Kigeli IV of Rwanda
Encyclopedia
Kigeri IV was the ruler of the Kingdom of Rwanda from 1853 to 1895. He was a Tutsi
with the birth name Rwabugiri. He established an army equipped with guns and prohibited most foreigners from entering his kingdom.
Rwabugiri's administration imposed a harsh regime on the formerly semi-autonomous Tutsi and Hutu
lineages, confiscating
their lands and breaking their political power
. Rwabugiri amplified feudal
labour
systems, in particular the uburetwa, i.e. labour in return for access to land, a system that was restricted to Hutu peasant
farmer
s while exempting Tutsi. He also manipulated social categories, and introduced an "ethnic" differentiation between Tutsi and Hutu based on historical social positions. Polarization and politicization of ethnicity thus began before the advent of European colonialism.
Rwabugiri held authority from 1860–1895 and expanded the borders of the kingdom, except for certain areas in the north and southwest that remained largely autonomous. Areas that remained outside the rule of the central court were primarily inhabited by Hutu and still form a distinctive subculture to this day.
By the end of Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardized structure of provinces, districts, hills and neighborhoods, and administered by a hierarchy of chiefs predominantly controlled by Tutsi at the higher levels and with a greater degree of mutual participation as the unit decreased in size. The Hutu-Tutsi divide was further strengthened by an increasing presence of lines of distinction dividing territory and rule.
The borders of the Rwanda kingdom were rounded out in the late 19th century by Kigeri Rwabugiri, who is regarded as Rwanda's most powerful king. By the beginning of the 20th century Rwanda was a unified state with a centralized military structure.
Tutsi
The Tutsi , or Abatutsi, are an ethnic group in Central Africa. Historically they were often referred to as the Watussi or Watusi. They are the second largest caste in Rwanda and Burundi, the other two being the Hutu and the Twa ....
with the birth name Rwabugiri. He established an army equipped with guns and prohibited most foreigners from entering his kingdom.
Rwabugiri's administration imposed a harsh regime on the formerly semi-autonomous Tutsi and Hutu
Hutu
The Hutu , or Abahutu, are a Central African people, living mainly in Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern DR Congo.-Population statistics:The Hutu are the largest of the three peoples in Burundi and Rwanda; according to the United States Central Intelligence Agency, 84% of Rwandans and 85% of Burundians...
lineages, confiscating
Confiscation
Confiscation, from the Latin confiscatio 'joining to the fiscus, i.e. transfer to the treasury' is a legal seizure without compensation by a government or other public authority...
their lands and breaking their political power
Political power
Political power is a type of power held by a group in a society which allows administration of some or all of public resources, including labour, and wealth. There are many ways to obtain possession of such power. At the nation-state level political legitimacy for political power is held by the...
. Rwabugiri amplified feudal
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
labour
Manual labour
Manual labour , manual or manual work is physical work done by people, most especially in contrast to that done by machines, and also to that done by working animals...
systems, in particular the uburetwa, i.e. labour in return for access to land, a system that was restricted to Hutu peasant
Peasant
A peasant is an agricultural worker who generally tend to be poor and homeless-Etymology:The word is derived from 15th century French païsant meaning one from the pays, or countryside, ultimately from the Latin pagus, or outlying administrative district.- Position in society :Peasants typically...
farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
s while exempting Tutsi. He also manipulated social categories, and introduced an "ethnic" differentiation between Tutsi and Hutu based on historical social positions. Polarization and politicization of ethnicity thus began before the advent of European colonialism.
Rwabugiri held authority from 1860–1895 and expanded the borders of the kingdom, except for certain areas in the north and southwest that remained largely autonomous. Areas that remained outside the rule of the central court were primarily inhabited by Hutu and still form a distinctive subculture to this day.
By the end of Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardized structure of provinces, districts, hills and neighborhoods, and administered by a hierarchy of chiefs predominantly controlled by Tutsi at the higher levels and with a greater degree of mutual participation as the unit decreased in size. The Hutu-Tutsi divide was further strengthened by an increasing presence of lines of distinction dividing territory and rule.
The borders of the Rwanda kingdom were rounded out in the late 19th century by Kigeri Rwabugiri, who is regarded as Rwanda's most powerful king. By the beginning of the 20th century Rwanda was a unified state with a centralized military structure.
External links
- The International Response to Conflict and Genocide: Lessons from the Rwanda Experience, see Historical Perspective