March 26: On This Day in World History … briefly
Although Rhodes remained a leading figure in the politics of southern Africa, especially during the Second Boer War, he was dogged by ill health throughout his relatively short life.
1902: ‘King of Diamonds’ dies of a broken heart
British imperialist Cecil John Rhodes sadly died in Cape Town aged 48. He amassed huge wealth in South Africa’s mining boom in the 1870s and ’80s, finally ending up controlling 90 percent of the world’s diamond production. In 1890 he became prime minister of the Cape Colony. His chartered British South Africa Company conquered black kings to establish the British crown in Northern and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
Rhodes was implicated in the piratical Jameson Raid that took place from December 29, 1895, to January 2, 1896 – a botched raid against the South African Republic (commonly known as the Transvaal) carried out by British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Company troops (‘police’ in the employ of Alfred Beit’s and Cecil Rhodes’ British South Africa Company) and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96. Paul Kruger was president of the republic at the time.
After his involvement with the Jamestown Raid on the Transvaal Boers in 1896 – he was forced from office. He sacrificed chances of vindication in the scandal for the sake of England’s honour. Close friends later said it had broken his heart and brought on his early death.
Most notable historic snippets or facts extracted from the book ‘On This Day’ first published in 1992 by Octopus Publishing Group Ltd, London, as well as additional supplementary information extracted from Wikipedia.
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