Paul Kruger facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Paul Kruger
Kruger in 1883
5th State President of the South African Republic
In office 9 May 1883 – 31 May 1902
Vice President	Piet Joubert Nicolaas Smit Piet Joubert Schalk Willem Burger
Preceded by	Triumvirate
Succeeded by	Schalk Willem Burger (acting)
Member of the Triumvirate
In office 8 August 1881 – 9 May 1883 Serving with Marthinus Pretorius and Piet Joubert
Preceded by	Thomas Burgers (as President)
Personal details
Born	Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (1825-10-10)10 October 1825 Steynsburg, Cape Colony (now South Africa)
Died	14 July 1904(1904-07-14) (aged 78) Clarens, Switzerland
Resting place	Heroes' Acre, Pretoria
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Spouses	Maria du Plessis ​ ​ (m. 1842; her death 1846)​ Gezina du Plessis ​ ​ (m. 1847; her death 1901)​
Children	18
Signature

Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger (10 October 1825 – 14 July 1904) was an important South African politician. He was a leading figure in the politics and military of 19th-century South Africa. He served as the State President of the South African Republic (also known as Transvaal) from 1883 to 1900. People often called him Oom Paul, which means "Uncle Paul".

Kruger became famous around the world as the leader of the Boer people. The Boers were Dutch-speaking settlers in the Transvaal and the nearby Orange Free State. He led them against Britain during the Second Boer War (1899–1902). Some people see him as a hero who represented the Afrikaner way of life. Others have different opinions about him.

Kruger was born near the Cape Colony. As a child, he took part in the Great Trek in the late 1830s. He had very little formal schooling, mostly learning from the Bible. He was a student of the Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius. Kruger was there when the Sand River Convention was signed with Britain in 1852. Over the next ten years, he helped create the South African Republic. He led its commandos (groups of armed citizens) and settled arguments between Boer leaders. In 1863, he became Commandant-General, a role he held for ten years.

In March 1877, Kruger became Vice President. Soon after, Britain took control of the South African Republic, calling it the Transvaal. For the next three years, he went to London twice to try and reverse this. He became the main leader in the fight to make the South African Republic independent again. This led to the Boers winning the First Boer War (1880–1881). Kruger then served as part of a three-person leadership group (a triumvirate) until 1883. After that, he was elected President. In 1884, he led a third trip to London. There, he helped create the London Convention, which made Britain recognize the South African Republic as a fully independent state.

In 1886, thousands of British settlers arrived because of the Witwatersrand Gold Rush. These "uitlanders" (foreigners) paid most of the taxes in the South African Republic. However, they had no say in the government. The Boer citizens (burghers) kept control. The "uitlander problem" and the growing tensions with Britain became Kruger's main focus for the rest of his time as president. He was re-elected in 1888, 1893, and 1898. These tensions led to the Jameson Raid in 1895–1896 and eventually the Second Boer War.

As the war turned against the Boers in 1900, Kruger left for Europe. He spent the rest of his life in exile, refusing to return home after Britain won. He died in Switzerland at age 78 in 1904. His body was brought back to South Africa for a state funeral. He was buried in the Heroes' Acre in Pretoria.

Kruger's Early Life

Family and Childhood Years

Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger was born on 10 October 1825. His birthplace was Bulhoek, a farm in the Steynsburg area of the Cape Colony. He was the third child of Casper Jan Hendrik Kruger and Elsje Steyn. His family were Afrikaners, who spoke Dutch. They had German, French Huguenot, and Dutch ancestors.

Paul was baptized in Cradock in 1826. Soon after, his parents bought their own farm near Colesberg. When he was eight, his mother died. His father remarried and had more children. Paul learned to read and write from relatives. He also had three months of lessons from a traveling tutor. His father taught him about the Calvinist religion. As an adult, Kruger said he had only ever read the Bible.

The Great Trek Journey

In 1835, Paul's father and uncles moved their families east. They set up farms near the Caledon River. The Cape had been under British rule since 1814. Many Boers were unhappy with British rule. For example, English became the only official language, and slavery was ended in 1834. This led to the Great Trek. This was a huge move by Dutch-speaking "Voortrekkers" (pioneers) north-east from the Cape. They went to the land beyond the Orange and Vaal rivers.

In early 1836, a group of emigrants led by Hendrik Potgieter passed through the Krugers' camps. Potgieter wanted to create a Boer republic. He impressed the Krugers enough that they joined his group of Voortrekkers. Paul's father continued to teach the children religion during the trek. They would recite or write down Bible passages every day.

The Voortrekkers faced competition from the Ndebele people. On 16 October 1836, 11-year-old Kruger took part in the Battle of Vegkop. Potgieter's laager (a circle of wagons) was attacked by about 4,000–6,000 Ndebele warriors. Kruger and other young children helped by casting bullets. The women and older boys helped the fighting men. Kruger could remember the battle clearly even when he was old.

In 1837 and 1838, Kruger's family was part of the Voortrekker group that went further east into Natal. There, they met American missionary Daniel Lindley, who helped young Paul with his spiritual journey. The Zulu King Dingane made a land treaty with Potgieter. But then he changed his mind and killed Piet Retief's group of settlers and others at Weenen. Kruger later said his family's group was attacked by Zulus after the Retief massacre.

