Moshoeshoe II.

Moshoeshoe II (1970)

Moshoeshoe II. [ Moˈ∫wɛ∫wɛ ] (born May 2, 1938 in Thabang near Mokhotlong , Basutoland ; † January 15, 1996 at Marakabei ; birth name Constantine Bereng Seeiso ) was King of Lesotho .

Early years in Basutoland

Moshoeshoe II was born as Constantine Bereng Seeiso. His father was the morena e moholo Seeiso Griffith (1905-1940), his mother 'Mabereng his second wife, a simple woman from the Batlokoa tribe . Hence, his legacy was controversial. His older half-brother Leshoboro Seeiso, born of his father's third wife, also claimed the title of morena e moholo. After Seeiso Griffith 'death in 1940, his first wife ' Mantšebo (1902–1964) became regent because the children were still too young for the office. Constantine Bereng Seeiso lived in hiding at different Barena , until in 1948 the Roman Catholic at the request of his mother Roma Primary School in Roma visited. 1954-1957 he attended Ampleforth College in North Yorkshire in the UK and studied at Corpus Christi College of Oxford University until 1960 political science, philosophy and economics.

Initially, it was planned that he should take up the post of head of the Basotho ( Sesotho morena e moholo, English: Paramount Chief ) at the age of 25 and after completing his studies. However, a dispute with the regent led him to take over the office beforehand with the support of most of the other barena . On March 12, 1960, Moshoeshoe's Day, which commemorated his great-great-grandfather Moshoeshoe I , he was sworn in and took the name Moshoeshoe II . Its constitutional role was unclear. In 1959, the first constitution was drawn up in the British-ruled Basutoland, which greatly reduced the influence of the morena e moholo on the other barena . Moshoeshoe II, on the other hand, sought an influential role in the executive branch combined with a parliamentary system for the approaching era of independence . He made public speeches to promote his ideas and criticized the colonial authorities. For another constituent assembly, he appointed some members, who, however, only granted the king a symbolic role. In the 1965 elections , Moshoeshoe II put on the royalist Marematlou Freedom Party (MFP), which received only four of the 60 seats, while the Basutoland National Party (BNP) won the election. He replaced five senators in the Senate ; the Supreme Court declared the action null and void.

Role as King of Lesotho

Moshoeshoe II then formed a tactical alliance with the MFP and the largest opposition party Basutoland Congress Party (BCP) under Ntsu Mokhehle . However, the British colonial authorities, together with the BNP, completed the country's independence on October 4, 1966 under the name Lesotho . Moshoeshoe II accepted the title of "King" (Sesotho: motlotlehi , German: " Who is worthy to be praised"), but called for peaceful protests and held mass meetings to strengthen his position. On December 27, 1966, Moshoeshoe II called for a “prayer meeting” in Thaba Bosiu to conclude a series of rallies . The BNP government under Leabua Jonathan banned the meeting. Moshoeshoe II therefore did not take part, but thousands of followers gathered there. The security forces could not peacefully break up the gathering and shot into the crowd. Ten people were killed in this Thaba Bosiu Affair ("Thaba-Bosiu Affair"). Moshoeshoe II then had to sign a decree that from then on he was only allowed to act and make speeches on the instructions of the government. However, he refused to accept this role.

In the 1970 parliamentary elections , the BCP won a majority, but the BNP government canceled the election. After Moshoeshoe II had criticized this several times, he was sent into exile in The Hague in the Netherlands on February 10, 1970 , where he was monitored by a BNP man. Meanwhile, his wife 'Mamohato (1941-2003) took over the reign. After a few months he was allowed to return and resumed his role as representative head of state. However, he also took numerous sabbaticals and achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Philosophy and Economics and a Bachelor of Arts in Law at Oxford .

Moshoeshoe II at the awarding of degrees from the National University of Lesotho in 1988; behind it Justin Lekhanya

On January 20, 1986, military officials under Justin Lekhanya overthrew the BNP government. Moshoeshoe II had supported the coup in the run-up, as he continued to strive for a larger role. Two of the six junta members were cousins of the king; several ministers loyal to the king were appointed. Moshoeshoe II formulated goals of the new government, but also signed Order No. 4, which prohibited all political activity. When Pope John Paul II visited Lesotho in 1988, fighters from the Lesotho Liberation Army attacked a bus with pilgrims. Lekhanya asked the South African apartheid government for police assistance. Moshoeshoe II rebelled against it. As a result, eight ministers loyal to the king were dismissed; Moshoeshoe II left the country for another sabbatical in England and was subsequently dethroned. His wife 'Mamohato became regent again.

His son Letsie III. was sworn in as the new king in 1990. Moshoeshoe II returned to Lesotho in July 1992 as morena Bereng Seeiso. The following year democratic elections took place, which were won by the BCP. However, she was not interested in a stronger position of the monarchy. In 1994 Letsie III staged a coup. with the support of his father against the BCP government. After a few weeks, the coup failed, but Moshoeshoe II managed to negotiate that he was enthroned as king on January 25, 1995 instead of his son. However, he died in a traffic accident near Marakabei in January 1996 when his driver drove the car into an abyss.

Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral ceremony in Thaba Bosiu, including African heads of state such as South African President Nelson Mandela . Moshoeshoe II was buried on the plateau near Moshoeshoe I. After a few weeks, in which 'Mamohato was regent a third time, Letsie III took over. again the royal dignity.

Moshoeshoe's II offices included the chancellorship of the National University of Lesotho . He went on numerous trips abroad and managed foundations to promote schools and rural development .

family

In August 1962 Moshoeshoe II married Tabitha 'Masentle Lerotholi Mojela (1941-2003). From then on she called herself Queen 'Mamohato, German: "Mother of Mohato". She had three children. In addition to Letsie III. - originally David Mohato Seeiso Bereng, born in 1963 - these were Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso (* 1966) and Princess Constance Christina 'Maseeiso (1969–1994).

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ ^a ^b Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weis fields Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 286.
^ Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 287.
↑ ^a ^b Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weis fields Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 288.
^ ^A ^b ^c Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 289.
^ Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 387.
^ ^A ^b ^c Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 290.
^ Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 291.
^ ^A ^b ^c ^d Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 292.
↑ King of tiny land circled by South Africa dies in car plunge. New York Times, January 16, 1996 , accessed January 21, 2013
^ Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 386.

personal data
SURNAME	Moshoeshoe II.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Seeiso, Constantine Bereng
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Lesothic king
DATE OF BIRTH	May 2, 1938
PLACE OF BIRTH	Thabang , Basutoland
DATE OF DEATH	January 15, 1996
Place of death	at Marakabei

[scott286-1] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weis fields Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 286.

[2] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 287.

[scott288-3] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weis fields Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 288.

[scott289-4] A ^b ^c Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 289.

[5] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 387.

[scott290-6] A ^b ^c Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 290.

[7] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 291.

[scott292-8] A ^b ^c ^d Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 292.

[9] King of tiny land circled by South Africa dies in car plunge. New York Times, January 16, 1996 , accessed January 21, 2013

[10] Scott Rosenberg, Richard W. Weisfelder, Michelle Frisbie-Fulton: Historical Dictionary of Lesotho. Scarecrow Press, Lanham, Maryland / Oxford 2004, ISBN 978-0-8108-4871-9 , p. 386.