British Swaziland

British Swaziland was a colony in South Africa and Namibia (Central and Southern Africa) that lasted from 1903 to 1968 CE, about 65 years. Its people spoke Germanic languages (Gothic, Frankish, English, German, Dutch, Norse).

Britain governed Swaziland as a High Commission territory while the Swazi monarchy kept its ceremonial role. King Sobhuza II, who reigned from 1921 to 1982, led it to independence.

See British Swaziland on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

1903 to 1968 CE

Duration

65 years

Type

Colony

Region

South Africa and Namibia, Central and Southern Africa

Language family

Germanic

Capital

Mbabane

Came from

• Swazi Kingdom c. 1745 to 1903 CE

Became

• Eswatini 1968 CE to the present

Events in Central and Southern Africa during its time

• 1904 Herero and Nama genocide
• 1905 Maji Maji rebellion
• 1948 Apartheid becomes law
• 1960 Congo independence and crisis

Neighbours in Central and Southern Africa

• Kingdom of Kongo c. 1390 to 1914 CE
• Republic of South Africa (apartheid era) 1961 to 1994 CE
• Congo Free State 1885 to 1908 CE
• Kingdom of Buganda c. 1300 to 1966 CE
• Portuguese Mozambique 1505 to 1975 CE
• Portuguese Angola 1575 to 1975 CE
• Sultanate of Zanzibar 1856 to 1964 CE
• British Cape Colony 1806 to 1910 CE
• British Kenya 1895 to 1963 CE
• Madagascar 1960 CE to the present

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Europe
• Ottoman Empire 1299 to 1922 CE, Middle East
• Portuguese Empire 1415 to 1999 CE, Europe
• Qing dynasty 1636 to 1912 CE, East Asia
• United States 1776 CE to the present, North America
• United Kingdom 1801 CE to the present, Europe
• Haiti 1804 CE to the present, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Russian Empire 1721 to 1917 CE, Europe
• Dutch East Indies 1800 to 1949 CE, Southeast Asia

Questions