Because of the attacks, the Krugers returned to the highveld. They helped Potgieter's campaign that forced the Ndebele people to move north. Kruger and his father settled near the Magaliesberg mountains in the Transvaal. In Natal, Andries Pretorius defeated more than 10,000 of Dingane's Zulus at the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838. This day later became known as the Day of the Vow for the Boers.

Becoming a Citizen and Leader

Boer tradition said that men could choose two large farms when they became full citizens (burghers) at age 16. Kruger set up his home at Boekenhoutfontein, near Rustenburg. In 1842, Kruger married Maria du Plessis, who was only 14. The same year, Kruger was chosen as a deputy field cornet. This was a big honor for a 17-year-old. This role was like a local judge and a junior military officer.

Kruger was already very skilled in the wilderness. He was a great horseman and a guerrilla fighter. He spoke Dutch, some English, and several African languages. He had shot a lion when he was a boy. He almost died several times during his hunting trips.

Britain took control of the Voortrekkers' short-lived Natalia Republic in 1843. Pretorius led a short Boer resistance. By 1845, Kruger was part of an expedition to Delagoa Bay in Mozambique. They negotiated a border with Portugal. Maria and their first child died of fever in January 1846. In 1847, Kruger married her cousin, Gezina du Plessis.

In 1848, the British Governor Sir Harry Smith took control of the area between the Orange and Vaal rivers. He called it the "Orange River Sovereignty". Pretorius led a Boer attack against this, but they were defeated. Kruger greatly admired Pretorius. Kruger wanted to unite the emigrants and get Britain to recognize their land as independent. On 17 January 1852, Kruger was present at the signing of the Sand River Convention. Britain recognized the "Emigrant Farmers" in the Transvaal as independent. They called themselves the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek ("South African Republic").

Field Cornet Duties

The Boers and the local Tswana and Basotho groups often fought over land. Kruger was elected field cornet of his district in 1852. In August that year, he took part in a raid against the Tswana chief Sechele I. Kruger narrowly escaped death twice. First, shrapnel hit his head but did not cut him. Later, a Tswana bullet tore his jacket but did not wound him.

Some people criticized the Boers for taking women and children from tribal settlements. The Boers said these people were "apprentices" who were cared for and trained. However, many saw this as a way to get cheap labor.

Kruger was promoted to lieutenant. In December 1852, he was part of a commando sent to get back stolen cattle. On 23 July 1853, Pretorius died. He had wanted to see Kruger before he died, but Kruger arrived too late. Pretorius was one of the first to see Kruger's potential.

Kruger as Commandant

Becoming a Mediator

Pretorius's eldest son, Marthinus Wessel Pretorius, became the new Commandant-General. He promoted Kruger to commandant. The younger Pretorius wanted to rule both the Transvaal and the Orange River area. But almost no one, not even Kruger, agreed. On 23 February 1854, the Orange River Convention was signed. This ended British rule there and recognized the Oranje-Vrijstaat ("Orange Free State").

Bloemfontein became the Free State's capital. The Transvaal government moved to Pretoria. The South African Republic was divided between different regions. Kruger's first campaign as a commandant was in late 1854. He fought against chiefs Mapela and Makapan near the Waterberg. The chiefs retreated into the Caves of Makapan. Thousands of defenders died, mostly from starvation. When Commandant-General Piet Potgieter was killed, Kruger bravely went under heavy fire to get his body.

Marthinus Pretorius wanted to unite the Transvaal. In 1855, he appointed a commission, including Kruger, to write a constitution. Some regions rejected it. Pretorius tried again in 1856. The new constitution created a national parliament (Volksraad) and a president. Pretorius became the first president on 6 January 1857. Kruger suggested Stephanus Schoeman for national Commandant-General to bring unity. But Schoeman refused to serve under the new constitution.

The Transvaal was almost in a civil war. Tensions also grew with the Orange Free State. Kruger was loyal to Pretorius, even though he had doubts about him. When Pretorius called up his forces against the Free State, Kruger was upset. He spoke against fighting fellow Boers. Kruger met with the Free State President Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff under a white flag. They reached an agreement on 2 June 1857. Pretorius would drop his claim on the Free State. Kruger also helped make peace between the Free State and Moshoeshoe I of the Basotho. On 28 June 1858, Schoeman appointed Kruger Assistant Commandant-General.

The "Dopper Church"

Kruger believed God guided his life. He knew large parts of the Bible by heart. He understood the Bible literally, even believing the Earth was flat. He held this belief strongly until he died.

Kruger belonged to the "Doppers". This group had about 6,000 members and followed a very strict interpretation of Calvinist beliefs. They focused on the Old Testament. They did not want hymns or organs in church. In 1859, the main church in the Transvaal decided to use modern hymns. Kruger led a group of Doppers who left the church. They formed the Gereformeerde Kerke van Zuid-Afrika (GK), also known as the "Dopper Church". This also affected politics, as only members of the main church could take part in public affairs under the 1858 constitution.

