Khama III.
Khama III. (* around 1837 in Mashu ; † February 21, 1923 in Serowe ) was a traditional ruler ( Setswana : kgosikgolo ) of the Bamangwato in Bechuanaland , today's Botswana .
Life
Khama III. grew up in Shoshong . His parents were the ruler Sekgoma I and his wife Keamogetse. He fought against his father for supremacy and ruled from 1872 to 1873 and finally from 1875. His seat of government remained Shoshong for the time being. His first wife was Elizabeth MmaBessie, also Elisabeta Gobitsamang Khama (1846-1889), with whom he had, among other things, the son Sekgoma , who was to become his successor as Sekgoma II. Because of political differences, Khama sent him into exile in Lephephe and Nata in 1898 . It was not until 1920 that they reconciled. In 1923 Khama III died, so that Sekgoma II succeeded him in office.
In 1877 he asked the British for help against the passing Boer Dorsland trekkers , but it was refused. In 1884 Khama endorsed the Warren Expedition , a British campaign against the Boers. He sought protection against invading Boers, German colonialists and other hostile groups at the British Empire , so that in 1885 the Bechuanaland protectorate was created. Khama supported the British authorities in return for helping him expand his sphere of influence. In 1889 he was called the white man's chief by rival rulers . At first he supported the British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodes ; However, when they sought the annexation of Bechuanaland, he traveled to London in 1895 with the rulers Bathoen I and Sebele I, where he successfully intervened. Towards the end of his life he distanced himself from British supremacy in his country.
In 1889 he moved the capital from Shoshong to Palapye , and in 1902 to Serowe .
Khama was married four times and had two sons and nine daughters. Khama III. was the first Bamangwato ruler to adopt the Christian faith. In the spirit of the missionaries, he campaigned against traditional customs such as polygamy and alcohol consumption .
aftermath
Botswana's first president, Sir Seretse Khama and former president Ian Khama are grandsons and great-grandsons of Khamas III. The Khama III Memorial Museum is located in Serowe .
Web links
- History of the Bamangwanato at uq.net.au ( Memento from August 1, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b History of the Bamangwanato at uq.net.au ( Memento from August 1, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) (English; archive version)
- ↑ a b c d e f Fred Morton, Jeff Ramsay, Part Themba Mgadla: Historical Dictionary of Botswana. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2008, ISBN 978-0-8108-6404-7 , pp. 172-173. Excerpts from books.google.de
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Khama III. |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Ruler of the Bamangwato |
| DATE OF BIRTH | around 1837 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Mashu |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 21, 1923 |
| Place of death | Serowe |