Moshoeshoe I

**Moshoeshoe I** ((/mʊˈʃwɛʃwɛ/)) ( – 11 March 1870) na de first king of Lesotho. E be di first pikin of Mokhachane, wey be small chief for di Bamokoteli family, wey dey part of de Koena (crocodile) clan. When e dey young, e help im papa take power over some small clans. For 1820, when e be 34 years old, Moshoeshoe take over from im papa as de Bamokoteli chief den form im own clan. him plus ein people don settle for Butha-Buthe Mountain. E be di first plus longest-serving King of Lesotho for 1822.

## Ein Early life

Moshoeshoe dey born as Lepoqo for Menkhoaneng village wey dey for north side of wetin we call Lesotho now. Dem no fi know de exact year wey e born, but dem dey guess say na between 1780 and 1794; 1786 na de date wey plenty people agree on. De meaning of him name na Dispute, e come from di accusations wey dem give one man for Menkhoaneng just when e born. E be de first pikin of Mokhachane, wey be small chief for di Bamokoteli side of di Basotho people, and him first wife Kholu. Kholu na de daughter of Bafokeng chief Ntsukunyane, she come from Butha-Buthe area wey dey further north. Di Bamokoteli people dey around 4,000; dem be part of Koena tribe wey dem dey show respect to. Lepoqo family dey live for small kraal near Tlotsi stream, wey be river wey dey join di Caledon River. No plenty pipo sabi how e childhood be, but he dey maintain good relationship with im parents till dem die. Around di age of six, he start to dey take care of di family sheep and goats. Lepoqo get older sister wey dem dey call MaTsouenyane, plus younger brothers Makhabane and Posholi, plus younger sister wey dem dey call 'MaNtoetse. Mokhachane marry more than four women and get plenty pikin. Di Sotho people sabi well-well how to rear animals; cattle dey important for dia life, plus a man wealth na how many cattle e get.

For 1804, Mokhachane gathah dem boys for di initiation ceremony wey Lepoqo an im guys go join. Di initiation school last six months, for dat time Lepoqo go circumcise, learn im people culture, military skills an ancient songs too. E even write some praise poetry about imself an get new name; Letlama, wey mean say "di Binder". As di chief pikin, Letlama become di leader of di oda boys wey do initiation with am, dem bond well-well. After e graduate, Letlama lead im crew for successful cattle raid against chief RaMonaheng village. To celebrate di raid, e write anoda praise poem wey e compare imself to "razor wey don shave Ramonaheng beard". From dat time, dem dey call am Moshoeshoe, wey mean "di Shaver", after di sound wey razor dey make when e dey shave.

As young guy, Moshoeshoe dey lead him crew go cattle raid, e dey shine for how e fit grab cattle. E get big dream but him dey quick vex too, one time e kill one guy wey milk him cow without him go ahead.

Moshoeshoe plus him crew, mostly Bakoena Bamokoteli, small Bafokeng from him mama side plus some other family and clans like Amazizi, dem set him village for Butha-Buthe. Dis place no be just any place, e be where him reign come meet the power of Zulu king, Shaka, wey dem dey call 'time of troubles' (previously na 'Difaqane'). For early 19th century, Shaka dey raid houses for eastern coast of Southern Africa (now na Kwa-Zulu Natal), dey chop parts of dem into him steady Zulu chiefdom. Plenty small clans dey run away from Zulu chief. Na so wahala begin, wey dem dey call time of troubles/Difaqane. E come bring fight against Sotho people by Nguni clans wey invade. De attack make Moshoeshoe gatz move im settlement go Qiloane plateau. Later, dem change de name to Thaba Bosiu, wey mean 'mountain at night' sekof dem believe say e dey grow for night den dey shrink for day. E show say e no easy to conquer, e be stronghold against enemies.

For de late 19th century, Moshoeshoe don set up de Basotho nation for Basutoland. Dem dey call am Morena e Moholo/morena oa Basotho (Great King/King of de Basotho).

## Reign

For 1820s, Basotho dey face plenty cattle wahala from Koranna. Na dis time dem first see horses plus guns for fight. After some small setbacks, Basotho manage grab some horses plus guns plus start dey stock gunpowder. By 1843, Moshoeshoe don gather more horses plus guns pass any chieftain for South Africa. But e be say, most of de guns wey Basotho get be old flintlocks, wey don full South African market after dem bring percussion lock muskets. For 1833, missionaries wey come from Paris Evangelical Missionary Society, led by French missionaries Eugène Casalis and Thomas Arbousset, start set their base for Basotho land after Moshoeshoe invite dem. Dem dey push combo of Christianity, Western way of life, plus trade. Dem see Basotho culture wey dey link to forced work plus de people dependence on demma chiefs as bad thing. So, dem wan scatter am by promoting private property, turn production to commodities, plus create better economic link with European settlers.

For 1843, Moshoeshoe sign treaty with di governor of di British Cape Colony, Sir George Napier, wey British sabi say Basuto be dia paddy dem. Di Basotho go help stop di Boer dem wey dey try enter Cape during di Great Trek, dem dey collect 75 £ every year, either for money or for bullets. Di Napier Treaty boost Moshoeshoe status well well as leader. E no goim some land wey e don dey claim, but e still get recognition for him rule over different tribes wey dey for di area. For 1848, Cape governor, Sir Harry Smith, pressure Moshoeshoe to sign another agreement wey go allow British get control over di land north of di Orange River; but him go still keep him traditional rights. Di agreement come also talk say make dem form alliance between British plus di Basotho. Some kind treaties like dat wit local African tribes wey no clear don set di Orange River Sovereignty.