Civil War and Leadership

In late 1859, Pretorius was asked to run for president in the Orange Free State. The Transvaal constitution made it illegal to hold office in another country. But Pretorius accepted and won. He resigned as President of the Transvaal and continued in the Free State.

Schoeman tried to take over as Acting President but was stopped. Willem Cornelis Janse van Rensburg became Acting President. Kruger was surprised when the Volksraad suggested him as a candidate for president. He said his Dopper Church membership meant he could not enter politics. Van Rensburg quickly passed a law giving equal political rights to all Reformed churches.

Schoeman gathered a commando, but Kruger defeated him on 9 October 1862. Kruger and Pretorius agreed to hold new elections. Schoeman was found guilty of rebellion and banished. In May 1863, Van Rensburg became president, and Kruger became commandant-general. They decided to hold another election because of low voter turnout. Pretorius returned from the Orange Free State and ran against Van Rensburg. Kruger was re-elected commandant-general by a large majority. The Transvaal Civil War ended with Kruger's victory on 5 January 1864. Elections were held again, and Pretorius defeated Van Rensburg. Kruger was re-elected commandant-general.

The civil war caused the Transvaal's economy to collapse. In 1865, tensions rose with the Zulus, and war broke out between the Orange Free State and the Basotho. Pretorius and Kruger led a commando to help the Free State. The Basotho were defeated. The Transvaal men were upset because they did not get any conquered land. They returned home. The next February, Kruger broke his left leg in a cart accident. This injury kept him out of action for nine months. His left leg was shorter after that.

In 1867, Kruger was sent to bring order to Zoutpansberg. He had few men and little ammunition. He had to evacuate the town of Schoemansdal, which was then destroyed. Many Boers saw this as a great humiliation. Peace returned to Zoutpansberg in 1869.

Pretorius resigned as president in November 1871. In the 1872 election, Kruger's choice lost to Thomas François Burgers. Burgers was a church minister known for his speeches but also for his liberal views on the Bible. Kruger accepted Burgers's election but had serious concerns. He especially disliked Burgers's new education law, which limited religious teaching in schools. This, along with his family's illness, made Kruger lose interest in his job. In May 1873, he asked to leave his post, and Burgers agreed. The job of commandant-general was then ended. Kruger moved to his farm and stayed out of public life for a while.

Diamonds and Delegations

Under President Burgers

Burgers tried to modernize the South African Republic. He wanted to create a united, independent South Africa. He brought in many officials from the Netherlands. Around this time, diamonds were found in Boer territory. This made Britain and other countries interested. Many British settlers, called "uitlanders," moved to the area. Britain wanted to unite the Boer republics with the Cape and Natal. In 1873, Britain took control of the area around the diamond mine at Kimberley.

Some Doppers preferred to move away rather than live under Burgers. This led to the Dorsland Trek of 1874, where emigrants moved towards Angola. They asked Kruger to lead, but he refused. In 1874, Burgers suggested building a railway to Delagoa Bay and went to Europe to raise money. By the time he left, Kruger had been restored to the executive council.

In 1876, fighting broke out with the Bapedi people under Sekhukhune. Burgers returned and decided to send a commando against Sekhukhune. He asked Kruger to lead, but Kruger refused. Kruger believed God would make any military trip led by Burgers fail. Burgers, who had no military experience, led the commando himself. After being defeated, he hired "volunteers" to defend the country. This made Burgers very unpopular.

Kruger became a popular choice for the next election. But he decided to support Burgers after Burgers promised to defend the republic's independence. British influence was growing in Transvaal towns. In late 1876, Lord Carnarvon, the British Colonial Secretary, sent Sir Theophilus Shepstone to annex the Transvaal if he thought it was right.

British Takeover and First Delegations

Shepstone arrived in Pretoria in January 1877. He criticized the Transvaal government and supported the idea of a federation. Shepstone stayed in the capital, openly telling Burgers he was there to annex the country. Burgers tried to reform the government to stop the annexation. He appointed Kruger to the new position of vice-president.

The British officials in Pretoria thought Kruger was a simple farmer. They found his appearance and habits, like spitting, unpleasant. They did not see him as a big threat to British plans.

Shepstone officially announced Britain's annexation of the Transvaal on 11 April 1877. Burgers resigned. His last act was to send a delegation, led by Kruger and Jorissen, to London to protest. They left in May 1877. Kruger, at 51, rode a train for the first time. In Cape Town, he saw the sea for the first time.

In England, Kruger's colleagues were amazed by him. One night, when they discussed the universe, Kruger said if the Earth was not flat, he might as well throw his Bible overboard. At the Colonial Office, Kruger argued that the annexation broke the Sand River Convention. He said it went against the will of the people in the Transvaal. But British officials reported otherwise. Lord Carnarvon said British rule would remain.

Kruger did not meet Queen Victoria, though some stories say he did. He visited the Netherlands and Germany. He made a strong impression in Reformed churches. He returned to South Africa in late 1877. He found that people in the Transvaal were becoming more aware of their national identity. When Kruger visited Pretoria in January 1878, he was met by a large crowd. He told them that since the annexation would not be reversed, he did not see what more they could do. The crowd then shouted that they would rather die fighting than submit to the British.

