Zimbabwe
/ Rhodesia
|
On the territory of the modern states Zimbabwe and Mozambique a kingdom
called the Empire of Great Zimbabwe (also spelled Munhu mu tapa, Mwene
Mutapa,r Manhumutapa, Monomotapa
or Mutapa)
existed between c.1450-1629. The empire was established by the Rozvi who are the ancestors of the
present Shona people. Great Zimbabwe reached its zenith around the 1440s via
the Gold trade. Gold was exported from the empire to the port of Sofala south
of the Zambezi delta, where Arab traders waited. The fabrics of Gujarat were
traded for gold along the coast. Soon the pressures from European and Arab
traders began to change the balance of power in the region. The Portuguese began their attempts to subdue the Shona state as early as
1505 but were confined to the coast for many years, according to Fernand
Braudel until 1513. The Monomotapa Empire was being torn apart by rival factions, and the
gold from the rivers they controlled was exhausted. The trade in gold was
replaced by a trade in slaves. Around this time the Arab states of Zanzibar
and Kilwa became prominent powers by providing slaves for Arabia, Persia and
India. The empire was finally conquered in 1629 by the Portuguese and never
recovered. Remnants of the government established another Mutapa kingdom in
Mozambique sometimes called Karanga. The Karanga kings were called Mambos
(plural) and reigned in the region until 1902. Francisco Alvarez
(1465-1541) writes in his “Ethiopian
Historie” in th capital Of the Emperour of Monomotapa. - The kings armes
: “This king in his scutcheon or coate of armes hath two signes of
maiestie. One is a certaine little spade with a handle of iuorie. The other
are two small dartes. By the spade he exhortheth his subiects to husbandrie,
that they may not through sloth and negligence let the earth lie vntilled,
and so for want be constrained to play the theeues. The one of his darts
betokeneth, that he will be a seuere punisher of malefactors; & the
other, that he will by valour & force of armes resist all forren
inuasions.” [1]
Arms of the king of Monomotapa Below the portrait of the
Monomotapa, King of the Makaranga tribe. Nicolas de Larmessin,
1655-’80. Coll. British Museum n° O,3.219 The arms are: Arms: Azure, an african adze between two arrows per pale. Crown: A crown of five points The Monomotapa also
had a seal, although only one example of it still survives, affixed to a
document of the Dominican Order, now in the Biblioteca Nacional in Lisbon.
The exact origin of the seal is not known, but it was most probably made by
the Dominicans themselves during their missionary activities in the area,
presumably so that the illiterate chief could use it to sign documents drawn
up by them on his behalf. The remaining example
of the seal is slightly distorted, but shows a mythical animal with the body
and three legs of a lion, the fourth leg having a clove hoof, and with a
canine head. An arrow is about to be shot into the beast from a bow. [2]
Monomotapa Seal In the late 1830s, some 20,000 Ndebele,
descendants of the Nguni and Sotho in South Africa and
led by Mzilikazi settled on the western edge of the central plateau of
modern-day Zimbabwe. The new nation was called Mthwakazi, but called
Matabeleland by Europeans. Mzilikazi organised this ethnically diverse nation
into a militaristic system of regimental towns and established his capital at
Bulawayo. Mzilikazi died on 9 September 1868, near Bulawayo. His son, Lobengula
(†1894), succeeded him as king. On the seals of Lobengula is an elephant
statant. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Å Lo bengula’s Seal. Entrusted by the King, for
safe custody, to the trader Fairbairn, in whose possession the Seal remained
on Lobengula's retreat from Bulawayo. It eventually fell into the hands of
Dr. Jameson, and is now to be seen at Groote Schuur.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In 1852, the Boer
government in Transvaal had made a treaty with
Mzilikazi. However, gold was discovered in Mashonaland
in 1867 and the European powers became increasingly interested in the region.
In exchange for wealth and arms, Lobengula granted several concessions to the
British, the most prominent of which is the 1888 Rudd concession giving Cecil
Rhodes exclusive mineral rights in much of the lands east of his main
territory. Rhodes was able to obtain a royal charter to form the British South Africa Company in
1889. He established a state that held sovereignty over the region between
the Limpopo and Zamwbezi
rivers to the north and south, and between the desert of the Makgadikwgadi
salt pans to the west and the realm of Shoshangana to the east, the Save
River. Rhodes negotiated a territorial
treaty with Lobengula, known as the Rudd Concession of 1888, which permitted
British mining and colonisation of Matabele lands between the Limpopo and
Zambezi rivers, and prohibited all Boer settlement in the region. As part of
the agreement, the British would pay Lobengula 100 pounds a month, as well as
1,000 rifles, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, and a riverboat.
