Mampuru: Bapedi Empire's Downfall

Kgoši Mampuru II, was the son of Kgošikgolo Sekwati and he claimed to be the rightful heir over his brother Sekhukhune. Mampuru's mother was Kgomomokatane of the Magakala clan. She had been designated as senior wife of Kgošikgolo Malekutu, the elder brother of Sekwati.

It was traditional for Pedi kings to take setimamollo, meaning a senior wife, in addition to their other wives. The children of the senior wife would be those who succeeded to the throne, ahead of the other descendants. Following King Malekutu's death, Sekwati, upon his return from exile after Mzilikazi's war, took on the widow as his new wife. This enabled him to present his position as that of a regent to the yet unborn son and heir of Malekutu. Thus Sekwati, rather than appearing to usurp the royal line, could be seen as sustaining it.

The question of succession remained officially unresolved until the mid-1850s. During this time, Sekwati, possibly due to conflicts with his eldest son, openly expressed his support for Mampuru. He did so by presenting Mampuru with sefoka sa Kgoši Thulare, a symbol of royal authority. Additional proof of his preference for Mampuru is found in the fact that Mampuru's name is listed among the signatories of the 1857 treaty with the Lydenburg Republic. Mampuru's involvement in these discussions implies that he was being prepared for leadership and that Sekwati aimed to introduce his chosen heir to the Lydenburg authorities. Nonetheless, it seems that while Mampuru enjoyed his father's favor, he was inadequately equipped to assert his rights and maintain his position after the king's passing.

On the other hand, Sekhukhune, who was marginalized from the central authority and royal favor, managed to build an independent support network within the kingdom. This allowed him to establish his claim to succession and made it impossible for Mampuru to challenge his right to the throne. Sekhukhune contended that Mampuru's mother wasn't impregnated by King Sekwati, alleging that Sekwati had instructed a commoner to father the child. Furthermore, it was asserted that Sekwati's marriage to Mampuru's mother was unlawful because he hadn't fulfilled the customary requirement of presenting a black bull as a gift.

During these succession disputes, another man, Mojalodi, with his military achievements and a lineage tracing back to King Phetedi, emerged as a contender for the Bapedi throne. After Sekwati's brother Seboni was killed and his village was destroyed for challenging King Sekwati's authority and his connections to Mojalodi, the latter fled to the mountains east of the Steelpoort River. Launching sporadic attacks on neighboring groups, Mojalodi was pursued by Mampuru, who led the effort to suppress the threat and eliminate Mojalodi's remaining followers. Ultimately, Mojalodi took refuge among the Ndzundza Ndebele and played a role in the tensions between that kingdom and the Pedi polity.

While Mampuru couldn't stop Sekhukhune's rise to power, he did have some backing. His main supporters were the men who had undertaken the initiation pilgrimage with him at Phiring. They were formed into the Manala regiment under his command. As the chosen successor of Sekwati, he likely still had the loyalty of those whose status had relied on his father's favor and were marginalized under Sekhukhune. This allowed him to address their grievances.

Mampuru garnered support not only from the immediate surroundings of the capital but also from less defined areas. One significant yet somewhat mixed source of backing was the Magakala kingdom, where his mother was born. Rulers aiming to reduce their dependence on the King would likely find some alignment with his objectives.

Although the missionaries, mention Mampuru's popularity, their accounts might have been influenced more by their own biases and those of their followers rather than capturing the true public opinion. Interestingly, Mampuru intentionally fostered a positive relationship with the missionaries.

Once he had secured the succession, Sekhukhune - although he dealt vigorously with lesser contenders - adopted a peaceful approach towards Mampuru. He indicated that Mampuru could have the throne if he wished, but demanded full control of the kingdom's military. After declaring his willingness to share his patrimony in cattle with Mampuru, he delegated significant responsibilities to him.

Undoubtedly, Sekhukhune's efforts to include and appease Mampuru originated from his awareness of his brother's potential backing and his wish to prevent internal conflict or outside interference. His outlook was likely influenced by his memories of past conflicts after Thulare's passing, which had weakened the nation and made it susceptible to attacks.