Eswatini — books & literature

The story of Eswatini

The Kingdom of Eswatini traces its roots to the mid-18th century, when the Swazi people, led by Ngwane III, settled in the region between the Pongola and Maputo rivers. The nation was consolidated in the early 19th century under Sobhuza I (Somhlolo), a revered king still celebrated today, and then expanded and unified under Mswati II in the mid-1800s , the king from whom the Swazi people take their name. Pressure from Boer and British interests in southern Africa drew the kingdom into colonial politics, and in 1903, following the Anglo-Boer War, Swaziland became a British protectorate administered largely from South Africa. King Sobhuza II, whose reign stretched from 1921 to 1982, guided the country to independence on 6 September 1968. His son, Mswati III, crowned in 1986, continues to rule as one of the world's few remaining absolute monarchs. In 2018, on the 50th anniversary of independence, the king renamed the country from the colonial-era Swaziland to its Siswati name, Eswatini , 'land of the Swazis' , restoring its pre-colonial identity while carrying forward centuries of Swazi tradition into the present day.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 1750

   Ngwane III leads the Swazi people to settle in the region, founding the kingdom.

2. 1815-1836

   Sobhuza I (Somhlolo) consolidates and strengthens the young Swazi nation.

3. 1840s-1868

   Mswati II expands and unifies the kingdom; the Swazi nation is named after him.

4. 1903

   Swaziland becomes a British protectorate after the Anglo-Boer War.

5. 1921-1982

   Sobhuza II reigns as Ngwenyama (king) , one of the longest verified monarchic reigns in recorded history.

6. 1968

   Independence from Britain (6 September) as the Kingdom of Swaziland.

7. 1986

   Mswati III is crowned king following the death of Sobhuza II in 1982.

8. 2018

   The country is officially renamed from Swaziland to Eswatini on the 50th anniversary of independence.

Top 10 things to know about Eswatini

1. Eswatini is one of the last absolute monarchies remaining in the world.
2. It's one of Africa's smallest countries, landlocked between South Africa and Mozambique.
3. Renamed from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018, the name means 'land of the Swazis' in siSwati.
4. Sobhuza II's 1921-1982 reign is among the longest verified monarchic reigns in recorded history.
5. The Umhlanga (Reed Dance) is one of the largest annual cultural ceremonies in southern Africa.
6. English and siSwati are the official languages.
7. The lilangeni is pegged 1:1 to the South African rand, and rand is also legal tender.
8. Game reserves such as Hlane Royal National Park and Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary protect the country's wildlife.
9. Traditional Swazi homesteads are built with distinctive beehive-shaped grass huts.
10. Sugar cane is one of the country's leading exports and a mainstay of its economy.

Famous people from Eswatini

Say it in Eswatini's language

Did you know?

• ★Eswatini is one of the world's last remaining absolute monarchies, where the king rules by decree.
• ★Sobhuza II's reign of over 82 years is among the longest verified monarchic reigns ever recorded.
• ★The country's name changed from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018 by royal decree, on the 50th anniversary of independence.

Eswatini culture

• Umhlanga (Reed Dance), held annually in August or September, is one of the most important Swazi cultural ceremonies, drawing tens of thousands of unmarried women.
• Incwala, the 'kingship ceremony', is a sacred annual ritual marking the first fruits of the harvest and reaffirming the king's authority.
• Traditional beehive-shaped grass huts remain a recognizable feature of rural Swazi homesteads.
• Swazi craftwork , grass weaving, wood carving, and glass art , is an important cultural and economic tradition.

Why read Eswatini's books

Eswatini's storytelling tradition runs through royal praise-poetry, oral history passed down at the Umhlanga and Incwala ceremonies, and a modern literature still finding its voice on the world stage. The shelves below gather what's been written about this small kingdom and its enduring monarchy.