Passion or Profession: King

Period: 1938–1996

Moshoeshoe II, a descendent of Moshoeshoe the Great, became king of Lesotho upon its independence in 1966. Later that year, Prime Minister Leabua Jonathan briefly placed Moshoeshoe under house arrest after he sought to expand his powers. Amidst the nation's power struggles, he was forced into temporary exile in 1970 and again in 1990, after which his powers were stripped. Moshoeshoe returned in 1992 and was reinstated as king in 1995. He died in a car accident the following year.