For di north-east, di Basotho and dem Taung boys dey always dey fight back and forth for cow matter against dem old enemies, di Batlokoa of Kgosi Sekonyela and di Koranna of Gert Taaibosch. Di British man wey dey represent for di Orange River area, Major Henry Douglas Warden, sabi say na di Basotho dey cause all di wahala wey dey happen between di tribes for dat place. Warden come begin draw border for di various tribes for di north-east area, no minding Moshoeshoe wey don dey claim dat land for long. Moshoeshoe no gree say di British fit protect am from di Batlakoa and Boer people wey dey encroach, and many of him people dey accuse am of being coward when British dey oppress dem. On 25 June 1851, Warden tell di Basotho make dem return di cows and horses to di people wey dem don rob before. Warden come gather mixed force of British, Boer and African soldiers wey dey number about 2,500 men for Platberg. On 28 June, Warden carry him boys go chase di Taung to collect dem stolen cows. But on 30 June, Warden's force no fit win as dem meet di Basotho-Taung army for di Battle of Viervoet.

For October, Moshoeshoe write letter to Smith and Warden, dey talk say e act for self-defense and e wan keep good relationship with British. By February 1852, British gree to change boundaries for south-west and stop di colonial wahala for inter-tribal fight if dem fit return di cattle wey Basotho don steal since September 1850. But wahala no fit settle plus Smith replacement, Major-General Sir George Cathcart dey wait make di fight with di Xhosa cool down before e go start punishment action against di Basotho.

For 20 December 1852, British soldiers clash with Basotho for Battle of Berea. Dem poor British plan and strong Basotho wahala make dem retreat small. As Moshoeshoe no wan make dem beat am again, e beg for peace wey gree dem terms wey fit dem plus bring back sweet relationship with British. For 1853, Moshoeshoe don tire for Sekonyela wey dey raid am, so he decide say he go handle Batlokoa matter well well. For November 1853, Basotho army show say dem fit beat Batlakoa and their Koranna friends for de battle of Khoro-e-Betloa, dem even take demma stronghold Jwalaboholo. Most Batlakoa either run away or join Basotho. British come carry dem self go for 1854, wey make Boer Orange Free State come form.

For 1858, wahala start between Basotho and Orange Free State. Dem win first war, but dem no fit match dem for shoot and weapon, so dem lose de next two wars till 1868. For 1866, dem sign Treaty of Thaba Bosiu, wey Moshoeshoe give plenty of him land to Boers. After some time, wahala start again plus Boers come dey burn land, wey cause hunger for Basotho people. As dem dey fear say dem go finish Basotho people, Moshoeshoe, him pikin plus local missionaries come dey beg British High Commissioner Sir Philip Wodehouse plus Colony of Natal for help. At first, Britons no wan enter, but dem dey worried say trade dey scatter because of the war plus Boer fit expand reach Pondoland coast. For December 1867, Colonial Office gree make Natal take Basotholand. Wodehouse no trust de Natal government at all. He think say Cape Colony no ready to take de new land, so he no follow their orders. Him cut off ammo supply to Free State and on 12 March 1868, him declare Basotho land as royal territory. Moshoeshoe die on 11 March 1870, and him first son, Letsie I, take over from am.

## Family plus lineage
For 1810, Moshoeshoe marry ’Mamabela, wey be daughter of Bafokeng chief, Seephephe, wey im papa choose for am. She become hin senior wife, take name ’MaMohato, wey dem born four kiddies, Letsie, Molapo, Masopha, plus Majara, plus one daughter wey dem call Mathe. Dem relationship be sweet, as visiting missionaries talk say dem get plenty love. But ’MaMohato die for 1834, e fit be sekof of complications wey happen as she dey born or sekof of one wahala wey happen for house when she knack one of Moshoeshoe councilors.

Moshoeshoe be man wey dey practice polygamy; in 1833, e get 30 wives, but by 1865, e don increase to 140 wives. Dem don trace name of 17 of dem. Polygamy help Moshoeshoe to build alliance with other chiefs pluis collect more money, as in people suppose farm for in wives' land according to Sotho way. Even though him get other wives, e still dey feel like widow since ’MaMohato die. Na only pikin from him first marriage na im be royal line. Aside ’MaMohato, only ‘Maneko wey be second wife get plenty power for di house. Just like di main wife, second wives too be strong women, wey get separate houses, cattle, fields plus servants. Dem pikin dem dey expect say dem go fit hold important positions for di kingdom. Moshoeshoe third wives wey no dey rank high go dey for di houses of di senior wives, dem go dey serve dem like servants. Unlike di senior wives, dem no dey sleep with demma husband plus dem condition be like slavery. Foreign visitors plus Moshoeshoe subjects fit knack dem third wives, but di pikin wey go come from dat kind action go still be Moshoeshoe pikin.

## Legacy

Moshoeshoe Day be yearly public holiday for Lesotho wey dem dey celebrate for 11 March, na de day wey Moshoeshoe die. Dem go lay wreaths for Moshoeshoe grave for Thaba Bosiu, and na Lesotho king dey lead the group. Dem go get parade plus plenty other fun activities too.

Moshoeshoe I International Airport wey Lesotho get be di only international airport wey dem name after am.

Shweshwe fabric wey dem make for South Africa get name from King Moshoeshoe I wey one time collect am as gift plus make am popular for him area.

Dem go carry am for 1993 Pinky and the Brain Animaniacs episode dem wey dem call Win Big.

## Check am too
* Shaka Zulu – contemporary
* Sekhukhune I King of the Bapedi

## References


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