Kruger still hoped Britain would correct its mistake. After a poll showed most people were against the annexation, he organized a second delegation to London. This time, it was Kruger and Piet Joubert, with Willem Eduard Bok as secretary. They arrived in London on 29 June 1878. The new Colonial Secretary, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, received them coldly. He asked if the British Lion had ever given up anything it had taken. Kruger replied: "Yes. The Orange Free State."

The delegation stayed in London for weeks, but Hicks Beach confirmed the annexation would not be reversed. Kruger was given a gold ring with the words: "Take courage, your cause is just and must triumph in the end." Kruger was touched and wore it for the rest of his life.

Like the first delegation, the second one went to Europe. In Paris, Kruger saw a hot air balloon for the first time and went up in it. He joked that he wanted the pilot to take him all the way home. The delegation wrote a long letter to Hicks Beach, which was published in British newspapers. It said that unless the annexation was reversed, the Transvaal Boers would not help with federation.

Push for Independence

Kruger and Joubert returned home to find Britain and the Zulus close to war. Kruger gave tactical advice for the British campaign. He suggested using Boer tactics, like making laagers (wagon circles) and scouting ahead. But he refused to join the British columns unless the Transvaal's independence was guaranteed. The British commander, Lord Chelmsford, did not take Kruger's advice. In January 1879, his forces were almost destroyed by Zulus at Isandlwana.

The war in Zululand ended in July 1879. Sir Garnet Wolseley became the new British Governor for the Transvaal and Natal. He gave the Boers some self-government. But his defeat of the Zulus and Bapedi made the Transvaalers focus all their efforts against the British. Most Boers refused to work with Wolseley. Kruger declined a seat in the new executive council.

At Wonderfontein on 15 December 1879, 6,000 Boers gathered. They voted to restore an independent republic. Pretorius and Bok were jailed for treason when they told Wolseley this. Kruger convinced the Boers not to rise up yet. Pretorius and Bok were released after Jorissen contacted British politician William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstone had criticized the annexation.

In early 1880, Kruger traveled to the Cape to speak against federation. By then, Gladstone was prime minister in Britain. Kruger spoke strongly against the annexation and gained much support. He and Joubert wrote to Gladstone asking for the South African Republic's independence back. But Gladstone replied that he feared withdrawing might lead to chaos. Kruger realized they had done all they could peacefully. The Transvaal Boers began preparing for rebellion.

In late 1880, the British began collecting taxes from Boers who had not paid. Piet Cronjé, a farmer, said Boers would only pay taxes to their "legal government"—the South African Republic. In November, British authorities tried to sell a Boer's wagon that had been seized for taxes. Cronjé and armed Boers stopped them and took the wagon back. Kruger told Joubert: "I can no longer restrain the people."

On 8 December 1880, 10,000 Boers gathered at Paardekraal. Kruger declared: "I stand here before you, called by the people. In the voice of the people I have heard the voice of God... and I obey!" He announced the restoration of the South African Republic government. The assembly approved a statement announcing this. Kruger, Pretorius, and Joubert formed an executive triumvirate.

The Triumvirate's Rule

First Boer War: A Fight for Freedom

Kruger suggested that Joubert be elected Commandant-General, even though Joubert had little military experience. The new government set up a temporary capital at Heidelberg. They sent a message to the British, demanding they surrender. The British refused and prepared their forces.

Kruger's role in the First Boer War was mainly diplomatic and political. The first big fight happened on 20 December 1880. The Boers successfully ambushed British forces. By the end of the year, the Transvaalers were surrounding all six British outposts. The British commander, Sir George Pomerley Colley, gathered troops and advanced. Joubert's Boers defeated Colley at Laing's Nek on 28 January 1881. Colley was defeated again on 8 February.

Kruger knew the Boers could not fight the British Empire forever. He hoped for a quick solution. The triumvirate wrote to Colley on 12 February, offering to talk. Colley replied on 21 February that if the Boers stopped fighting, he would stop hostilities and send commissioners for talks. Kruger received this letter on 28 February and accepted. But it was too late. Colley had been killed at the Battle of Majuba Hill the day before. This was another big victory for the Boers. This defeat of the British by farmers shocked the world.

Colley's death worried Kruger. He feared it would stop the peace process. Kruger's reply was given to Colley's successor, Sir Evelyn Wood, on 7 March 1881. Wood and Joubert had already agreed to an eight-day truce. Kruger was angry about the truce, thinking it gave the British time to get stronger. But Gladstone wanted peace, and Wood was told to continue talks. Negotiations began on 16 March. The British offered to give the Transvaal back under British suzerainty (meaning Britain would have some control, especially over foreign affairs). Kruger wanted to know what "suzerainty" meant. An agreement was reached on 21 March. The British promised to formally restore the republic within six months. The final treaty was signed on 23 March 1881.

The Pretoria Convention

Kruger presented the treaty to the Volksraad on 15 April 1881. He said he was grateful to God and that their respect for the Queen of England and the English nation had never been greater. He believed in the royal commission that would oversee the treaty. Kruger was mostly happy with the terms. But he disliked two things: the British would call them the "Transvaal Republic" instead of the South African Republic, and he was still unsure what "suzerainty" meant.

