Swaziland history

Swaziland was originally occupied by the hunting and gathering people widely known as the Bushmen. They migrated south before the 16th century to what is now known as Mozambique . It was at this time that the Bushmen disintegrated to form the various ethnic groups of Southern Africa . As a result of the unending conflicts with people living in the area of modern Maputo , the Swazis settled in northern Zululand in about 1750. In that area there were constant conflicts with the Zulu people. Unable to match the growing Zulu strength, the Swazis moved gradually northward in the 1800s and established themselves in the area of modern or present Swaziland .

The Swazi people built a strong territory through many leaders but the most important of them all was Mswati II, from whom the Swazis derive their name. Under his leadership in the 1840s, the Swazis expanded their territory to the northwest and stabilized the southern frontier with the Zulus. It was during his reign that the Swazi people made their first formal contact with the British when Mswati II asked British authorities in South Africa for assistance against Zulu raids into Swaziland . The British succeeded in improving relations between the two ethnic groups.

It was during Mswati's reign that the first whites settled in the country. Following Mswati's death, the Swazis reached agreements with British and South African authorities over a range of issues, including independence, claims on resources by Europeans, administrative authority and security. South Africans administered Swazi interests from 1894 to 1902. In 1902 the British assumed control, transferring the administration of Swaziland to the British governor of the Transvaal . An order in council established the relationship between Swaziland and the UK in 1903, providing the basic authority under which British administration was conducted for 60 years. In 1921, after more than 20 years of rule by Queen Regent Labotsibeni, Sobhuza II became Ngwenyama literally meaning lion or head of the Swazi nation.

King Sobhuza II died in 1982 after being one of the longest reigning monarchies in the world and the Queen Regent Dzeliwe assumed leadership. In 1984 she was replaced by a new Queen Regent Ntombi. Queen Regent Ntombi's only child, the current monarch, King Mswati III, was crowned in April 1986.

Swaziland history articles