Why Moshoseshoe requested for British protection in 1868

Why Moshoseshoe requested for British protection in 1868

In March 1868, the British answered Moshoeshoe's pleas for protection, as the former declared Lesotho as the British Colony of Basutoland. Moshoeshoes with this became of the following:
Moshoeshoe had many enemies as early as he comes to power like the Tlokwa, Zulu, Matiwane, and Ndebele.
New troubles had soon came with the invasion and horsemen woth firearms - these were the Kora, Griqua and the Boers from the West and then from the South.
There were also continued Boer threats from the Orange Free State to incorporate his state there.
He .wished to control a wider area that bore little relation to the borders agreed upon between the British and the Boers their inaccurate maps. Moshoeshoe (Moshesh) associated the British with military power that could humble the Boers.
On the whole he had failed to challenge the Europeans in his land.
In 1850's and 1860's, the British were supplying arms to the Orange Free State, while they had banned their sale to the Basotho and other Africans North of the Orange.
The British had on a number of occasions intervened to solve the Sotho-Boer conflicts.
Moshoeshoe wanted to protect the independence of his people. The Basuto and other groups like the Boer- Pedi of Sckwati, and Laka of Manko pane had threatened the Sotho.
The Basuto (Sotho) people were prosperous farmers of wheat and maize for export in cape colony and elsewhere.
He wanted the British to conduct relations with the Boer on his western lands.
The worst effects of the Second Sotho-Boer war 1865 -69 encouraged Moshoeshoe to request for British protection. The Sotho were defeated and sued for peace with the Boers at Thaba Bosiu.
When the war resumed, Boer attacks on the Sotho were even more disastrous.
The influence the British High Commissioner Philip Wodehouse on the Sotho in 1860's.
As Moshoeshoe grew older, disputes began to emerge among his sons and relatives! the royal family.
The fear of the Orange Free State bankruptcy from the war and of the Sotho anarchy at the time made the British answer Mosboeshoe's pleas for protection in March 1868.
The reduced abilities of Moshoeshoe to conduct the war as he was over aged.
Many of his war generals were disunity.
The increased military pressure of the Boers over his land. Influence of the French Missionaries on Moshoeshoe.
Many Sotho people were starving due to wars with the Boers. The Sotho people were in desperate circumstances of war.
Lesotho was declared as the British colony of Basutoland which brought the war to end at the Second Treaty of Aliwal North.