Flag of Rhodesia A colony was founded named Rhodesia after its conqueror. The name was
first used in public by Mr. F.J. Dormer of the Argus Company in 1891. Dr.
Jameson, friend and assistant to Rhodes, proposed adopting this name for the
new country in 1894. On 23 April 1895 it was officially adopted. Joseph
Chamberlain, the Secretary of state for the Colonies, issued a proclamation
confirming the name to be official in 1897. In the colony the Union Jack was flown. Rhodes himself had designed a
flag to symbolise his dream of a united Africa under British rule, using a
combination of the Egyptian flag (white crescent and star on a red field) and
the symbol of the Cape (a gold Anchor). Linking the two in the centre was the
Union Flag, symbolizing British rule from the Cape to Cairo. Rhodes’dream was
never realise, of cours, and the flag was never offcially used. This flag is
preserved today in Grote Schuur (S.A).[3] |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
British South Africa
Company |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Lobengula had hoped that the Rudd Concession would diminish European
incursions, but as white settlers moved in, the “British South Africa Company” set up its own government, made its own
laws, and set its sights on more mineral rights and more territorial
concessions. The BSAC governed the territory
from 1889 until 1923. The arms of the Company were also used for the colony.
The charges of the arms symbolize the trade overseas (the fess wavy with the
ships) the cattle-breeding (the oxes), agriculture (the ears of wheat),
wealth (the besants) and the abundant wild-life (the elephant) of the
country. The crest of the lion with the elephant’s tusk symbolizes the
British and the sprinboks are a symbol of South Africa itself. The motto
refers to the liberal political and economic point of view from which the
colony was exploited.
Arms:
Gules per fess bezanty and semée of ears of wheat Or, on a fesse wavy Argent
between two bulls statant in chief and an elephant in base all proper, three
lymphads with oars Sable. Crest: On
a wreath Or and Gules, a lion passant guardant Or supporting with dexter
forepaw an elephant’s tusk erect proper. Supporters:
Two springboks (Antidorcas marsupialis - Bovidæ) proper. Motto: justice commerce freedom. adopted 15.10.1889 A variant of the arms existed,
showing the arms enclosed in a circular band, broken at the base by a
‘national spray’ of the rose, thistle and shamrock. On the band are the words
“British South Africa Company and below this is a scroll with the words
Ïncorporated Royal Charter”. This basic design, with some small variations, was used on postage stamps of the BSAC from
1896 onwards.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Southern
Rhodesia |
1923-1953 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In 1923 Rhodesia was divided into
North- and South-Rhodesia. The achievement of the Company was abolished and
for both parts new arms were designed. After a number of suggestions had been
put forward with regard to a coat of arms for Southern Rhodesia (including
one proposal to use a BSA Policeman and a Matabele Warrior as supporters) and
a suitable motto, a design was decided on and granted by Royal warrant on 11
August 1924 The chief of the new arms referred
to the arms of Cecil Rhodes, the pick to the important mining of the country.
For the field the color green was chosen, the color of the rhodesian
sporting-teams in international matches. The Great Zimbabwe-bird serving as
a crest commemorates Zimbabwe (Monomotapa), Ruins of its capital have been
found near Fort Victoria. The sculpture of soap-stone of the bird was found
there. The sable-antelopes serving as
supporters of the arms are the national beasts of Rhodesia. The motto “May
She be Worthy of the Name” refers to the founder of the nation. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Arms:
Vert, a pick Or and on a chief Argent a lion passant Gules between two
thistles leaved and slipped proper. Crest: On
a helmet to the dexter lambrequined Or and Vert, the Great Zimbabwe Bird Or. Supporters:
Two sableantelopes (Hippotragus niger - Bovidæ) proper. Motto: sit nomine digna
(May She be Worthy of the Name). By Royal Warrant 11.07.1924 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Federation
of Rhodesia and Nyassaland |
1953-1963 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
South Rhodesia was
made a part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyassaland in 1953. The
achievement of the
Federation was designed by M.J. Morris
(later Information Attaché to the Federal High Commission in Pretoria, S.A.)