The commission defined suzerainty as Britain having control over the Transvaal's foreign affairs. The final Pretoria Convention was signed on 3 August 1881. Kruger was sick and could not attend. But he was there for the official return of the republic five days later. He gave a short speech, and the vierkleur (four-color) flag was raised.

Kruger, almost 56, decided he could no longer travel constantly between his farm and the capital. In August 1881, he and Gezina moved to Church Street, Pretoria. From there, he could easily walk to the government offices. Around this time, he shaved off his mustache and most of his beard, keeping only the chinstrap beard he wore for the rest of his life. His permanent home, now called Kruger House, was finished in 1884.

The end of British rule led to an economic downturn. The Transvaal government was almost bankrupt. The triumvirate spent two months discussing the Pretoria Convention with the new Volksraad. Kruger said they had to approve it or go back to fighting. It was finally approved on 25 October 1881. Kruger introduced tax reforms and decided to grant industrial monopolies to raise money. He also appointed a Superintendent of Education. To limit the influence of foreigners, the time needed to vote was raised from one year to five years.

In July 1882, the Volksraad decided to elect a new president the next year. Joubert and Kruger were the candidates. Kruger promised to prioritize farming, industry, and education. He wanted to revive the Delagoa Bay railway plan. He also wanted an immigration policy that would "prevent the Boer nationality from being stifled." He promised to be friendly towards Britain and "obedient native races." He defeated Joubert and became president on 9 May 1883.

Kruger as President

Third Delegation and London Convention

Kruger became president shortly after gold was discovered near Barberton. This brought a new wave of foreign gold diggers. Joubert, who remained commandant-general and became vice-president, predicted that this gold would "soak our country in blood."

A complicated situation arose on the Transvaal's western border. Boers had crossed the border and formed two new republics, Stellaland and Goshen, in Tswana territory. These states were small but important because they were on the main road from the Cape to the African interior.

Kruger and the Volksraad decided to send another delegation to London. They wanted to renegotiate the Pretoria Convention and solve the western border issue. The third delegation, including Kruger, Smit, and Du Toit, left the Transvaal in August 1883. Kruger spent part of the trip studying English with a Bible printed in both Dutch and English. Talks with the new Colonial Secretary, Lord Derby, went smoothly. On 27 February 1884, the London Convention was signed. It replaced the Pretoria Convention. Britain ended its suzerainty and recognized the country as the South African Republic again. Kruger saw this as a great success.

The delegation then went to Europe. They were welcomed enthusiastically. Kruger met many European leaders, including William III of the Netherlands, Leopold II of Belgium, and Otto von Bismarck of Germany. The delegation discussed the Delagoa Bay railway with the Portuguese. In the Netherlands, they laid the groundwork for the Netherlands-South African Railway Company to build the railway. Kruger now believed Burgers had been "far ahead of his time" with the railway plan. He also brought back the policy of bringing in officials from the Netherlands to strengthen Boer identity. Willem Johannes Leyds, a young Dutchman, became the republic's new State Attorney.

By late 1884, the "Scramble for Africa" was happening. Germany annexed South-West Africa. Britain then declared a protectorate over Bechuanaland, including the Stellaland–Goshen area. Kruger had to retract a proclamation of Transvaal protection over the corridor because it violated the London Convention. He met Cecil Rhodes and conceded the corridor to the British.

Gold Rush and the Uitlander Problem

In July 1886, gold was discovered between Pretoria and Heidelberg. This led to the Witwatersrand Gold Rush and the founding of Johannesburg. Within a few years, Johannesburg became the largest city in southern Africa, mostly populated by uitlanders (foreigners). The South African Republic's economy changed overnight. It went from being almost bankrupt to having a huge income. The British wanted to connect Johannesburg to the Cape and Natal by rail. But Kruger prioritized the Delagoa Bay line.

Kruger was often called Oom Paul ("Uncle Paul") by both Boers and uitlanders. He was sometimes seen as a dictator after he interfered with the courts to help a friend. Kruger defeated Joubert again in the 1888 election and began his second term.

Kruger focused on getting a sea outlet for the South African Republic. He disliked Cecil Rhodes, calling him "the curse of South Africa." Kruger tried to get a port at Kosi Bay. In early 1889, Kruger and the new Orange Free State President Francis William Reitz made a defense pact and a customs treaty. The Volksraad also changed the constitution to give equal status to all Reformed churches. Kruger wanted to build a university in Pretoria, but it was never built.

Kruger was very concerned about the South African Republic's independence. He feared it would be threatened if the Transvaal became too British. The uitlanders paid almost all the republic's taxes. But they had very little say in the government. Only Dutch remained the official language. Kruger worried that giving uitlanders full voting rights would mean the Boers would be outnumbered. He tried to solve this by creating a "second Volksraad" for uitlanders in 1889. But most people thought this was not enough.

British figures often claimed there were more uitlanders than Boers. Kruger's government recorded more Boers, but admitted there were more uitlanders than voting citizens. On 4 March 1890, when Kruger visited Johannesburg, some men sang British songs and tore down the Boer flag. Kruger told them he had no contempt for the new population, only for people like them. The riot was broken up. This event marked the beginning of a deeper division between the Transvaalers and the uitlanders.

