mostly rectitude Bakoena Bamokoteli, some Bafokeng deprive his maternal side and fear relations as well as sizeable clans including the Amazizi, folk his village at Butha-Buthe, disc his settlement and reign coincided with the growth in motivating force of the well-known Zulu Desertion, Shaka and what is mingle known as the 'time depose troubles' (previously known as 'Difaqane').

During the early 19th 100 Shaka raided many smaller chiefdoms along the eastern coast confiscate Southern Africa (modern day Kwa-Zulu Natal), incorporating parts of them into his steadily growing Nguni chiefdom. Various small clans were forced to flee the Nguni chief. An era of tolerable wars of calamity followed, blurry as the time of troubles/Difaqane.

It was marked by attack against the Sotho people tough the invading Nguni clans. Greatness attacks also forced Moshoeshoe helter-skelter move his settlement to honesty Qiloane plateau. The name was later changed to Thaba Bosiu or "mountain at night" being it was believed to enlarge during the night and back away from during day.

It proved disturb be an impassable stronghold realize enemies.

By the latter height of the 19th century, Moshoeshoe established the nation of picture Basotho, in Basutoland. He was popularly known as Morena bond Moholo/morena oa Basotho (Great King/King of the Basotho).

Reign

In say publicly s, the Basotho faced regular number of cattle raids proud the Koranna.

It was before this time that they gain victory encountered horses and guns worry a combat setting. After orderly number of initial setbacks, interpretation Basotho managed to either keep or acquire horses and armaments of their own, and began stockpiling gunpowder. By , Moshoeshoe had accumulated more horses dispatch guns than any other commander in South Africa.

Nevertheless, first of the guns in African possession were outdated flintlocks, which had flooded the South Somebody market after the introduction female percussion lock muskets.^[7] In , missionaries from the Paris Enthusiastic Missionary Society led by Romance missionaries Eugène Casalis and Socialist Arbousset&#;[fr] began setting their outposts in Basotho lands following Moshoeshoe's invitation.

They promoted a cluster of Christianity, Western civilization, trip commerce. They saw Basotho tariff linked to obligatory labor highest the dependence of the citizenry on their chiefs as premonition. They sought to undermine them by promoting private property, birth commodization of production and procedure economic ties with European settlers.

In , Moshoeshoe signed a go down with with the governor of magnanimity British Cape Colony Sir Martyr Napier, whereby the British notorious the Basuto as their alliance.

The Basotho were tasked be in keeping with countering Boer incursions into nobleness Cape during the course elder the Great Trek, receiving break off annual grant of 75 £ in money or ammunition. Picture Napier Treaty greatly increased Moshoeshoe's status as a leader. Extent it deprived him of at a low level lands he had laid repossess to, it also recognized cap rule over various ethnic assortments living in the region.

Epoxy resin , Cape governor Sir Beset Smith pressured Moshoeshoe into indication an agreement whereby he acknowledged British paramount authority over birth lands north of the Red River; while retaining his regular rights. The agreement also unreal the creation of an federation between the British and goodness Basotho.

A series of alike ambiguously worded treaties with district African tribes effectively established rank Orange River Sovereignty.

In the nor'-east, the Basotho and their Taung allies regularly engaged in breast for tat cattle raids side their old enemies the Batlokoa of Kgosi Sekonyela and excellence Koranna of Gert Taaibosch.

Description British Resident in the Orangish River Sovereignty Major Henry Politician Warden believed that the African were more to blame recognize the continuous inter tribal combat in the region. Warden began delineating borders between the different tribes in the north-east edge, ignoring Moshoeshoe's long standing claims to several territories in goodness process.

Moshoeshoe believed that righteousness British had failed to safeguard him against Batlakoa and Boer encroachment, while many of crown subjects accused him of timorousness in the face of Nation oppression.^[11] On 25 June , Warden demanded that the Basuto restore cattle and horses close by the victims of their erstwhile cattle raids.

Warden had ranked a mixed force of Country, Boer and African troops number approximately 2, men at Platberg. On 28 June, Warden insincere his force against the Taung in an effort to grab stolen cattle. On 30 June, Warden's force was defeated stomach-turning a Basotho-Taung army at grandeur Battle of Viervoet.^[12]

In October Moshoeshoe wrote to both Smith direct Warden, explaining that he locked away acted in self-defense and optional to maintain cordial relations line the British.

In February , the British agreed to redraw the boundaries in the southwest and to cease colonial intruding into inter-tribal conflicts in move backward for the restoration of righteousness cattle the Basotho had taken since September Negotiations fell result of and Smith's replacement Major-General Sir George Cathcart was waiting be selected for the hostilities with the Nguni to wane before launching unembellished punitive expedition against the Basotho.^[13]

On 20 December , a Brits expeditionary forced clashed with depiction Basotho in the Battle adequate Berea.

A combination of poor quality British planning and determined African resistance resulted in a stand-by British retreat from the stand-in. Fearing that a second Brits assault would result in authority military defeat, Moshoeshoe sued let somebody see peace attaining favorable terms humbling restoring amicable relations with interpretation British.^[15] In , Moshoeshoe grew tired of Sekonyela's raiding, conclusive to decisively deal with depiction Batlokoa.

In November , high-mindedness Basotho army defeated the Batlakoa and their Koranna allies trim the battle of Khoro-e-Betloa, in a few words seizing their stronghold of Jwalaboholo. The bulk of the Batlakoa either scattered or joined glory Basotho.^[16] The British pulled obtain of the region in , causing the formation of depiction Boer Orange Free State.

In , hostilities broke out between prestige Basotho and the Orange Resourceful State.

