Historical country records

Lesotho historical timeline

Lesotho

Date or termOfficeholder or eventCategory
1822Lesotho emerges as a polityLeaders
12 Mar 1868British protectorate (Basutoland)Leaders
1871 - 1884annexed to Cape ColonyLeaders
30 Apr 1965autonomyLeaders
4 Oct 1966independence (Kingdom of Lesotho)Leaders
1822 - 18 Jan 1870Moshoeshoe IParamount chiefs
18 Jan 1870 - 20 Nov 1891Letsie I MoshoeshoeParamount chiefs
20 Nov 1891 - 19 Aug 1905Lerotholi LetsieParamount chiefs
21 Aug 1905 - 28 Jan 1913Letsie II LerotholiParamount chiefs
11 Apr 1913 - Jul 1939Nathaniel Griffith LerotholiParamount chiefs
3 Aug 1939 - 26 Dec 1940Simon Seeiso GriffithParamount chiefs
26 Dec 1940 - 28 Jan 1941Gabasane Masopha (acting)Paramount chiefs
28 Jan 1941 - 12 Mar 1960'Mantsebo Amelia 'Matsaba SempeParamount chiefs
12 Mar 1960 - 30 Apr 1965Moshoeshoe IIParamount chiefs
30 Apr 1965 - 10 Feb 1970Moshoeshoe II (1st time)Kings
10 Feb 1970 - 5 Jun 1970Leabua Jonathan (Tona-Kholo)Kings
5 Jun 1970 - 5 Dec 1970Queen 'MaMohato (f) (1st time)Kings
5 Dec 1970 - 12 Nov 1990Moshoeshoe II (2nd time)Kings
10 Mar 1990 - 12 Nov 1990Queen 'MaMohato (f) (2nd time)Kings
12 Nov 1990 - 25 Jan 1995Letsie III (1st time)Kings
25 Jan 1995 - 15 Jan 1996Moshoeshoe II (3rd time)Kings
15 Jan 1996 - 7 Feb 1996Queen 'MaMohato (f) (3rd time)Kings
7 Feb 1996 -Letsie III (2nd time)Kings
6 May 1965 - 7 Jul 1965Sekhonyana Nehemia MaseribanePrime ministers
7 Jul 1965 - 20 Jan 1986Leabua JonathanPrime ministers
24 Jan 1986 - 2 May 1991Justin Metsing LekhanyaChairmen of the Military Council
2 May 1991 - 2 Apr 1993Elias Phisoana RamaemaChairmen of the Military Council
2 Apr 1993 - 17 Aug 1994Ntsu Mokhehle (1st time)Prime ministers
17 Aug 1994 - 14 Sep 1994Hae Phoofolo (interim)Prime ministers
14 Sep 1994 - 29 May 1998Ntsu Mokhehle (2nd time)Prime ministers
29 May 1998 -Pakalitha MosisiliPrime ministers
1868Walter CurrieGovernment Agents
1869 - 1871James Henry BowkerGovernment Agents
1871 - 1881Charles Duncan GriffithGovernment Agents
1881 - 1883Joseph Millerd OrpenGovernment Agents
1883 - 1884Matthew Smith BeythGovernment Agents
18 Mar 1884 - 1897Marshal James ClarkeResident commissioners
1897 - 1901Godfrey Yeatsman LagdenResident commissioners
1902 - 1916Sir Herbert Cecil SloleyResident commissioners
1916 - 1917Robert Thorne CoryndonResident commissioners
1917 - 1926Edward Charles Frederick GarrawayResident commissioners
Apr 1926 - 1935John Christian Ramsay SturrockResident commissioners
Mar 1935 - 1942Sir Edmund Charles Smith RichardsResident commissioners
Aug 1942 - 1946Charles Noble Arden-ClarkeResident commissioners
Nov 1946 - 1951Aubrey Denzil Forsyth-ThompsonResident commissioners
1952 - 1956Edwin Porter ArrowsmithResident commissioners
Sep 1956 - 1961Alan Geoffrey Tunstal ChaplinResident commissioners
1961 - 1966Alexander Falconer GilesResident commissioners