Contact with the Outside

Changes to Swaziland's Border due to European Settlers (http://www.sntc.org.sz/cultural/swazihistory1.html)

Portuguese and Arabs set trade routes in Southern Africa beginning in the 16^th century, however they did not travel far inland.  This kept the Swazi from encountering “outsiders” until the 19^th century.

The first contact of Swazi people with the Europeans happened when the Dutch Boers moved inland and entered the southern part of Swazi territory.  This happened in the 1830’s, and in an attempt to seek accommodation with the local tribe, the Boers sought out Mswati (the king of the Swazi) and his council.  Mswati was willing to sell the Boers grazing and farming land.  There were two sales of land, the first in 1846 and the second in 1855, giving the Boers access to a portion of what is today Swaziland.(1)

Shortly after the Boers arrived in Swaziland, the Wesleyan missionaries set up a mission (1945) near modern day Mahamba. (2)  King Sobhuza, 1839, heard from the Zulus that another king in the area was conferring with missionaries.  He sent a representative to the mission to request someone be sent to his tribe.  When the missionary was unable to visit, King Sobhuza, on his deathbed, instructed his son to pursue the “dream”.  The dream was that Sobhuza saw men coming from the sea with money and a scroll, that his people needed to take the book not the money, and to welcome these people. (3) 

When the missionaries finally arrived in 1844, he was welcomed gladly by the Swazi people. They were given a portion of land and the locals were instructed by the king to help build the new chapel where many of the Swazi attended regularly. (4)

Political Map of South Africa 1885 {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Wars_(1879%E2%80%931915)}

Although Swaziland was surrounded by areas that was in constant conflict, Swaziland was able to  preserve its existence as independent, even as other native tribes fell to European control.  The Swazi signed treaties with the Transvaal and the British which promised their independence.  The Swazi had also helped the Europeans out by giving grazing rights and then mining rights to settlers.  They even assisted in the conflict with the Zulu and Pedi enemies of the British. (5)

In 1894 the Boers and the British gave control of Swaziland to the South African Boer Republic of Transvaal, as a protectorate. However, after the Boer War, in 1902, Britain took control of Swaziland as a protectorate.  After losing about one-third of the original Swazi territory, Swaziland became an independent nation in 1968. (6)

1) The Kingdoms of Swaziland: Studies in Political History, {http://books.google.com/books?id=u3p9vATL1NkC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=swaziland%27s+first+contact+with+europe&source=bl&ots=9JHMfzjEmW&sig=bsMZBbsKtUodBpCqkfw26qkMmtU&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y_VvVJCLD4mrgwTAlIPYDA&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=swaziland's%20first%20contact%20with%20europe&f=false}, (pg. 30)

2) Ibid, (pg. 30)

3) The Early Encounter Between the Swazi and the Western Missionaries, {http://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10413/4443/Nyawo_Sonene_2004.pdf?sequence=1}, (pg. 81-82)

4) Ibid, (pg. 85)

5) South African Wars, {http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Wars_(1879%E2%80%931915)}, (Swaziland section under Government and Politics)

6) Swazi, {http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Swazi.aspx}, (History and Cultural Relations)