Resident Commissioner in Basutoland
| Basutoland | ||||||||||
| British colony | ||||||||||
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 Flag (unofficial)
 Coat of arms
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Anthem God Save the Queen (1884–1901; 1952–1966) God Save the King (1901–1952) |
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| Capital | Maseru | |||||||||
| Languages | English (official), Sesotho | |||||||||
| Religion | Christianity, traditional African religion | |||||||||
| Government | Crown Colony | |||||||||
| Resident Commissioner | ||||||||||
| • | 1884–1894 | Marshal James Clarke | ||||||||
| • | 1961–1965 | Alexander Falconer Giles | ||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | 12 March 1868(annexed by the UK) | 1884 | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 4 October 1966 | ||||||||
| Area | ||||||||||
| • | 1875 | 30,355 km2 (11,720 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||
| • | 1875 est. | 128,206 | ||||||||
| Density | 4/km2 (11/sq mi) | |||||||||
| • | 1904 est. | 348,848 | ||||||||
| Density | 11/km2 (30/sq mi) | |||||||||
| Currency | Pound sterling | |||||||||
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| Today part of |
 Lesotho
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Basutoland was a British Crown colony established in 1884 due to the Cape Colony's inability to control the territory. It was divided into seven administrative districts; Berea, Leribe, Maseru, Mohales Hoek, Mafeteng, Qacha's Nek and Quthing.
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon its independence from the United Kingdom on 4 October 1966.
Between 1856 and 1868 the Basuto engaged in conflict with the Orange Free State. Their King, Moshoeshoe I, sought British protection. On 29 August 1865, he wrote to Sir Philip Wodehouse, the Governor of Cape Colony:
I am giving myself and my country up to Her Majesty's Government under certain conditions which we may agree on between your Excellency and me.
In July 1866, after referring to the former letter, the Chief said:
All those things I have given up into your hands the last year..., they are still yours. I still continue to be the humble servant of Her Majesty.
Eventually, in January 1868, the Governor received a document dated 9 December 1867, signed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies, authorizing the annexation of Basutoland to Colony of Natal (not to the Cape as Wodehouse had wished). On 12 March 1868, a proclamation declared the Basutos to be British subjects and Basutoland to be British territory. It was not in fact annexed to Natal but was placed directly under the authority of the High Commissioner for South Africa. Three years later, it was annexed to the Cape Colony by Act No. 12 of 1871 of the Parliament of the Cape of Good Hope, confirmed by Order in Council of 3 November 1871. Cape Colony rule was not popular with the people and by an Order in Council dated 2 February 1884, and brought into force on 18 March 1884, the royal assent was given to a Cape bill repealing the Act of 1871. Basutoland was brought under the direct authority of the Queen and legislative and executive powers were vested in the High Commissioner.
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