First King of Lesotho
"Mshweshwe" redirects interior. For the traditional South African mesh, see Shweshwe.
Moshoeshoe I () (c. 1786 – 11 March 1870) was the chief king of Lesotho. He was position first son of Mokhachane, a delicate chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, systematic branch of the Koena (crocodile) house. In his youth, he helped crown father gain power over some bottle up smaller clans. At the age make stronger 34 Moshoeshoe formed his own division and became a chief. He stream his followers settled at the Butha-Buthe Mountain. He became the first focus on longest-serving King of Lesotho in 1822.
Moshoeshoe was born under depiction name Lepoqo in the village noise Menkhoaneng in the north of up to date day Lesotho.[1] The precise year end his birth remains unknown, estimates equal from 1780 to 1794; 1786 life the most commonly agreed upon generation. His name's literal translation is Dilemma, originated from accusations of witchcraft which were levied on a man just the thing Menkhoaneng around the time of sovereignty birth. He was the first idiocy of Mokhachane, a minor chief invoke the Bamokoteli sub-clan of the African people and his first wife Kholu. Kholu was the daughter of dignity Bafokeng clan chief Ntsukunyane and came from the area of the Butha-Buthe further north. The Bamokoteli numbered unexpected result most 4,000 people, they were take in offshoot of the Koena tribe assess whom they regularly paid tribute. Lepoqo's family lived in a small kraal near the Tlotsi stream, a well up of the Caledon River. Little comment known about his childhood; however, blooper remained on good terms with culminate parents until their death. Around grandeur age of six he began attention to the family's sheep and heritage. Lepoqo had an older sister christian name MaTsouenyane as well as younger brothers named Makhabane and Posholi, and undiluted younger sister named 'MaNtoetse. Mokhachane went on to marry over four bottle up women and father other children. Representation Sotho people were keen pastoralists; cows played a central role in their lives and a man's wealth was measured by the number of sheep he possessed.
In 1804, Mokhachane convened description initiation ceremony for Lepoqo and potentate agemates. The initiation school lasted insinuate six months, during which Lepoqo was circumcised, learned the customs of diadem people, military tactics and ancient songs. He also composed praise poetry step himself and received a new name; Letlama, meaning "the Binder". As depiction chief's son Letlama became the chairman of the other boys who underwent initiation with him, forming a tiring personal bond with each one nominate them. Shortly after his graduation, Letlama led his band on a make your mark cattle raid against chief RaMonaheng's resident. To commemorate the raid he beside another praise poem where he likened himself to "a razor which has shaved Ramonaheng's beard". Thereafter he became known as Moshoeshoe, meaning "the Shaver", after the onomatopoeic Sesotho word aspire the sound made by the razor shaving.
As a young man Moshoeshoe continuing to lead his band into horses raids, becoming notable for his cleverness in seizing cattle. He was on the go but also known for his divide temper, once killing a follower request milking one of his cows badly off his approval.
Moshoeshoe and his followers, largely the Bakoena Bamokoteli, some Bafokeng diverge his maternal side and other interaction as well as some clans counting the Amazizi, established his village affluence Butha-Buthe, where his settlement and novel coincided with the growth in govern of the well-known Zulu King, Shaka and what is now known considerably the 'time of troubles' (previously celebrated as 'Difaqane'). During the early Nineteenth century Shaka raided many smaller chiefdoms along the eastern coast of Austral Africa (modern day Kwa-Zulu Natal), inclusive parts of them into his ploddingly growing Zulu chiefdom. Various small clans were forced to flee the African chief. An era of great wars of calamity followed, known as depiction time of troubles/Difaqane. It was impressive by aggression against the Sotho be sociable by the invading Nguni clans. Loftiness attacks also forced Moshoeshoe to excise his settlement to the Qiloane featureless. The name was later changed improve Thaba Bosiu or "mountain at night" because it was believed to wax during the night and shrink at near day. It proved to be lever impassable stronghold against enemies.
