Taktyka prezydenta Paulusa Krugera wobec Wielkiej Brytanii w latach 1883-1900
Streszczenie
Paulus Kruger (1825-1904) was a co-founder of the first Boer State and four times
President of Transvaal State in the years 1883-1900. As a young boy he took part in the
Great Trek which led to the establishment of the new Boer republics in South Africa. He
assumed the main duties in Transvaal and after British annexation in 1877 Kruger visited
twice London to talk about the restoration of Transvaal’s independence. After his return to
South Africa he was the leader of the first Boer War, which led to Transvaal autonomy
under British „suzerainty”.
From the very beginning of his presidency the most important purpose for Kruger was
to establish the relationships with the United Kingdom. His third visit in London in 1884
brought the signing of the new London Convention. The convention granted sovereignty to
Transvaal but South African Republic (new name of the state) could not pursue its own
foreign policy except for maintaining relations with Orange Free State.
It was difficult for Kruger to achieve self-dependence in Transvaal’s policy especially since
the shrewd politician, Cecil John Rhodes had arrived to South Africa. During Kruger’s
presidency there was a bitter dispute over Boer-British controversy about Swaziland and
Matabeland in the North of Transvaal. The most burning issue in Boer-British relations was
to solve the problem of „uitlanders” who had come to South Africa after the discovery of
gold and diamond fields. The British tried to organise an opposition against Boer rules but
the Jameson raid at the end of 1895 ended in failure. Soon afterwards Kruger received
congratulations from William II but German support lasted short and in the years to follow
Germany entered into friendly relations with Great Britain.
At the end of 90s Kruger was no longer able to oppose British demands. The conference
in Bloemfontein in June 1899 was the last attempt to save the peace but Alfred Milner’s and
Joseph Chamberlain’s demands were too unreasonable to be accepted. On the 9th of October
1899 Kruger with Volksraad (Transvaal’s parliament) made up their minds about ultimatum
to Great Britain. It meant that the war was bound to commence. The one and only ally for
South African Republic was Orange Free State.
Kruger ceased to be the President in September 1900 after British annexation during the
second Boer War. Despite the fact that Kruger was no longer the president, he went to
Europe at the end of 1900 but he failed in his efforts, to receive the support from Germany,
France or Holland. He did not want to talk to the London government either. There was
no possibility to change the British attitude to the Boer republics’ future. Kruger died in exile
in Switzerland without ever seeing his free country again.
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