History
Lesotho has a very exciting and eventful history. I will be explaining some amazing facts that will blow your mind. So come with me on the breath-taking journey of Lesotho's history.
In The Last 50 Years...
Lesotho becomes Independent
1966
Since the 1950s groups of people in Lesotho (then Batsuland) had been pleading for independence. Then in 1966 Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan decided it was time to take action. He discussed his thoughts with the British government, but they wouldn't change their mind about keeping Lesotho a dependent country. Suprisingly however, at meeting in June, Parliament voted a 32 to 28 for Lesothos independence. On the fourth of October 1966 Britain granted the newly named Kingdom of Lesotho independence.
KING LETSIE THE THIRD RESTORED TO THRONE
1994
In 1990 King Letsie the III became king, because his father, King Moshoeshoe the second, went into exile. For a few more year King Letsie the third ruled Lesotho, until 1995 when King Moshoeshoe the second resumed his reign. One year later however, King Moshoeshoe died in a car crash so King Letsie III once again was the ruler of Lesotho. In 2000 King Letsie married to Anna Montsoeneng.
King Letsie III
In The last 200 Years...
Basutoland is founded
1818
Basutoland is what Lesotho was called before the British gave the Sotho independence. Basutoland became a country because some people in South Africa disagreed with the South African rules. Eventually their were so many people that disagreed that a new country country formed - Basutoland. In the 1810 Moshoeshoe and his companions settled in what is now called Maseru, the capital of Lesotho. They seriously disagreed with the surrounding Lifaqane people. Over a period of ten years Moshoeshoe and his followers persuaded many cliques to join his party of rebels. Finally in 1821 Basutoland became a country.
BaSuToland Becomes A Britsh Colony
1884
King Moshoeshoe the first.
Big Events
Boer wars
1856 - 1868
The conflict between the Sotho and the Europeans is called the Boer Wars. These wars took place because the Europeans and the Sotho were couldn't determine what land belonged to who. In 1948 there was a deal between the Sotho and the Europeans that said that the Europeans were allowed some land, but the contract was very vague and wasn't clear which areas belonged to Moshoeshoe's kingdom and which belonged to the Europeans. Over the years there was a lot of argument about the land, and who it belonged to who and so Moshoeshoe asked a group of Europeans to help him drive away the Europeans so there would be harmony Basutoland once again. The group betrayed Moshoeshoe and a few weeks later Sir George Cathcart demanded a fine from King Moshoeshoe as a punishment. When Moshoeshoe didn't pay the whole fine, war broke out over the Berea Plateau. The war went on for years, endless argument between them, the British losing most of the time until finally on the 12th of March 1968 Basutoland became a British colony.
Lesotho celebrates 40 years of independence with a new flag
2006
On the fourth of October 2006 Lesotho celebrated 40 years of independence. At midnight in the national stadium King Letsie the III hoisted the flag in front of 500 people who had turned up even though it was freezing. Later there was a huge banquet at Letsies palace which the President of Botswana, the Vice President of South Africa and the President of Sierre Leone all attended.
Lesotho 40th Anniversary
In conclusion...
As I said in the beginning, Lesotho has a amazing history. The history of Lesotho makes it what it is today. Think of all the things you learned on this page. Were those things breath- taking? Maybe not, but you are a lot smarter than you were before you read this page.