Passion or Profession: Chief

Period: 1837–1923

In 1875, Khama III inherited the chieftainship of the Ngwato people. Threats to his territory from the Ndebele to the north and from white Boer settlers to the east prompted him to seek assistance from Great Britain, who agreed to declare Bechuanaland a protectorate in 1885. With the support of the Ngwato, the British defeated the Ndebele in 1893. Two years later, Khama III's diplomatic efforts prevented the annexation of Bechuanaland by the British South Africa Company.