Sobhuza II of Swaziland
Encyclopedia
Ngwenyama Sobhuza II (July 22, 1899 – August 21, 1982) was the Paramount Chief and later King of Swaziland
. He was the son of Ngwane V
.
until December 22, 1921. His nominal reign of 82 years, 9 months is the longest precisely dated monarchical reign on record and the longest documented reign of any monarch since antiquity. Only Pepi II Neferkare
of Ancient Egypt
and Taejo
of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo
are claimed to have reigned longer, though these claims are disputed.
Sobhuza's personal reign of over 60 years (1921–82) saw Swaziland's independence from Great Britain
in 1968, after which he was styled King of Swaziland. When the kingdom became independent, it was considered possible that the existing tribal government could be modified into a constitutional monarchy
. This existed for some time, until April 12, 1973, when he repealed the constitution and dissolved parliament, making himself absolute ruler.
King Sobhuza continued the tribal practice of keeping many wives. According to the Swaziland National Trust Commission, King Sobhuza II married 70 wives, who gave him 210 children between 1920 and 1970 (i.e. three children per wife, on average). About 180 children survived infancy, and ninety seven sons and daughters are alive today. When he died he had over 1000 grandchildren.
In the early 1980s he attempted to gain control over KaNgwane
, a Bantustan
set up by the South Africa
n apartheid government.
Sobhuza died in 1982, having appointed Prince Sozisa Dlamini
to serve as 'Authorized Person', advising a regent after his death. The first regent was Queen Dzeliwe
, but after a power struggle Sozisa deposed her and replaced her by Queen Ntombi, while at the same time Ntombi and Sobhuza's young son Mswati
was designated as Crown Prince
. Mswati was crowned
as king in 1986.
A son-in-law was King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu
of the Zulu Nation, who married Sobhuza's daughter Mantfombi Dlamini.
A daughter-in-law is Zenani Mandela, the daughter of former South African President Nelson Mandela
of a cadet branch
of the Thembu
dynasty, who is married to one of Sobhuza's many sons.
Swaziland
Swaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
. He was the son of Ngwane V
Ngwane V of Swaziland
Ngwane V was the paramount chief of Swaziland from February, 1895 until his death. He is sometimes referred to as king Bhunu....
.
Biography
Sobhuza succeeded Ngwane V as Paramount Chief of Swaziland on December 10, 1899, when he was only a few months old. His grandmother, Labotsibeni Mdluli, acted as regentRegent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
until December 22, 1921. His nominal reign of 82 years, 9 months is the longest precisely dated monarchical reign on record and the longest documented reign of any monarch since antiquity. Only Pepi II Neferkare
Pepi II Neferkare
Pepi II was a pharaoh of the Sixth dynasty in Egypt's Old Kingdom. His throne name, Neferkare , means "Beautiful is the Ka of Re". He succeeded to the throne at age six, after the death of Merenre I, and is generally credited with having the longest reign of any monarch in history at 94 years...
of Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
and Taejo
Taejo of Goguryeo
King Taejo of Goguryeo was the sixth monarch of Goguryeo, the northernmost of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. He is sometimes called Taejo the Great. He rose to the throne following the assassination of King Mobon. Under his reign, the young state expanded its territory and developed into a...
of the ancient Korean kingdom of Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
are claimed to have reigned longer, though these claims are disputed.
Sobhuza's personal reign of over 60 years (1921–82) saw Swaziland's independence from Great Britain
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...
in 1968, after which he was styled King of Swaziland. When the kingdom became independent, it was considered possible that the existing tribal government could be modified into a constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
. This existed for some time, until April 12, 1973, when he repealed the constitution and dissolved parliament, making himself absolute ruler.
King Sobhuza continued the tribal practice of keeping many wives. According to the Swaziland National Trust Commission, King Sobhuza II married 70 wives, who gave him 210 children between 1920 and 1970 (i.e. three children per wife, on average). About 180 children survived infancy, and ninety seven sons and daughters are alive today. When he died he had over 1000 grandchildren.
In the early 1980s he attempted to gain control over KaNgwane
KaNgwane
KaNgwane was a bantustan in South Africa, intended by the apartheid government to be a semi-independent homeland for the Swazi people. Formerly called the "Swazi Territory", the homeland was granted nominal self-rule in 1981. Schoemansdal was designated as its capital. Its official capital was at...
, a Bantustan
Bantustan
A bantustan was a territory set aside for black inhabitants of South Africa and South West Africa , as part of the policy of apartheid...
set up by the South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n apartheid government.
Sobhuza died in 1982, having appointed Prince Sozisa Dlamini
Prince Sozisa Dlamini
Prince Sozisa Dlamini of Swaziland , was Chief of Gundvwini. He became the Authorized Person of Swaziland from 1982 to 1985 after the death of King Sobhuza II, and in 1983 was briefly the acting Regent of the country, after he deposed Queen Dzeliwe. From 1983 he was Authorized Person to the new...
to serve as 'Authorized Person', advising a regent after his death. The first regent was Queen Dzeliwe
Dzeliwe of Swaziland
Inkhosikati LaShongwe, , was Queen Regent of Swaziland between 21 September 1982 and 9 August 1983.She was a wife of king Sobhuza II of Swaziland, and with him had one child, Prince Khuzulwandie Dlamini....
, but after a power struggle Sozisa deposed her and replaced her by Queen Ntombi, while at the same time Ntombi and Sobhuza's young son Mswati
Mswati III of Swaziland
Mswati III is the King of Swaziland and head of the Swazi Royal Family. In 1986, he succeeded his father Sobhuza II as ruler of the southern African kingdom...
was designated as Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
. Mswati was crowned
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
as king in 1986.
A son-in-law was King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu
Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu
Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu is the reigning king of the Zulu nation under the Traditional Leadership clause of South Africa's republican constitution....
of the Zulu Nation, who married Sobhuza's daughter Mantfombi Dlamini.
A daughter-in-law is Zenani Mandela, the daughter of former South African President Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
of a cadet branch
Cadet branch
Cadet branch is a term in genealogy to describe the lineage of the descendants of the younger sons of a monarch or patriarch. In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets – titles, realms, fiefs, property and income – have...
of the Thembu
Thembu
The Thimbu are one of the handful of nations and population groups which speak Xhosa in South Africa. In Xhosa the name is abaThembu, aba- being a common prefix for peoples....
dynasty, who is married to one of Sobhuza's many sons.
See also
- Politics of SwazilandPolitics of SwazilandSwaziland is governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, in which political power is shared by the king and parliament. Swaziland today is foremost ruled by a monarch, although for all of its administrative history prior to British colonization in 1903, it might have more properly been called...
- History of His Majesty, King Sobuza II
- King Sobhuza II portrait of Sobhuza II of Swaziland by South African artist Neville LewisNeville LewisAlfred Neville Lewis was a South African artist. He was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and educated there and, later, at the Slade School of Art in London....