Sekwati was a 19th-century paramount King of the Maroteng or more commonly known as the Bapedi people. His reign focused on rebuilding the Pedi Kingdom on the conclusion of the

Mfecane The Mfecane ( isiZulu, Zulu pronunciation: ̩fɛˈkǀaːne, also known by the Sesotho names Difaqane or Lifaqane (all meaning "crushing, scattering, forced dispersal, forced migration") is a historical period of heightened military conflict ...

and maintaining peaceful relations with the

Boer Boers ( ; af, Boere ()) are the descendants of the Dutch-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled this are ...

Voortrekkers and neighbouring chiefdoms in the north-eastern Transvaal. He was the father to rivals Sekhukhune I who took over the Marota/Pedi paramountcy by force and Mampuru II, his rightful successor. By the death of his father Thulare I in 1824, the Marota or Pedi Kingdom was in a state of despair due to the turbulence caused by the

("the crushing") or Difeqane ("the scattering") and encroaching white settlers (

s) into the Transvaal. Sekwati came into power after the death of his older brothers who were killed during raids by Mzilikazi's Matabele. To rebuild the empire he moved his capital from Phiring to Thaba Mosego.

Bibliography

* Peter Nicholas St. Martin Delius, ''The Pedi Polity Under Sekwati and Sekhukhune, 1828-1880'', University of London (School of Oriental and African Studies). * Barbara Oomen, ''Chiefs in South Africa: Law, Power & Culture in the Post-apartheid Era'', University of KwazuluNatal Press, 2005.

References

African royalty African kings 1861 deaths Year of birth missing History of South Africa History of Africa {{Africa-royal-stub

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