Precolonial History
before 1890 		1918-1962







Rwanda as part of German East Africa



Dr. Oscar Baumann was the first European to visit Rwanda in 1892, soon to be followed by GRAF VON GOETZEN in 1894, who travelled the country extensively. In 1896, King MUSINGA recognized the German protectorate. In 1900, the PERES BLANCS (White Fathers) established their first mission in Rwanda. Until 1907, the Germans administrated Rwanda as part of the military district of Tanganyika-Kivu; in 1907, the Germans established a military command at KIGALI which they selected as capital. In 1911 Belgium and Germany signed a treaty ober the border between German East Africa (Rwanda) and the Belgian Congo; Rwanda gained in the west. The Germans treated the Kingdom of Rwanda as a protectorate, interfering little in it's internal affairs (indirect rule). The kingdom of Rwanda already had a relatively centralized administration. Christian mission began during the period of German colonialism.
In 1916, Belgian troops from the Belgian Congo invaded German East Africa, occupying both Rwanda and Burundi. In the Treaty of Versailles, all German colonies were taken from it. In 1920, the League of Nations transferred Rwanda and Burundi as MANDATES to Belgium.


Kings of Rwanda, 1890-1931
Source : Rwandan Kings , World Statesmen by Ben Cahoon (more detailed)
1860-1895
1895-1896
1896-1931 		Kigeri IV Rwabugiri
Mibwambwe IV Rutarindwa
Yuhi V Musinga

rose to power in a coup d'etat






EXTERNAL
FILES 		Rwanda History : Colonial History, from NewAfrica.com, detailed yet concise
Articles from Infoplease : Rwanda, Kigali
History of Rwanda, from UPenn, African Studies
Brief History, from Government of Rwanda
DOCUMENTS Maps of Rwanda, from National Geographic, from CIA World Factbook
REFERENCE



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on November 7th 2004

Click here to go Home
Click here to go to Information about KMLA, WHKMLA, the author and webmaster
Click here to go to Statistics