Marthinus Wessel Pretorius

Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (1819 - 1901) was a Politician of South Africa, President of the Republic of the Transvaal (South African Republic) and founder of Pretoria.

Born the September 17th 1819 with Graaff-Reinet, Colony of the Cape, wire of the chief Voortrekker Andries Pretorius, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius is the first president of the republic of Transvaal.

The Founder of Pretoria (1853-1855)

In 1853, it succeeds his/her father as a commander-general of the 2 districts of Transvaal of Potchefstroom and Rustenburg.
In August 1853, it locates fertile grounds on Elandspoort, the farm of Andries van der Walt, and decides to make there build a new city. The first high buildings are those of a religious congregation and the site is baptized Pretoria-Philadelphia. The November 16th 1855, it obtains from the twelve members of Volksraad (the Parliament boer), the recognition of this city under the shortened name of Pretoria, baptized in the honor of his/her father. It becomes the official capital of Transvaal on May 1st 1860.

A Military chief (1855-1857)

In 1854, it leads the reprisals against the tribal chief Makapan, author of the massacre of 10 women and children boers, who ended in the death of more than 3000 men of Makapan, killed or died of hunger in the caves of Zoutpansberg.

In December 1856, the representatives of the districts of Potchefstroom, Rustenburg and Pretoria approve a new constitution.

The President of Transvaal (1857-1871)

The January 6th 1857, the Republic of South Africa (Transvaal) is made up and Pretorius formally elected President although Boers of the districts of Lydenburg, Utrecht and Zoutpansberg refuse to recognize the new republic.

President of Transvaal, the objective of Pretorius is to link the 2 republics boers resulting from the treaty Sand River in only one State boer, directed by a strong central government.

Helped by the active co-operation of the commander Paul Kruger, he managed to receive the support of many boers of the free State of Orange and in 1859 to be also made some elect president.

Unification of the Boers republics behind only one president (1860-1863)

Little before its nomination in February 1860 with the free report heading Orange, Pretorius succeeds in pacifying and joining together the boers of Lydenburg to those of the other districts of Transvaal.
Anarchy did not continue any less to reign in the districts of the transvaal raising concerns of the boers of the free State.

The April 15th 1863, Pretorius is solved to resign of the presidency of the free State to devote itself to the fratricidal conflicts which reign in Transvaal.

The Peacemaker of Transvaal

In January 1864, it managed to impose civil peace and to be made re-elect with the head for the first time of plain Transvaal.

Expansionism of Transvaal

Partisan of the expansion of the territories boers, it tries in 1868 to make annex to Transvaal the Bechouanaland and other territories more in the East to bay of Delagoa.

In 1870, re-elected once again, it tries to convince the Bechuanas chiefs to require their fastening of Transvaal to avoid the seizure Britannique on their territory, at one time when several diamond layers were discovered in this région.
Pretorius failed to convince the tribal chiefs and relied unilaterally on the arbitration of the lieutenant-governor of Native which rejected the claims boers of Transvaal.
By accepting the decision honestly, Pretorius raised the indignation of its compatriots.

In November 1871, the Parliament of the people (Volksraad) refused to ratify the arbitration occurred pushing Pretorius with the resignation of the presidency. It is replaced by the reverend Thomas François Burgers.

The first war of the boers (1877-1883)

Following the first British annexation of Transvaal in 1877, Pretorius takes part in the actions boers tending to restore independence.

Stopped in 1880, he refuses a seat at the executive council of Transvaal but agrees to promote the principle of a self government. In December 1880, it is charged with Paul Kruger and P. Joubert, to set up a government. Signatory of the convention of Pretoria, member of Triumvirate, it awaits the election of Kruger to the presidency in 1883 to withdraw public life.

In 1887, it is on the grounds of its farm of Paardekraal, repurchased by the government of Trasnvaal, which it founds the mining city of Krugersdorp, baptized in homage to Paul Kruger.

The second war of the boers

At the end of its life, very critical of the Kruger administration, Pretorius tries to shorten the Guerre of Boers by trying mediations with Louis Botha and Lord Kitchener.

Marthinus Wessel Pretorius is deceased in Potchefstroom, Transvaal, the May 19th 1901.

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