and was granted by Royal Warrant of 22 July 1954. The arms have elements to
represent all three territories which comprised the Federation: the rising
sun on a blue field in the upper shield and leopard were taken from the arms
of Nyasaland; the white wavy lines on a black field at the base of the shield
and the eagle are from the arms of Northern Rhodesia. The dovetailed fesse
bearing the lion passant symbolizes the the indivisibilty of the three parts
of the Federation. The sable antelope supporter is from the achievement of
Southern Rhodesia. The leopard supporter and the fish-eagle are from the arms
of Nyassaland.
Arms: Per
fess Azure and Sable in chief a sun rising Or and in base six palets wavy
Argent, over all a fesse dovetailed counter-dovetailed of the last, thereon a
lion passant Gules. Crest: A
fish-eagle (Haliaëtus vocifer - Accipitridæ) reguardant Or, perched
upon and grasping in the talons a fish Argent. Supporters:
On the dexter a sableantelope (Hippotragus niger - Bovidæ) and on the
sinister a leopard (Panthera pardus - Felicidæ) both proper. Motto: magni esse mereamur (Let us deserve to be great). adopted 24.081954 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rhodesia |
10.1963-02.03.1970 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Republic
of Rhodesia |
02.03.1970-01.06.1979 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Zimbabwe-Rhodesia |
01.06.1979-12.12.1979 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Southern
Rhodesia |
12.12.1979-17.04.1980 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Federation fell apart
in 1963. In South-Rhodesia the ancient achievement was restored and it was
also used for the sucessor states
until 1980. In October 1963 the name of the country was changed into
“Rhodesia”. On 11 November 1965 the colony proclaimed its independence
changing its status into a republic on 2 March 1970. After a transitional
statute and the country renamed “Zimbabwe-Rhodesia” its name was changed
into “Republic of Zimbabwe” on 18
April 1980. Throughout the subsequent changes
of name and status the use of the achievement of Southern Rhodesia was
continued. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
18.04.1980- present |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
On the date of the adoption
of a new name a new achievement was also adopted. Arms and chief were
replaced by a green field charged with the ruins of Great-Zimbabwe and 15
pales Argent and Azure. The antelopes were replaced by kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros,
Bovidae) and an adze a and a
rifle in saltire were added behind the shield. The green field represents the fertile soil and the pales wavy the
water that makes growth and flowerimg possible. The ruins of Great Zimbabwe
commemorates the great history of the country and the adze and the rifle in
saltire symbolize the transfer from war to peace. On the shield is a green
and yellow wreath symbolizing the agriculture and mining being the
foundations of he Zimbabwean economy. In the crest a red star was added, a symbol of the hope for a better
future. The color red commemoirates the suffering of the people in the past
and the neceesity to avoid it in the future. The Great Zimbabwe-bird is the national symbol. The white, black and brown kudus refer to the different ethnic
peoples in the country. Shield and supporters are standing on a grassy ground
on which agricultural poreducts are exposed: wheat, maize and cotton. The motto reads: “unity
freedom work”.
[4] Arms: Vert,
the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, Argen and a chief payl wavy of 15 pieces Argent
and Azure. Crest: On a
wrearg Or and Vert, a five-pointed star Gules charged with the Great Zimbabwe
bird Or, Supporters: An adze and a rifle in saltire and two kudus (Tragelaphus strepsiceros, Bovidae, proper. Compartment: The
african soil charged with a cotton flower between a sheaf of wheat and a
maize-cob proper. Motto: UNITY FREEDOM WORK adopted 18.04.1980 Æ See illustration in the head of
this essay. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
As we
have seen the rulers of Monomotapa and Matabeleland had their own emblems. The arms
of Cecil Rhodes were:
Arms: Argent, a bend
Argent coticed Gules charged with a
lions passant Gules between two thistles proper Crest: A cubit
arm vested gules and gloved proper, holding a branch of oak Vert. The original arms of the Rhodes
family had: Argent, a lion passant guardant gules between two acorns in bend
Azure cotised ermines (listed in Burke's Armory, 1884). |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Royal Arms for Rhodesia |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The
Royal Arms for Rhodesia consisted of the arms of Rhodesia as adopted in 1924
crested with the imperal state crown. The arms
are between the royal cypher GV R.I, GVI R.I. and EII R, the R.I. meaning Rex
et Imperator, and the single R Regina.
