Louis Botha Biography

Birth of Louis Botha, Natal

Louis Botha is born near Greytown in Natal.

The future Boer general and South African prime minister is born.

Is elected to the Transvaal Volksraad for Vryheid.

Begins a prominent political career before the South African War.

Appointed Commander of the Transvaal Army

Enters active campaigning despite having opposed the war.

Joins the Vryheid commando when war begins.

British defeats during Black Week expose early military failure.

Commands Boer forces contributing to the victory at Colenso.

Defeats Buller's army at Colenso.

Helps defeat Buller's attempt to relieve Ladysmith.

Takes part in operations around the siege and relief of Ladysmith.

Adopts mobile guerrilla tactics after British occupation of major towns.

Maintains armed resistance despite formal British annexation.

Helps defeat British forces at Spion Kop.

Helps organize Boer resistance during the battle of Spion Kop.

Contributes to another British failure on the Upper Tugela.

Botha's Boer forces oppose Buller's renewed attempt to cross the Tugela and establish a bridgehead at Vaal Krantz.

Assumes leadership of the Transvaal forces after Piet Joubert's death.

Becomes the principal Transvaal commander during the remaining war.

Botha commands the Boer defence at Diamond Hill and withdraws after two days of fighting.

The Boer Army is defeated

Is defeated as the British advance through the Transvaal.

Roberts formally proclaims the annexation of the Transvaal

Botha launches a night attack on Smith-Dorrien's force at Chrissiesmeer but cannot hold the British camp.

Rejects terms that do not satisfy the Boer leadership.

Meets Kitchener to discuss possible peace.

Meets Lord Kitchener to discuss possible peace terms.

Botha defeats a British force

Defeats a British column at Bakenlaagte.

Defeats a British force at Bakenlaagte.

Achieves a major late-war tactical success in eastern Transvaal.

Supports negotiations ending prolonged resistance to British forces.

The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War.

Participates in the Boer peace conference at Vereeniging.

British forces occupy the Orange Free State and rename it the Orange River Colony.

British troops enter Pretoria during Roberts's advance.

Accepts peace while seeking future self-government for Afrikaners.

The Treaty of Vereeniging ends the Second Boer War.

Signs the Treaty of Vereeniging ending the Second Boer War.

Promotes conciliation, self-government and Afrikaner political recovery.

Helps build Het Volk as a Transvaal political party.

Botha sends Smuts to London to plead with the newly elected Liberal Government

Botha sends Smuts to London to plead with the newly elected Liberal Government

Sends Jan Smuts to London to argue for Transvaal self-government.

Uses Britain's Liberal victory to press for responsible government.

Botha declares Afrikaaner loyalty to the British Empire

Botha presents the Cullinan diamond to Edward VII

Presents the Cullinan diamond to King Edward VII.

The Education Act makes English, not Dutch, a common school-learning subject

The British Government agrees a loan of 5 million pounds to the Transvaal

Bothas party forms the National Convention for South African unity

The Education Act makes English, not Dutch, a common school-learning subject

The majority of Chinese labourers are repatriated

Uses the gift as a gesture of postwar reconciliation.

Bothas party forms the National Convention for South African unity

The Het Volk, including many English-speaking allies, win the election

Becomes prime minister under restored responsible government.

Forms a government supported by Afrikaner and English-speaking allies.

Appointed Prime Minister of the Transvaal

Forms the Transvaal government after Het Volk wins the election.

Becomes prime minister after Het Volk wins the Transvaal election.

Botha attends the opening of Parliament by Lord Selbourne

Publicly emphasizes Afrikaner loyalty within the British Empire.

Attends the Imperial Conference as Transvaal prime minister.

The British agree self-Government for the Traansval

The British agree to self-Government for the Orange River Colony

The British agree to self-Government for the Orange River Colony

The British agree self-Government for the Traansval

Reinforces the foundation of the National Convention

Reinforces the foundation of the National Convention

Supports customs discussions encouraging closer union among the colonies.

