Lesotho Independence Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Lesotho

Lesotho's inhabitants have a long history. In the early 1800s, Sotho tribespeople fled the Zulu army and traveled to the modern highlands of Lesotho (then known as Basutoland).

Lesotho’s declaration of independence from the British in 1966 is commemorated annually on October 4 as Lesotho’s Independence Day. Originally known as Basutoland, it was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon attaining independence, with King Moshoeshoe II and Chief Leabua Jonathan as its first prime minister. This landlocked country, which is entirely surrounded by South Africa, is still thriving and has been largely unaffected by the political unrest that has plagued other African countries. Continue reading to learn more about this extremely mountainous nation.

The background of Lesotho Independence Day

Lesotho’s inhabitants have a long history. In the early 1800s, Sotho tribespeople fled the Zulu army and traveled to the modern highlands of Lesotho (then known as Basutoland). By 1822, they had united as a singular nation under King Moshoeshoe I.

In constant contact with British and Dutch colonists from Cape Colony, the kingdom grew and expanded. The nation had a number of diplomatic alliances with foreign powers and amassed weapons for use against the invaders. From the 1830s to the 1860s, Boer settlers invaded Sotho territory, resulting in border conflicts. In 1867, the Sotho people won the Free State–Basotho War, a significant conflict against the Boers. In order to prevent future invasions, they petitioned Queen Victoria to declare Basotholand a British protectorate after the war. The following year, Basotholand became a British Protectorate after the Queen granted the request.

In 1869, the British and the Boers signed a treaty defining the borders of Basotholand, which resulted in the diminution of King Moshoeshoe’s dominion by half. When the British government attempted to force Lesotho into union with the rest of its South African colonies, tensions arose with Britain. In 1960, the British permitted Lesotho to have Sotho leaders, transforming it into an autonomous state. On October 4, 1966, Lesotho eventually achieved independence from the United Kingdom and became the Kingdom of Lesotho.

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