King George V (1923-1936) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
King George VI (1936-1952) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Queen Elizabeth II (1953-1970)
Queen Elizabeth II, (1953-1963)
Republic 1970-1980 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Administrator of
the BSAC
Governor’s flag
1928-1951
Governor’s flag
1951-1969
Governor General
of the Federation’s flag 1953-1963 Interim 1969-1979
Presidential flag
1979-1980
Presidential flag
1987-1991 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Army |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The beginnings of the Rhodesian
Army go back to 29 October, 1889, when the Royal Charter was granted by Queen
Victoria to the British South Africa Company, authorising it to raise a
police force for the territories that were intended to come under its control
north of the Limpopo River. The Defence Act of 1927 finally created a
Permanent Force and a Territorial Force for the colony, although little
progress was made in the period up to 1939, at which time the police were
finally separated from the military, and conscription for the latter introduced. During the period of Federation,
the army was totally reorganised and each corps now received the prefix
"Rhodesia and Nyasaland". With the breakup of Federation in
1964 the army again underwent a large- scale reorganization, with the units
reverting to their original territories, two of which had now gained
independence from Britain. Southern Rhodesia took matters into its own hands
in 1965 with a "Unilateral Declaration of Independence" (UDI). In the end this resulted in the
declaration of independence in 1980 and the foundation of the Zimbabwean
army. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rhodesia and Nyassaland Army
1953-1963 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rhodesian Army 1963-1970 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rhodesian Army 1970- |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Rhodesian Army
-1980 |
Zimbabwe National
Army 1980- |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Air Force |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
The Rhodesian Air Force was established as a
regular defence unit in 1947, althoug an Air Unit had existed as early as
1934. In this year an Air Training Unit was established, a Territorial Force within the Rhodesia Regimant
and commenced the training of Pilots in 1939. In 1940 the establishment of an
Air Traing Group (ATG) under the
Empire Scheme for the purpose of training pilots for the Royal Air Force
(RAF) as part of Rhodesia’s contribution to the war effort. During the war three squadrons of the RAF were
manned by Rhodesians and were then officially designated as Rhodesian Units.
The were 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron, 44 (Rhodesian) Squadron and 266 (Rhodesian
) Squadron. In 1941 Badges
prepared by Chester Herald Inspector of Royal Air Force Badges and approved
by King George VI, were presented to these squadrons |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Crest: A Lion passant guardant charged on the shoulder with
an Eagle's Claw and holding in the Forepaw an Elephant's Tusk. Motto: PRIMUM AGMEN IN CAELO (The First Flight
in the Sky) The design is based
on the Crest of the British South Africa Company. |
Crest: On a Mount an Elephant. Motto: FULMINA REGIS LUSTA (The King's Thun-derbolts
are Righteous). The design is based
on the seal of Lo Bengula, the chief of the Matabele on the conquest.
The seal shows an elephant which, as used by the Squadron, suggests the
weight of their attacks. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Crest: A Bateleur Eagle volant. Motto: HLABEZULU (The Stabber of the
Sky). The Bateleur Eagle
was adopted as it is common all over Southern Rhodesia and is known for its
acrobatic propensity. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In march 1970, the form of government being
changed into a republic, the prefix “Royal” was dropped and new badges were designed. The badge of
the Rhodesian Air Force itself became an eagle wings spread, on a disc
surrounded by the legend RHODESIAN AIR FORCE and crested with the Great Zimbabwe Bird. Motto: ALÆ PRÆSIDIO PATRIA (Wings Protect the
Fatherland).
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Roundels |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1935-1939 |
1939-1954 |
1954-1963 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
1963-1970 |
1970-1980 |
1980-present |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cap
Badges |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Cap Badge until
1953 |
Cap badge
1963-1970 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Squadrons |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
In 1970 the badges of the squadrons were crested with
the new Air Force badge of a lion statant guardant with an elephant’s tusk in
his paw, and have their mottoes in english.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
© Hubert de
Vries 2006.06.14. Updated 2009.01.19; 2013-10-26