The Early 1890s

In March 1890, Kruger met the new British High Commissioner, Sir Henry Brougham Loch, and Cecil Rhodes. Rhodes now controlled much of the Transvaal's mining industry. Rhodes and Loch offered to help Kruger get a port at Kosi Bay if the Transvaal joined a customs union and promised not to expand north. Kruger did not agree, fearing it would lead to British federation. But he forbade any Boer movement into Mashonaland.

Rhodes became prime minister of the Cape Colony in July 1890. A month later, the British and Transvaalers agreed to share control over Swaziland. The South African Republic could build a railway through it to Kosi Bay. In return, the Transvaal had to support Rhodes's company in Matabeleland. Kruger kept this promise in 1891 when he stopped another Boer movement to Mashonaland. This, along with his economic policies, caused opposition to grow. The industrial monopolies granted by Kruger's government were seen as corrupt and inefficient.

Kruger's second Volksraad met for the first time in 1891. Its decisions had to be approved by the first Volksraad. Uitlanders could vote for the second Volksraad after two years of living in the country, if they became citizens. To join the first Volksraad, naturalized citizens needed to live in the country for 14 years and be at least 40 years old. In the close 1893 election, Kruger was challenged by Joubert. Kruger said he would lower the 14-year residency rule if it did not threaten the state's independence. Kruger won the election and began his third term on 12 May 1893.

By this time, Kruger was seen as a symbol of Afrikaner identity. When he started using a presidential carriage instead of walking to the government offices, it became a public event. People described him as having a strong and cunning character.

Growing Tensions: Raiders and Reformers

By 1894, the Delagoa Bay railway line was almost finished. Railways from Natal and the Cape had reached Johannesburg. In May 1894, a local uprising forced Joubert to call up a commando. British subjects were drafted, but most refused, feeling they should be exempt as foreigners. This caused much anger among uitlanders. When Loch visited Pretoria, protesters unhitched Kruger's carriage, attached a British flag, and pulled it to Loch's hotel. Kruger announced that British subjects would not be forced into military service for now.

In 1895, the uitlanders' National Union sent Kruger a petition with 38,500 signatures, asking for voting reform. Kruger refused, saying giving these "disobedient persons" the vote might endanger the republic's independence. He famously said: "Protest! What is the use of protesting? I have the guns, you haven't." The Johannesburg newspapers became very critical of Kruger. In August 1895, the first Volksraad rejected a bill to give all uitlanders the vote. Kruger said he would give voting rights to uitlanders who had "proved their trustworthiness" by serving in Transvaal commandos.

The Delagoa Bay railway line was completed in December 1894. This was a great achievement for Kruger. The railway changed the economic situation in the Transvaal. Kruger and Rhodes disagreed over customs duties. This led to the Drifts Crisis in September–October 1895. Kruger closed the drifts (river crossings) where wagons from the Cape Colony crossed to avoid railway fees. Britain's Colonial Secretary, Joseph Chamberlain, threatened force if Kruger did not reopen them. Kruger backed down.

Kruger realized that war with Britain was possible. He began to buy many rifles, ammunition, and cannons, mainly from Germany and France. Meanwhile, Rhodes planned an uitlander revolt in Johannesburg with British military help. He gathered about 500 troops under Leander Starr Jameson. On 29 December 1895, Jameson's troops crossed the border into the Transvaal. This was the start of the Jameson Raid.

Jameson's force failed to cut all telegraph wires, so the alarm was raised early. Joubert called up the Boers to meet Jameson. The British leader, Robinson, publicly condemned Jameson's actions and ordered him back. But Jameson ignored him. The uitlander revolt in Johannesburg failed. Jameson was forced to surrender on 2 January 1896.

A congratulatory telegram to Kruger from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany caused anger in Britain. Kruger refused to seek the death penalty for Jameson or punish Johannesburg. He handed Jameson and his troops over to British custody. He granted amnesty to most of the Johannesburg conspirators, except for 64 leaders. The four main leaders were sentenced to hang, but Kruger quickly changed this to large fines.

Kruger's Resurgence

The Jameson Raid ruined Rhodes's political career in the Cape. Kruger's handling of the situation made him famous worldwide. He gained much support from Afrikaners in the Cape and the Orange Free State. Kruger met with travelers and writers. The republic made arming itself a top priority.

In March 1896, Marthinus Theunis Steyn, a young lawyer Kruger had met years earlier, became President of the Orange Free State. They quickly trusted each other. Chamberlain began to object to the South African Republic's diplomatic actions, saying they violated the London Convention. Chamberlain claimed the Transvaal was still under British suzerainty, which Kruger called "nonsensical." Kruger and Steyn signed a treaty of trade and friendship in March 1897. They also made a military alliance to defend each other's independence. Two months later, Sir Alfred Milner became the new British high commissioner in Cape Town.

Kruger often threatened to resign if the Volksraad did not agree with him. In 1897, a constitutional crisis happened when the Chief Justice said Volksraad resolutions were not above the constitution. This decision would have caused problems for many laws. Chief Justice De Villiers of the Cape helped mediate and sided with Kruger.