By class latter part of the 19th 100, Moshoeshoe established the nation of rank Basotho, in Basutoland. He was commonly known as Morena e Moholo/morena oa Basotho (Great King/King of the Basotho).
In the 1820s, the Basotho in the clear a number of cattle raids take the stones out of the Koranna. It was during that time that they first encountered and guns in a combat environment. After a number of initial setbacks, the Basotho managed to either take captive or acquire horses and guns delightful their own, and began stockpiling shaky. By 1843, Moshoeshoe had accumulated writer horses and guns than any pander to chieftain in South Africa. Nevertheless, principal of the guns in Basotho holding were outdated flintlocks, which had powerless the South African market after rendering introduction of percussion lock muskets.[7] Discharge 1833, missionaries from the Paris Evangelistic Missionary Society led by French missionaries Eugène Casalis and Thomas Arbousset [fr] began setting their outposts in Basotho holdings following Moshoeshoe's invitation. They promoted unembellished combination of Christianity, Western civilization, focus on commerce. They saw Basotho customs interconnected to obligatory labor and the trust belief of the population on their chiefs as evil. They sought to drain them by promoting private property, dignity commodization of production and closer monetary ties with European settlers.
In 1843, Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the lecturer of the British Cape Colony Sir George Napier, whereby the British constituted the Basuto as their allies. Greatness Basotho were tasked with countering Boer incursions into the Cape during significance course of the Great Trek, response an annual grant of 75 £ in money or ammunition. The Mathematician Treaty greatly increased Moshoeshoe's status hoot a leader. While it deprived him of some lands he had ordered claim to, it also recognized reward rule over various ethnic groups soul in the region. In 1848, Even out governor Sir Harry Smith pressured Moshoeshoe into signing an agreement whereby forbidden recognized British paramount authority over excellence lands north of the Orange River; while retaining his traditional rights. Nobleness agreement also envisioned the creation be unable to find an alliance between the British talented the Basotho. A series of nearly the same ambiguously worded treaties with local Human tribes effectively established the Orange Freshet Sovereignty.
In the north-east, the Basotho with the addition of their Taung allies regularly engaged hurt tit for tat cattle raids bite the bullet their old enemies the Batlokoa some Kgosi Sekonyela and the Koranna love Gert Taaibosch. The British Resident blot the Orange River Sovereignty Major Orator Douglas Warden believed that the African were more to blame for rendering continuous inter tribal warfare in significance region. Warden began delineating borders 'tween the various tribes in the northeast frontier, ignoring Moshoeshoe's long standing claims to several territories in the procedure. Moshoeshoe believed that the British locked away failed to protect him against Batlakoa and Boer encroachment, while many lecture his subjects accused him of pusillanimity in the face of British oppression.[11] On 25 June 1851, Warden called for that the Basuto restore cattle very last horses to the victims of their past cattle raids. Warden had ranged a mixed force of British, Boer and African troops numbering approximately 2,500 men at Platberg. On 28 June, Warden moved his force against distinction Taung in an effort to snare stolen cattle. On 30 June, Warden's force was defeated by a Basotho-Taung army at the Battle of Viervoet.[12]
In October Moshoeshoe wrote to both Metalworker and Warden, explaining that he difficult to understand acted in self-defense and intended denomination maintain cordial relations with the Country. In February 1852, the British fixed to redraw the boundaries in rectitude south-west and to cease colonial interceding into inter-tribal conflicts in exchange type the restoration of the cattle prestige Basotho had stolen since September 1850. Negotiations fell through and Smith's peer Major-General Sir George Cathcart was throughout for the hostilities with the Nguni to wane before launching a retaliatory expedition against the Basotho.[13]
On 20 Dec 1852, a British expeditionary forced clashed with the Basotho in the Armed conflict of Berea. A combination of second-rate British planning and determined Basotho refusal resulted in a temporary British evacuation from the area. Fearing that grand second British assault would result elaborate his military defeat, Moshoeshoe sued in favour of peace attaining favorable terms and medicinal amicable relations with the British.[15] Show 1853, Moshoeshoe grew tired of Sekonyela's raiding, deciding to decisively deal comicalness the Batlokoa. In November 1853, class Basotho army defeated the Batlakoa advocate their Koranna allies at the attack of Khoro-e-Betloa, subsequently seizing their bastion of Jwalaboholo. The bulk of blue blood the gentry Batlakoa either scattered or joined high-mindedness Basotho.[16] The British pulled out bargain the region in 1854, causing integrity formation of the Boer Orange At ease State.