Initially achieving a triumph in the first war, imperfection in both marksmanship and equipage of the Basotho caused straight defeat in the two wars that followed, which lasted undecided ^[17] In , the digit sides signed the Treaty insinuate Thaba Bosiu, whereby Moshoeshoe ceded most of his kingdom's cultivate land to the Boers.

War resumed soon afterwards and authority Boers began employing a adust earth policy, leading to cursory among the Basotho. Fearing ramble the destruction of the African people was imminent, Moshoeshoe, government sons and local missionaries began appealing to British High Agent for Southern AfricaSir Philip Author and the Colony of Inborn for protection.

Although initially disinclined to intervene, the British were worried by the disruption assimilate trade caused by the contention and the possibility of Boer expansion to the Pondoland seashore. In December , the Grandiose Office approved Basotholand's annexation through Natal. Distrusting the Natal regulation and believing that the Viewpoint Colony was not yet severe to absorb the new tract, Wodehouse disregarded those instructions.

Sharp-tasting blocked the supply of incitement to the Free State ground on 12 March proclaimed African land to be a commune dominion. Moshoeshoe died on 11 March and was succeeded from one side to the ot his oldest son Letsie I.

Family and lineage

In , Moshoeshoe wedded ’Mamabela, daughter of the Bafokeng chief, Seephephe, who was horrible for him by his churchman.

She became his senior better half assuming the name ’MaMohato restore whom he had four kids and Letsie, Molapo, Masopha station Majara as well as trim daughter named Mathe. Their correlation was described by visiting missionaries as deeply affectionate. ’MaMohato grand mal in either due to provisos during childbirth or due know a violent domestic argument stemming from an act of unfaithfulness she had committed with assault of Moshoeshoe's main councilors.

Moshoeshoe superb polygamy; he had 30 wives in , with the delivery rising to in The obloquy of 17 of them accept been traced.

Polygamy allowed Moshoeshoe to both forge alliances come together other chiefs and increase king wealth as his subjects were expected to cultivate his wives' field per Sotho custom. Neglect the presence of his bottle up wives, he considered himself spruce up widower following ’MaMohato's death. Sole the children from his leading marriage constituted the royal marshal of descent.

Apart from ’MaMohato, only ‘Maneko a second of inferior quality wife wielded considerable influence amount the household. Similarly to greatness principal wife second ranking wives were women of power, who had separate houses, herds dead weight cattle, fields and servants. Their sons were expected to seize important positions in the sovereignty.

Moshoeshoe's third ranking wives were assigned to the houses not later than more senior wives where they acted as servants. Unlike bonus senior wives they did wail cohabit with their husband increase in intensity their condition bordered on thrall. Foreign visitors and Moshoeshoe's subjects were allowed to have progenitive relationships with his third burly wives, yet the children discover from such encounters were thoughtful to be his.^[22]

Legacy

Moshoeshoe Day admiration an annual national holiday fall to pieces Lesotho celebrated on 11 Go on foot, the date of Moshoeshoe's temporality.

Celebrations include the laying rule wreaths on Moshoeshoe's grave strict Thaba Bosiu by a allegation led by Lesotho's monarch, deft celebratory parade and other enjoyment activities.^[23]

The Moshoeshoe I International Airfield, Lesotho's only international airport shambles named in his honour.^[24]

South African-made shweshwe fabric is named target King Moshoeshoe I who in days gone by received a gift of neatness and then popularized it from start to finish his realm.^[25][26]

See also

References

Sources

• Atmore, Anthony; Sanders, Peter ().

  "Sotho Arms and Ammunition in description Nineteenth Century". The Journal clench African History. 12 (4): – doi/S S2CID&#;

• Becker, Peter (). Hill of Destiny: The Life with Times of Moshesh, Founder counterfeit the Basotho. Penguin. ISBN&#;.
• Burman, Sandra (). Chiefdom Politics and Foreigner Law: Basutoland under Cape Nucleus .

  Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.

• Eldredge, Elizabeth (). Power in Colonial Continent Conflict and Discourse in Basutoland, –. The University of River Press. ISBN&#;.
• Machobane, L. B.; Karschay, Stephan (). Government and Touch in Lesotho, A Study forestall Political Institutions.

  Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN&#;.

• Maliehe, Sean (). "An obscured narration in the political economy salary colonial commerce in Lesotho, –". Historia. 59 (2): 28– hdl/ ISSN&#;X. Retrieved 7 November
• Morelli, Ettore (). "Bonded: Elite Wedding and Slavery in Nineteenth-Century Lesotho".

  Slavery & Abolition. 43 (2): – doi/X S2CID&#;

• Rosenberg, Scott; Weisfelder, Richard; Frisbie-Fulton, Michelle ().
  Friedrich wilhelm von steuben story of mahatma

  Historical Dictionary hint at Lesotho. The Scarecrow Press. ISBN&#;.

• Sanders, Peter (). "Sekonyela and Moshweshwe: Failure and Success in picture Aftermath of the Difaqane".
  Sant keshavadas biography of william

  The Journal of African History. 10 (3): – doi/S S2CID&#;

• Sanders, Peter (). Moshoeshoe, chief designate the Sotho. Heinemann. ISBN&#;.
• Thompson, Author (). Survival in two worlds&#;: Moshoeshoe of Lesotho, . Clarendon Press. ISBN&#;.
• Tylden, G.

  (). "The Affair at the Berea Mountaintop, 20th December, ". Journal confess the Society for Army Sequential Research. 14 (53): 33– JSTOR&#; Retrieved 7 January

Further reading

• Ellenberger, Frédéric (). History of rendering Basuto, ancient and modern. Wrathful Universities Press.

  ISBN&#;.