Helps build momentum for a national constitutional convention.

Participates prominently in the National Convention on South African union.

Advocates political unification of the four self-governing colonies.

Welcomes enactment of the South Africa Act by Britain.

Sees the constitutional framework for the Union receive royal assent.

South Africas 1st general election

The Deptartment of Native Affairs takes over the 4 colonial departments

South Africas 1st general election. Bothas party wins 66 seats, mostly Afrikaners, in a house of 121

The British Parliament ratifies the National Conventions unified Government

The British Parliament ratifies the National Conventions unified Government

1st Prime Minister of the Union Government, in the Transvaal

Becomes the first prime minister-designate of the Union of South Africa.

Is asked by Lord Gladstone to form the Union government.

South Africa becomes a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire. Proclamation of the Union of South Africa

Heads the first cabinet of the Union of South Africa.

Heads the new dominion formed from four former colonies.

Composed of Natal, Cape of Good Hope, Orange Free State & the Transvaal

South Africa becomes a self-governing Dominion of the British Empire

Proclamation of the Union of South Africa. Composed of Natal, Cape of Good Hope, Orange Free State & the Transvaal

Begins governing the new dominion from its administrative capital.

Takes office as first prime minister when the Union begins.

Leads his supporters to victory in the first Union election.

General election outcome recorded for Louis Botha: Leads his supporters to victory in the first Union election.

Government context for this general election: Leads his supporters to victory in the first Union election.

Leads his supporters to victory in the first Union election.

Continues as prime minister after the September general election.

Leads formation of the South African Party after Union.

Creates a broad governing organization around reconciliation and union.

Botha dissolves the cabinet

Oversees legislation creating the Union Defence Force.

Forms a new cabinet without Hertzog. Excludes Hertzog because of his policy of English-Dutch bilingualism

The Defence Act provides for a Union Defence Force

The Defence Act provides for a Union Defence Force

The Defence Act provides for a Union Defence Force

Establishes a unified military structure for the Union.

Reconstructs his cabinet after political conflict with Hertzog.

Forms a new cabinet without Hertzog

Excludes Hertzog as divisions among Afrikaner politicians deepen.

Resigns after Hertzogs "South Africa First" speech

The Bantu Land Act creates a territorial division between the Bantu & Whites

The Bantu Land Act creates a territorial division between the Bantu & Whites

Heads the government when the Natives Land Act becomes law.

The act severely restricts African land ownership and tenancy.

Rallies South Africa to the Commonwealth

Conquers German SW Africa

Rallies South Africa to the Commonwealth

Suppresses a Boer revolt under General de Wet

Suppresses a Boer revolt under General de Wet

Faces armed rebellion from antiwar Afrikaner commandos.

Chooses to suppress the revolt with loyal Union forces.

Faces an Afrikaner revolt against the invasion of German South West Africa.

Commands loyalist forces against rebel commandos.

Helps break organized resistance during the Afrikaner rebellion.

Commands government forces against rebel commandos.

Captures Southwest Africa

Appointed Party Leader of the National Party. Almost defeated by the Nationalist Party but allies with the Anglophile Unionist Party

Campaigns on a platform of neutrality & gradual progress towards full independence

Personally commands Union forces in German South West Africa.

Campaigns on a platform of neutrality & gradual progress towards full independence. Appointed Party Leader of the South Africa National Party

Appointed Prime Minister of South Africa, 2nd term

South West Africa is placed under South African military administration

Directs a multi-pronged campaign against German colonial troops.

Swakopmund in German South West Africa is captured by forces under Louis Botha

Windhoek in German South West Africa is captured by forces under Louis Botha

Receives the unconditional surrender of German forces in the territory.

Completes the Union conquest of German South West Africa.

Represents South Africa at the Paris Peace Conference.

Works with Jan Smuts on the postwar international settlement.