Seeiso of Basutoland
Simon Seeiso Griffith ( * 1905, † December 1940 ) was from 1939 to 1940 head ( Sesotho Morena e Moholo, english Paramount Chief ) of the people of the Basotho in Basutoland, now Lesotho.
Life
Seeiso Griffith was the only son of the third wife of his father Griffith Lerotholi. The first two "houses" were left without sons. However, the fourth wife had the son Bereng Griffith (1902-1948), who was born before Seeiso. Seeisos mother had left her husband in 1900 and was only returned in 1903, so that she had fallen out of favor with her husband. He favored as successor Bereng. In order to vacate Seeiso out of the way, he sent him in 1924 in the remote Mokhotlong District, where he had to collect as a police officer taxes. 1926 Griffith explained Lerotholi against the British colonial authorities his son Bereng the legitimate successor. The Sons of Moshoeshoe, the highest body of barena, Bereng elected with 23 votes to 10 also the possible successor.
Seeisos main woman ' Mantšebo (1902-1964) left her husband and moved back to the western areas Basutolands because he had beaten up several times. Mid-1930s, he founded the village of Thabang ( German: "Happiness " ) and called his old village of Salang ( German as: "Farewell !"). 1938 his son Constantine Bereng Seeiso was born in Thabang. After Griffith Lerotholi had died in July 1939, chose the Sons of Moshoeshoe - unlike previously decided - Seeiso successor as morena e Moholo. He was crowned in July 1939 in front of over 40,000 spectators. During his tenure Seeiso called on his compatriots to participate in the Second World War and campaigned for administrative reforms that had been proposed by the colonial administration. In December 1940, he died. Successor was ' Mantšebo as regent, as neither Leshoboro Seeiso, son of the third wife, nor the younger Bereng Seeiso, son of the second wife, was of age. Bereng Griffith also wanted morena e Moholo are the Sons of Moshoeshoe but voted against him. Bereng Seeiso was finally 1960 morena e Moholo and later as Moshoeshoe II, King of Lesotho.