King Moshoeshoe (c.1786-1870) – Sotho

Moshoeshoe was the son of Mokhachane, chief of the Ba-Mokoteli branch of the Koena/Kwena (Crocodile) clan. In 1851 a British force was defeated by the Sotho army at Kolonyama. The following year another British attack was repulsed, before a final defeat of the Tloka in 1853, resulted in Moshoeshoe reigning supreme.


However, the British were to pull out of the region in 1854, as the cost of maintaining the sovereignty became too much therefore handed over the territory to the Boers through the signing of the Sand River Convention. This caused the de facto formation of two independent states: the Boer Orange Free State and the Sotho Kingdom.


In 1858 Moshoeshoe defeated the Boers in the First Basotho War, as the Boers suffered substantial losses in their attempt to penetrate the Basotho mountain stronghold of Thaba Bosiu (also called Thaba Bosigo). In 1865 Moshoeshoe, was to lose a war which would cost him great portion of the western lowlands in the Second Basotho War, known in Sesotho as the Seqiti War (“seqiti” refers to the sound made by the new cannon the Boers used to penetrate the Basotho strongholds). Moshoeshoe’s last war was to be in 1867, known as the Third Basotho Waor, which ended only when Moshoeshoe appealed to Queen Victoria, who agreed to make Basutoland a British protectorate in 1868. The British agreed as they were eager to check Boer advances. In 1869, the British and the Boers signed the treaty of Aliwal, defining the border of Basutoland (today Lesotho), which is still the border today.


Moshoeshoe masterfully used his strategic advantage plateau,of Thaba Bosiu, c. 1.8km above sea level, as a hideout since migrating from Butha-Buthe in 1824 during the Difaqane/Mfecane Wars. This plateau formed a natural fortress which protected the Basotho in times of war. He named it Thaba Bosiu (loosely translated – Mountain at Night) because he and his people arrived at night. For a period, Thaba Bosiu served as a capital for his new Basotho nation.


The most significant role Moshoeshoe played as a diplomat was his acts of friendship towards his beaten enemies. He provided land and protection to various people as he absorbed smaller clans displaced during the Mfecane, strengthened the growing Basotho nation. He was popularly known as Morena e Moholo/Morena oa Basotho (Great King/King of the Basotho).

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