Home > Mswati III of Swaziland

He was the only child of Ntombi Thwala , a young wife of the elderly King Sobhuza, and he was named Makhosetwe (King of Nations).

When his father died of pneumonia in 1982, the royal council chose the 14-year-old prince Makhosetwe to be the next king. For the next four years two female relatives served as regent, Queen Dzeliwe Shongwe (1982-1983) and Queen Ntombi Thwala (1983-1986) while he continued with his education, attending the English Sherborne School.

He was introduced as crown prince in September 1983 and was crowned king on April 25, 1986. The king and his mother, whose title is Ndlovukazi (Great She-Elephant), rule jointly.

Today he is Africa's last absolute monarch. He rules by decree, and is strongly opposed to democratisation of his country, though he did restore the nation's parliament, which had been dissolved by his father.

In Swaziland no king can appoint his successor. Only the royal family decides which of the wives shall be "Great wife" and "Indlovukazi" (She-Elephant/ Queen Mother). The son of this "Great Wife" will automatically become the next king.

The "Great Wife" must only have one son, be of good character and come from a 'good' family. She must not bear the maiden name of Nkhosi-Dlamini and she must not be a ritual wife (i.e. the eldest son is never the heir).

The King has approximately 10 wives, but according to tradition, those who have not yet borne him a child are referred to as official fiancées, not queens. A Swazi king's first two wives are chosen for him by the national councillors. These two have special functions in rituals and their sons can never claim kingship. The first wife must be a member of the Matsebula clan, the second of the Motsa clan. According to tradition, he can only marry his fiancées after they have fallen pregnant, proving they can bear heirs. Until then, they are liphovela. In 2002 it was alleged he caused Zena Mahlangua to be kidnapped to become his tenth wife, but no charges were pressed against him in his own courts.

His wives are:

• LaMatsebula - has a degree in education
• LaMotsa
• LaNganganza
• LaMbikiza (born Sibonelo Mngomezulu), an advocate, received her degree from UNISA
• Delisa Magwaza, (born 19741974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 4 Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped ??) better known as Inkhosikati LaMagwaza - who has since left the king.
• Sentengi Masango (born 1981Events January-February January Sarawak Chamber found January 1 Greece enters the EEC January 1 Palau becomes self-governing January 4 Sheffield police arrests Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper January 16 Protestant gunmen shoot and wound Bernadette D ??)
• Putsoana Hwala, (born 19741974 is a common year starting on Tuesday (click on link for calendar). Events January-February January 5 Dungeons & Dragons officially released. February 4 Patricia Hearst, the 19 year old granddaughter of publisher William Randolph Hearst, is kidnapped ??) known as Inkhosikati LaHwala - has since left the king.
• LaGija
• LaMagongo
• Zena Mahlangu (born 1984This page is about the year 1984. For other uses of 1984, see 1984 (disambiguation). 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday (link shows calendar). Events January January 1 Brunei becomes a fully independent state January 1 AT&T is broken up into 22 indepe ??), traditional marriage ceremony May, 20042004 is a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 2004 calendar), and has also been designated the: International Year of Rice International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition Elections are to be held in 73 co
• Noliqhwa Ntentesa
• Nothando Dube, a Miss Teenage Swaziland finalist at age 16, chosen at the annual Reed Dance ceremony on August 30August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. Events 1574 Guru Ram Das became the Fourth Sikh Guru/Master 1813 Battle of Kulm French forces defeated by Austrian- Prussian- Russian alliance, 2004 while she was a grade 9 pupil at Mater Dorolosa High school.

The annual Reed Dance is an assembly of about 20,000 young maidens who bring a tall (4 metre) reed to present to the king. Traditionally it is a time when the king can choose another wife.