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Mwanga II of Buganda
Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa of Buganda (3 June 1868 – 8 May 1903) was the Kabaka (King) of Buganda who ruled from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1889 to 1897. He is best known for his resistance to increasing British colonial influence and Christian missionary activities in Buganda Kingdom during the 19th century.
Known as Mwanga II, his reign was marked by political instabilities, internal conflicts, and tensions between traditional authorities and foreign religious and colonial forces. He is also associated with the persecution of Christian converts, some of whom later became known as Uganda Martyrs.
He was deposed in 1897 after being defeated by British forces and went into exile, where he died in 1903.
He was born at Nakawa on 3 June 1868. His father was Muteesa I of Buganda, who reigned between 1856 and 1884. His mother was Abakyala Abisagi Bagalayaze, the 10th of his father's 85 wives. He ascended to the throne on 18 October 1884, after the death of his father. He established his capital on Mengo Hill.
Mwanga came to the throne at the age of 16. He increasingly regarded the greatest threat to his rule as coming from the Christian missionaries who had gradually penetrated Buganda. His father had played-off the three religious traditions – Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims – against each other and thus had balanced the influence of the powers that were backing each group to extend their reach into Africa. Mwanga II took a much more aggressive approach.
On his orders, the Uganda Martyrs, a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the kingdom of Buganda, in Uganda, were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court. The episode also occurred against the backdrop of the "Scramble for Africa" – the invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers.
These murders and Mwanga's continued resistance alarmed the British, who backed a rebellion by Christian and Muslim groups who supported Mwanga's half brother and defeated Mwanga at Mengo in 1888. Mwanga's brother, Kiweewa Nnyonyintono, was elevated to the throne. He lasted exactly one month and was replaced on the throne by another brother, Kabaka Kalema Muguluma. However, Mwanga escaped and negotiated with the British. In exchange for handing over some of his sovereignty to the British East Africa Company, the British changed their backing to Mwanga, who swiftly removed Kalema from the throne in 1889. Mwanga later converted to Christianity and was baptized as a Protestant.
On 26 December 1890, Mwanga signed a treaty with Lord Lugard, granting certain powers over revenue, trade and the administration of justice to the Imperial British East Africa Company. These powers were transferred to the British Crown on 1 April 1893. On 27 August 1894, Mwanga accepted Buganda becoming a British protectorate, but on 6 July 1897, he declared war on the British. Defeated on 20 July 1897 by British-led forces at Buddu (in modern-day Masaka District), he fled into German East Africa where he was arrested and interned by German colonial authorities at Bukoba.
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Mwanga II of Buganda
Danieri Basammula-Ekkere Mwanga II Mukasa of Buganda (3 June 1868 – 8 May 1903) was the Kabaka (King) of Buganda who ruled from 1884 to 1888 and again from 1889 to 1897. He is best known for his resistance to increasing British colonial influence and Christian missionary activities in Buganda Kingdom during the 19th century.
Known as Mwanga II, his reign was marked by political instabilities, internal conflicts, and tensions between traditional authorities and foreign religious and colonial forces. He is also associated with the persecution of Christian converts, some of whom later became known as Uganda Martyrs.
He was deposed in 1897 after being defeated by British forces and went into exile, where he died in 1903.
He was born at Nakawa on 3 June 1868. His father was Muteesa I of Buganda, who reigned between 1856 and 1884. His mother was Abakyala Abisagi Bagalayaze, the 10th of his father's 85 wives. He ascended to the throne on 18 October 1884, after the death of his father. He established his capital on Mengo Hill.
Mwanga came to the throne at the age of 16. He increasingly regarded the greatest threat to his rule as coming from the Christian missionaries who had gradually penetrated Buganda. His father had played-off the three religious traditions – Catholics, Protestants, and Muslims – against each other and thus had balanced the influence of the powers that were backing each group to extend their reach into Africa. Mwanga II took a much more aggressive approach.
On his orders, the Uganda Martyrs, a group of 22 Catholic and 23 Anglican converts to Christianity in the kingdom of Buganda, in Uganda, were executed between 31 January 1885 and 27 January 1887. The deaths took place at a time when there was a three-way religious struggle for political influence at the Buganda royal court. The episode also occurred against the backdrop of the "Scramble for Africa" – the invasion, occupation, division, colonization and annexation of African territory by European powers.
These murders and Mwanga's continued resistance alarmed the British, who backed a rebellion by Christian and Muslim groups who supported Mwanga's half brother and defeated Mwanga at Mengo in 1888. Mwanga's brother, Kiweewa Nnyonyintono, was elevated to the throne. He lasted exactly one month and was replaced on the throne by another brother, Kabaka Kalema Muguluma. However, Mwanga escaped and negotiated with the British. In exchange for handing over some of his sovereignty to the British East Africa Company, the British changed their backing to Mwanga, who swiftly removed Kalema from the throne in 1889. Mwanga later converted to Christianity and was baptized as a Protestant.
On 26 December 1890, Mwanga signed a treaty with Lord Lugard, granting certain powers over revenue, trade and the administration of justice to the Imperial British East Africa Company. These powers were transferred to the British Crown on 1 April 1893. On 27 August 1894, Mwanga accepted Buganda becoming a British protectorate, but on 6 July 1897, he declared war on the British. Defeated on 20 July 1897 by British-led forces at Buddu (in modern-day Masaka District), he fled into German East Africa where he was arrested and interned by German colonial authorities at Bukoba.