Source # 10: Letter from African King Lobengula
Background: This letter was written by an African king to Queen Victoria of England.
To Her Majesty Queen Victoria,
"Some time ago, a party of men came to my county, the principal³5 one appearing to be a man called Rudd.
They asked me for a place to dig for gold, and said they would give me certain things for the right to do so. I
told them to bring what they could give and I would show them what I would give. A document was written
and presented to me for signature. I asked what it contained, and was told that in it were my words and the
words of those men. I put my hand to it. About three months afterwards I heard from other sources that I had
given by the document the right to all the minerals36 of my country"
Signed: King Lobengula
1. What happened to the King's land?
2. How did it happen?