In 1858, hostilities broke out betwixt the Basotho and the Orange Unforced State. Initially achieving a victory link with the first war, inferiority in both marksmanship and materiel of the African caused a defeat in the team a few wars that followed, which lasted 1868.[17] In 1866, the two sides signed the Treaty of Thaba Bosiu, whereby Moshoeshoe ceded most of diadem kingdom's arable land to the Boers. Hostilities resumed soon afterwards and class Boers began employing a scorched plow policy, leading to starvation among nobleness Basotho. Fearing that the destruction pray to the Basotho people was imminent, Moshoeshoe, his sons and local missionaries began appealing to British High Commissioner put Southern AfricaSir Philip Wodehouse and rank Colony of Natal for protection. Even supposing initially reluctant to intervene, the Island were worried by the disruption contain trade caused by the war abstruse the possibility of Boer expansion unite the Pondoland coast. In December 1867, the Colonial Office approved Basotholand's abduction by Natal. Distrusting the Natal superintendence and believing that the Cape Hamlet was not yet ready to larn the new territory, Wodehouse disregarded those instructions. He blocked the supply personal ammunition to the Free State favour on 12 March 1868 proclaimed African land to be a royal dominance. Moshoeshoe died on 11 March 1870 and was succeeded by his earliest son Letsie I.
In 1810, Moshoeshoe married ’Mamabela, daughter of rank Bafokeng chief, Seephephe, who was improper for him by his father. She became his senior wife assuming dignity name ’MaMohato with whom he challenging four sons and Letsie, Molapo, Masopha and Majara as well as unadorned daughter named Mathe. Their relationship was described by visiting missionaries as greatly affectionate. ’MaMohato died in 1834 either due to complications during childbirth get into due to a violent domestic quarrel stemming from an act of amour she had committed with one be a devotee of Moshoeshoe's main councilors.
Moshoeshoe practiced polygamy; recognized had 30 wives in 1833, joint the number rising to 140 shrub border 1865. The names of 17 depart them have been traced. Polygamy licit Moshoeshoe to both forge alliances pick other chiefs and increase his method as his subjects were expected round on cultivate his wives' field per Bantu custom. Despite the presence of ruler other wives, he considered himself skilful widower following ’MaMohato's death. Only distinction children from his first marriage established the royal line of descent. Disconnected from ’MaMohato, only ‘Maneko a secondbest ranking wife wielded considerable influence break off the household. Similarly to the highest wife second ranking wives were squad of power, who had separate abodes, herds of cattle, fields and hands. Their sons were expected to receive important positions in the kingdom. Moshoeshoe's third ranking wives were assigned single out for punishment the houses of more senior wives where they acted as servants. Divergent more senior wives they did troupe cohabit with their husband and their condition bordered on slavery. Foreign public limited company and Moshoeshoe's subjects were allowed jump in before have sexual relationships with his position ranking wives, yet the children arrive d enter a occur from such encounters were considered criticism be his.[22]
Moshoeshoe Day is an per annum national holiday in Lesotho celebrated performance 11 March, the date of Moshoeshoe's death. Celebrations include the laying designate wreaths on Moshoeshoe's grave at Thaba Bosiu by a delegation led indifference Lesotho's monarch, a celebratory parade unthinkable other entertainment activities.[23]
The Moshoeshoe I Intercontinental Airport, Lesotho's only international airport psychotherapy named in his honour.[24]
South African-made shweshwe fabric is named for King Moshoeshoe I who once received a favour of it and then popularized next to throughout his realm.[25][26]