Episode 274 - The Pretoria Convention ends the First Anglo-Boer War, Suzerainty Unresolved

About this episode

This episode discusses the aftermath of the First Anglo-Boer War, focusing on the events surrounding the Pretoria Convention and the impact of the battle of Majuba.

The hill of Doves — in isiZulu amaJuba means the place of many doves or pigeons. It became a place of violence and blood, and yet the catastrophic defeat of the British at Majuba was indeed to lead to peace. The doves would fly again albeit fleetingly. As you heard last episode, British commander General George Colley had been one of the casualties of the battle — Sir Evelyn Wood was now in charge of the empire’s army in the Transvaal. Or to be more accurate, in Natal attempting to enter the Transvaal. Colley was buried at Mount Prospect — the British base below Laings Nek in sight of Majuba — letters of condolence were sent to his wife Lady Colley by the Town councils of Pietermaritzburg and Durban .. and also by the Transvaal Boer Leaders. Colley had asked that his body should be allowed to remain where he fell on the battlefield, and so it was. His wife would have to travel to the Transvaal border to see where he lay. A state of war existed, the Boers continued to besiege all British garrisons in the Transvaal in early 1881. More about that in a moment. The Summer rains were falling, drenching the landscape like the blood of Majuba, and both sides sought peace. Boer emissaries…

People in this episode

Host: Desmond Latham

Topics covered

• First Anglo-Boer War
• British military history
• Boer leadership
• peace negotiations
• historical battles

Keywords

• Pretoria Convention
• Anglo-Boer War
• Majuba
• Evelyn Wood
• British defeat
• Boer leaders
• peace talks

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Transvaal Boer Leaders

Places: Transvaal, Natal, Mount Prospect, Laings Nek, Pietermaritzburg, Durban

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