Barotziland–North-Western Rhodesia[1] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1899[2]–1911[3] | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Anthem: "God save the King/Queen" | |||||||||
_-_en.svg) South-central Africa, 1899–1911; North-Western Rhodesia is shaded red. | |||||||||
| Status | British protectorate | ||||||||
| Capital | Kalomo (1899-1907),Livingstone (1907-1911)[4] | ||||||||
| Common languages | English (official)Tonga andLozi | ||||||||
| Monarch | |||||||||
• 1899–1901 | Victoria | ||||||||
• 1901–1910 | Edward VII | ||||||||
• 1910-1911 | George V | ||||||||
| Administrator[5] | |||||||||
• 1900–1907(first) | Robert Thorne Coryndon | ||||||||
• 1907-1908 | Robert Edward Codrington | ||||||||
• 1909-1911(last) | Lawrence Aubrey Wallace | ||||||||
| Historical era | late 19th & early 20th centuries | ||||||||
• Established | 28 November 1899[2] | ||||||||
17 August 1911[3] | |||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
• Total | 182,000[7] sq mi (470,000 km2) | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• Estimate | 7[7] | ||||||||
| Currency | Southern Rhodesian pound | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Today part of | Zambia | ||||||||
Barotziland–North-Western Rhodesia was a Britishprotectorate insouth central Africa formed in 1899.[2] It encompassedNorth-Western Rhodesia.
The protectorate wasadministered under charter by theBritish South Africa Company. It was the largest of what were colloquially referred to as thethree Rhodesian protectorates,[7] the other two beingSouthern Rhodesia andNorth-Eastern Rhodesia. It was amalgamated withNorth-Eastern Rhodesia, another territory administered by the British South Africa Company, to formNorthern Rhodesia in 1911.[8]
In 1890 the British South Africa Company signed a treaty with KingLewanika of theBarotse, the most powerful traditional ruler in the Barotse territory.[9] King Lewanika signed the treaty because he was fearful of attack from the Portuguese (in Angola to the west) and from the Ndebele (Matabele) to the east and so wished to have British protection.[9]
The treaty did not confer protectorate status on the territory, as only theBritish government could confer that status. Nonetheless, the charter gave the Barotse territory protection while conferring on the Company rights over the territory's minerals as well as trading rights.[9]
In 1897Robert Coryndon, private secretary toCecil Rhodes, was sent by Rhodes to be the British South Africa Company representative inBarotseland.[10] In October 1897 he reached KingLewanika's capital,Lealui, where he was given a cool reception.[11] Lewanika could not initially accept that Coryndon could represent both the British South Africa Company and the United Kingdom government.
However, in November 1899Queen Victoria signed the Barotziland–North Western Rhodesia Order in Council, 1899. This Order amalgamated what wasNorth-Western Rhodesia withBarotseland and established over the whole territory a protectorate named Barotziland–North-Western Rhodesia.[2][12] Protectorate status was welcomed by King Lewanika.[13]
Under the Order, a regime for the Company's governance of the new protectorate was established. The new protectorate was administered by an Administrator appointed by theHigh Commissioner for South Africa.[7] The High Commissioner legislated by proclamation for the protectorate.[7] The protectorate was divided into nine administrative districts.[7]
In September 1900 Coryndon was appointed as the first Administrator. He held this post until 1907.[14] Coryndon was replaced byRobert Codrington, who died within a year of taking up office as Administrator.[14] The last person to serve as Administrator wasLawrence Aubrey Wallace.[14] The capital was initially atKalomo, and moved in 1907 toLivingstone.
When the protectorate was amalgamated withNorth-Eastern Rhodesia to formNorthern Rhodesia in 1911, the Administrator of Northern Rhodesia took over the functions that had been carried out by the Administrator of Barotziland–North-Western Rhodesia.[15]
The laws of England applied to the protectorate, as far as local circumstances permitted.[16] In actions between natives, native law and custom prevailed, save so far as the same were incompatible with the due exercise of His Britannic Majesty's power and jurisdiction.[17] The High Commissioner was empowered to provide for the administration of justice.[18] An Administrator's Court was established, consisting of three judges, of whom the Administrator was president, and Magistrates' Courts were also set up.[19] Decisions of these Courts could be appealed to the Administrator's Court. Appeals from the Protectorate Courts could be made to the Supreme Court ofCape Colony and from there to thePrivy Council in the United Kingdom.[7]