Kruger was very popular during the 1897–98 election campaign. He won his biggest election victory yet. He was sworn in as president for the fourth time on 12 May 1898. His first act was to dismiss the Chief Justice. Critics said this showed he was a tyrant. Milner called it "the end of real justice in the Transvaal."

Kruger's final government was very strong. He had F.W. Reitz as State Secretary and Leyds as Envoy in Europe. The job of State Attorney was given to a young lawyer named Jan Smuts. Kruger believed Smuts would achieve great things. Kruger now preferred to give important government jobs to Cape Afrikaners, as he felt they were more sympathetic after the Jameson Raid.

The Road to War

British-German relations improved in late 1898. This allowed Milner and Chamberlain to take a tougher stance against Kruger. A case in early 1899, where a policeman was acquitted after shooting a British subject, caused outrage. This event is seen as the start of the final push towards war.

The South African League, a new uitlander group, sent two petitions to Queen Victoria. They asked for intervention against the Transvaal government, calling it inefficient and unfair. Other uitlanders sent a counter-petition, saying they were happy with Kruger's government. Kruger spoke of reducing the time foreigners needed to vote to nine years or less. In May and June 1899, he and Milner met in Bloemfontein, with Steyn as mediator. Steyn advised Kruger to make concessions on voting rights. Kruger said he was willing to lower the voting requirements but they "must not touch my independence."

Milner wanted full voting rights after five years of residency. Kruger offered citizenship after two years and full voting rights after five more (seven years total). He also offered more representation. Milner said his request was the "minimum" and would not discuss anything else. When Milner suggested an advisory council for non-citizens, Kruger cried: "How can strangers rule my state? How is it possible!" Milner ended the conference.

Back in Pretoria, Kruger introduced a law to give the mining regions more seats in the Volksraad. It would also set a seven-year residency period for voting rights. This would count previous residency. Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr convinced Kruger to make it fully retroactive. But Milner and the South African League still found this insufficient. Kruger rejected Britain's idea of a joint commission. Smuts and Reitz then proposed a five-year retroactive voting right and more seats for the Witwatersrand, if Britain dropped its claim to suzerainty. Chamberlain issued an ultimatum in September 1899. He insisted on five years without conditions, or Britain would "formulate their own proposals."

Kruger believed war was unavoidable. He compared the Boers' situation to a man attacked by a lion with only a pocketknife. Kruger and Smuts thought the Boers' only chance was a quick pre-emptive strike. Steyn wanted to delay until there was no hope for peace. On 9 October, Steyn agreed war was unavoidable. That afternoon, the Transvaal government gave the British envoy an ultimatum. It said if Britain did not withdraw all troops from the border within 48 hours, war would begin. The British government refused. The Second Boer War began on 11 October 1899.

The Second Boer War

The war made Kruger even more famous internationally. He was admired in countries that disliked Britain. Kruger hoped for military help from Germany, France, or Russia, but Leyds told him this was unlikely. Kruger did not fight in the war because of his age and health. He also wanted to avoid being captured. His contributions were mostly from his office in Pretoria. He oversaw the war and advised his officers by telegram. Four of Kruger's sons, six sons-in-law, and 33 of his grandsons fought in the war.

The Boer commandos quickly moved into the Cape and Natal. They won several victories. By the end of October, they were surrounding Kimberley, Ladysmith, and Mafeking. After Joubert was seriously injured, Kruger appointed Louis Botha as acting commandant-general.

In February 1900, the British relieved Kimberley and Ladysmith. This marked a turning point in the war. Boer morale dropped, and many went home. Kruger visited the front and said anyone who deserted should be shot. He had hoped for many Cape Afrikaners to join the Boer cause, but only small groups did. When British troops entered Bloemfontein on 13 March 1900, some urged Kruger to destroy the gold mines. But he refused, saying it would make rebuilding after the war harder. Mafeking was relieved two months later. On 30 May, Lord Roberts took Johannesburg. Kruger left Pretoria on 29 May. The government abandoned the capital on 2 June. Roberts entered three days later.

With the main towns and railways under British control, the traditional war ended. Kruger considered surrender, but Steyn insisted they fight "to the bitter end." Kruger found new strength in Steyn and forbade all Transvaal officers from giving up their weapons. "Bittereinders" (bitter-enders) under Botha, Christiaan de Wet, and Koos de la Rey began a guerrilla campaign. British forces under Lord Kitchener responded with a scorched earth policy. They destroyed Boer farms. Non-combatants, mostly women and children, were put into "concentration camps". Kruger moved to Waterval Onder in late June. After Roberts announced the annexation of the South African Republic on 1 September 1900, Kruger declared it "not recognized" and "null and void." It was decided that Kruger should leave for Europe to avoid capture and seek support for the Boer cause.

Exile and Death

Kruger left the Transvaal by train on 11 September 1900. He cried as the train crossed into Mozambique. He planned to board a German ship, but the Portuguese Governor, at Britain's request, kept him under house arrest. About a month later, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands arranged for a Dutch warship, HNLMS Gelderland, to take Kruger to Marseille. Kruger was happy but sad that Gezina, still in Pretoria, was too sick to come. Gelderland left on 20 October 1900.

