Monday, April 23, 2012

This Day in Southern African History: 23 April, 1881. Agreement on terms to end Transvaal War is ratified




Paving the way for the end of  the First Anglo-Boer War (Transvaal War of Independence or First Transvaal War), a provisional armistice was agreed upon by General Sir Evelyn Wood of the British forces and Republican General J.P. Joubert on 6 March 1881. This followed after the British forces were defeated in several battles, including at Majuba. Peace negotiations started, which led to an agreement reached on 23 March 1881. The preparation of a treaty between the restored Republic and Britain was entrusted to the Royal Commission, consisting of Wood, Sir Hercules Robinson and Judge J.H. de Villiers, who was to determine the borders of the 'Transvaal State'. The final end of the war was reached with the signing of the Convention of Pretoria on 3 August 1881, recognising limited independence of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR or Transvaal Republic). The Volksraad accepted the provisions of the Convention with reluctance, as it differed considerably from those agreed upon in March.

Source:
Potgieter, D.J. et al. (eds)(1970). Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, Cape Town: NASOU, v. 1, p. 383 & v. 10, p. 611.

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