Moshoeshoe II (2 May 1938 – 15 January 1996), previously known as Constantine Bereng Seeiso, was the

Paramount Chief A paramount chief is the English-language designation for a king or queen or the highest-level political leader in a regional or local polity or country administered politically with a Chiefdom, chief-based system. This term is used occasionally ...

Basutoland Basutoland was a British Crown colony that existed from 1884 to 1966 in present-day Lesotho, bordered with the Cape Colony, Natal Colony and Orange River Colony until 1910 and completely surrounded by South Africa from 1910. Though the Basot ...

, succeeding paramount chief Seeiso from 1960 until the country gained full independence from Britain in 1966. He was

King of Lesotho The monarchy of Lesotho is the form of government used by Lesotho (also known as Basutoland until 1966) by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers regulated by the Constitution. The monarch is styled as ''Mare ...

from 1966 until his exile in 1990, and from 1995 until his death in 1996.

Early life

Moshoeshoe was born with the name Constantine Bereng Seeiso and was the descendant of the founder of the nation,

Moshoeshoe I Moshoeshoe I () ( – 11 March 1870) was the first king of Lesotho. He was the first son of Mokhachane, a minor Tribal chief, chief of the Bamokoteli lineage, a branch of the Koena tribe, Koena (crocodile) clan. In his youth, he helped his fat ...

, which is where he got his royal name. The young Seeiso was educated at the Roma College in Lesotho, then (apparently fleeing rumours that his stepfather planned to poison him) was sent to England, first to

Ampleforth College Ampleforth College is a co-educational Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding and day school in the English Public school (United Kingdom), public school tradition. It opened in 1803 as a boys' school. It is near the villa ...

and later to

Corpus Christi College, Oxford Corpus Christi College (formally, Corpus Christi College in the University of Oxford; informally abbreviated as Corpus or CCC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1517 by Richard Fo ...

.Obituary: King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho
by Benjamin Pogrund in

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

, 16 January 1996 (accessed 3 November 2007) While there, he took to the life of an English country gentleman, including hunting, shooting, and fishing.

Reign

Moshoeshoe's political power was always limited, and his reign was interrupted twice. Early in his reign, Chief

Leabua Jonathan Joseph Leabua Jonathan (30 October 1914 – 5 April 1987) was the first prime minister of Lesotho. He succeeded Chief Sekhonyana Nehemia Maseribane following a by-election and held that post from 1965 to 1986. Early life and career Born in L ...

became Prime Minister of Lesotho and gained control of the government. Jonathan suspended Moshoeshoe in 1970 to reestablish his control in the country after his party lost the election. Moshoeshoe went into temporary exile in the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

. A few months later, when he gained control, Jonathan allowed Moshoeshoe to reassume the title of King. Jonathan was himself overthrown in 1986 and the King gained some power, but he was deposed in 1990, while his son Letsie III was forced to take his place as King. Moshoeshoe went to exile in the United Kingdom, but was restored to the throne in 1995. In 1996, he was killed in a car accident, and Letsie became King again a month later. During the political turmoil of 1970 and 1990, and for a month after his death in 1996, his wife and Letsie's mother, 'Mamohato, acted as regent. ;Summary of reign *1960–1966: Paramount Chief Constantine Bereng Seeiso of Basutoland. *1966: crowned as King Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho. *1970: exiled from Lesotho. *February 1990: stripped of constitutional powers. *November 1990: deposed, his son Letsie III becomes king. *1990–1992: in exile in the UK. *January 1995: reinstated as King. *January 1996: died, succeeded by Letsie III.

Death

King Moshoeshoe II died at the age of 57 in a road accident, when his car plunged off a mountain road during the early hours of 15 January 1996. The accident also killed the car's driver. According to a government statement, Moshoeshoe had set out at 1 am to visit his cattle at Matsieng, and was returning to

Maseru Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. T ...

through the

Maloti Mountains The Maloti Mountains are a mountain range of the highlands of the Kingdom of Lesotho. They extend for about 100 km into the South African Free State. The Maloti Range is part of the Drakensberg system that includes ranges across large area ...

when his car left the road.King of Tiny Land Circled by South Africa Dies in Car Plunge
by Donald G. McNeil Jr. in

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

, 16 January 1996 (accessed 3 November 2007)

Family

Moshoeshoe married Princess Tabitha 'Masentle Lerotholi Mojela (later known as Queen 'Mamohato of Lesotho) in 1962, and with her had two sons and one daughter: * Prince David Mohato Bereng Seeiso, subsequently King

Letsie III of Lesotho Letsie III (born Mohato Bereng Seeiso; 17 July 1963) is King of Lesotho. He succeeded his father, Bereng Seeiso Moshoeshoe II, who was forced into exile in 1990. His father was briefly restored in 1995 but died in a car crash in early 1996, so ...

(born 17 July 1963). * Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho (born 16 April 1966). * Princess Constance Christina 'Maseeiso (24 December 1969 – 7 September 1994).

Honours

Grand Master of the following orders

* : Grand Master of the Most Dignified Order of Moshoeshoe (Order of Dignity). * : Grand Master of the Most Courteous Order of Lesotho. * : Grand Master of the Most Meritorious Order of Mohlomi (Order of Achievement). * : Grand Master of the Most Loyal Order of Ramatseatsane (Distinguished Service Order). * : Grand Master of the Most Gallant Order of Makoanyane (Order of Bravery).

Foreign honours

* : Supreme Companion of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo (''posthumous'', 20 April 2006). *

Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...

: Commemorative Medal of the 2500th Anniversary of the founding of the Persian Empire (14 October 1971).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moshoeshoe 02 Of Lesotho 1938 births 1996 deaths Alumni of Corpus Christi College, Oxford Dethroned monarchs Kings of Lesotho People educated at Ampleforth College Road incident deaths in Lesotho House of Moshesh Lesotho Roman Catholics Recipients of the Order of the Companions of O. R. Tambo People from Maseru District Basutoland people Roman Catholic monarchs