Kirti Sri Rajasinha vs Moshweshwe I

Kirti Sri Rajasinha, with the assistance of the Siamese monk Upali, re-established the higher ordination (Upasampada) for Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka. This revived the Buddhist Sangha, which had declined under earlier Nayakkar and Portuguese rule, and restored Buddhism as the state religion of the Kandyan Kingdom.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha commissioned the construction of the current Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy to house the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha. This temple became the most important Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka and a symbol of Kandyan sovereignty.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha successfully repelled a Dutch invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) attempted to conquer Kandy but were defeated by the Kandyan army, forcing the Dutch to sign a peace treaty in 1766 that recognized Kandyan independence.

Kirti Sri Rajasinha patronized Sinhalese literature, poetry, and traditional arts. He sponsored the composition of Buddhist texts and the revival of classical Sinhalese poetry, contributing to a cultural renaissance in the Kandyan court during his reign.

Moshoeshoe I established his stronghold at Thaba-Bosiu, a mountain fortress, and began uniting various Sotho clans into the Basotho nation. This provided a safe haven during the Difaqane and laid the foundation for Lesotho.

Moshoeshoe's forces captured the Tlokwa stronghold of Sekonyela, ending the long conflict between the Basotho and Tlokwa. This victory consolidated Basotho control over the region and absorbed many Tlokwa into the nation.

Facing threats from the Orange Free State, Moshoeshoe requested British annexation of Basutoland. The British agreed, making Basutoland a protectorate and preserving Basotho independence from Boer rule.

Moshoeshoe signed a treaty with the British that defined the boundaries of Basutoland (modern Lesotho). The treaty ceded some territory to the Orange Free State but secured British protection for the Basotho.