He received a huge welcome in Marseille on 22 November. He went on to Paris, then to Cologne. The public welcomed him, but Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany refused to meet him. Kruger was deeply shocked, as he had hoped for German help. He told Leyds: "The Kaiser has betrayed us." They went to the Netherlands, which was neutral. Kruger was warmly received by Queen Wilhelmina. But it became clear that his presence in the capital was awkward for the Dutch government. The Kruger party moved to Hilversum in April 1901.

Gezina, Kruger's wife, had 16 children with him. In July 1901, eight sick grandchildren were brought to her from a concentration camp. Five of them died within nine days. Two weeks later, Gezina also died. After this, Kruger became very quiet. He was partly blind and almost deaf. He dictated his memoirs to his secretaries in late 1901, and they were published the next year. Kruger and his group moved to Utrecht in December 1901. His daughter Elsje and her family joined him.

Cecil Rhodes died in March 1902. Kruger joked: "Perhaps I'll be the first" to live in Rhodes's former home, which was to become the official residence for future South African leaders. The war officially ended on 31 May 1902 with the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging. The Boer republics became the Orange River and Transvaal Colonies. Kruger only accepted it was over when the flags of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State were removed from outside his home two weeks later.

Kruger refused to return home. He did not want to become a British subject again. He also thought he could better help his people by staying in exile. Steyn also refused to accept the Boer defeat and joined Kruger in Europe for a time. Botha, De Wet, and De la Rey visited Kruger in August 1902. There were rumors that Kruger scolded them for "signing away independence," but the generals denied this.

Kruger spent time in Menton, France, and Hilversum, Netherlands. In early 1904, he moved to Clarens, a small village in Switzerland. He spent his last days looking over Lake Geneva and the Alps. In his final letter, he wrote to the people of the Transvaal: "He who wishes to create a future must not lose track of the past... That which has been pulled down can be built again." Paul Kruger died in Clarens on 14 July 1904, at age 78, after getting pneumonia. His Bible was open beside him.

Kruger's body was first buried in The Hague. But it was soon brought back to South Africa with British permission. After a public viewing, he was given a state funeral in Pretoria on 16 December 1904. The vierkleur flag of the South African Republic was draped over his coffin. He was buried in what is now called the Heroes' Acre in the Church Street Cemetery.

Kruger's Legacy

Experts have different opinions about Paul Kruger. Some admire him as a clever leader who defended his nation and became a tragic hero. Others see him as a stubborn person who supported an unfair cause and oppressed black Africans. Many writers have tried to either praise him or criticize him, making it hard to see the real person. However, most agree that Kruger is a central figure in Boer history and one of the most remarkable South Africans.

After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, Kruger remained an important figure in South African politics and Afrikaner culture. The wildlife reserve he had created in 1898 was expanded and named Kruger National Park in 1926. In 1954, a bronze statue of Kruger was put up in Church Square, Pretoria. Kruger stands on a tall base, surrounded by four crouching Boer figures. Thirteen years later, the South African Mint put his image on the Krugerrand, a gold coin still made today. His home in Pretoria and his farm at Boekenhoutfontein are protected heritage sites.

Kruger's name is used for the town of Krugersdorp and many streets and squares in South Africa and other countries. Clarens, Free State is named after Kruger's last home in Switzerland.

Leyds, one of Kruger's colleagues, said that Kruger was not uneducated. He had a deep knowledge of many things. Another observer said Kruger was a master at diplomacy in small situations. He was quick to spot mistakes by his opponents. But he was not good at big, long-term plans. After Kruger's death, Jan Smuts said that Kruger represented the best qualities of the Boer people. He had an "iron will and tenacity" and a strong faith.

Images for kids

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  Kruger's signature

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  E. J. P. Jorissen, Kruger's colleague in the first trip to London, pictured in 1897

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  Piet Joubert, Kruger's partner in the second delegation

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  Sir Garnet Wolseley, who led the British Transvaal administration from 1879 to 1880

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  Piet Cronjé, pictured later in life

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  Lord Derby, with whom the third delegation made the London Convention

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  Bismarck, one of the many European leaders Kruger met in 1884

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  President Francis William Reitz of the Orange Free State

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  The Raadsaal, the Transvaal government building in Church Square, Pretoria

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  Joseph Chamberlain, the British Colonial Secretary

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  Leander Starr Jameson, leader of the Jameson Raid into the Transvaal in 1895–96

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  President Marthinus Theunis Steyn of the Orange Free State

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  Jan Smuts, Kruger's State Attorney from 1898

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  Sir Alfred Milner, the British High Commissioner for Southern Africa

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  British press cartoon showing Kruger trying to please the uitlanders; Joseph Chamberlain looks on, unimpressed

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  Spanish press depiction of Kruger and Chamberlain

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  Kruger leaving for Europe in 1900—he would never return. At right is his secretary Madie Bredell.

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  Oranjelust, Kruger's home in Utrecht, photographed in 1963

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  Statue of Paul Kruger in Church Square, Pretoria

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  The famous Kruger National Park in Limpopo was named after him

See also

In Spanish: Paul Kruger para niños