Pretoria Convention
Encyclopedia
The Pretoria Convention was the peace treaty that ended the First Boer War
(16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881) between the Transvaal
Boers and the United Kingdom
. The treaty was signed in Pretoria
on 3 August, 1881, but was subject to ratification by the Volksraad
within 3 months from the date of signature. The Volksraad
first raised objections to a number of the clauses of the treaty, but did eventually ratify the version signed in Pretoria, after Britain refused any further concessions or changes to the treaty.
British preparation work for the Pretoria Convention of 1881 was done at Newcastle.
Under this agreement, the South African Republic regained self-government under nominal British suzerainty
.
This Convention was superseded in 1884 by the London Convention.
and the United Kingdom
were in contact, President Brand
of the Orange Free State
acting as intermediary.
First Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
(16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881) between the Transvaal
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
Boers and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The treaty was signed in Pretoria
Pretoria
Pretoria is a city located in the northern part of Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is one of the country's three capital cities, serving as the executive and de facto national capital; the others are Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Bloemfontein, the judicial capital.Pretoria is...
on 3 August, 1881, but was subject to ratification by the Volksraad
Volksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
within 3 months from the date of signature. The Volksraad
Volksraad
The Volksraad was the parliament of the former South African Republic , which existed from 1857 to 1902 in part of what is now the South Africa. The body ceased to exist after the British victory in the Second Anglo-Boer War. The Volksraad sat in session in Ou Raadsaal in Church Square, Pretoria...
first raised objections to a number of the clauses of the treaty, but did eventually ratify the version signed in Pretoria, after Britain refused any further concessions or changes to the treaty.
British preparation work for the Pretoria Convention of 1881 was done at Newcastle.
Under this agreement, the South African Republic regained self-government under nominal British suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
.
This Convention was superseded in 1884 by the London Convention.
Background
By the time of the Battle of Majuba, the governments of the South African RepublicSouth African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
were in contact, President Brand
Jan Brand
Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, GCMG was a South African lawyer and politician, and the fourth state president of the Orange Free State, from 2 February 1864 until his death in 1888...
of the Orange Free State
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
acting as intermediary.