State of Goshen Het Land Goosen (Dutch) | |||||||||||
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1882–1883 | |||||||||||
Motto: Gewapend en Regtvaardig Dutch: Armed and Fair | |||||||||||
Status | Boer Republic | ||||||||||
Capital | Rooigrond, Mafikeng | ||||||||||
Common languages | Dutch Tswana | ||||||||||
Religion | Dutch Reformed | ||||||||||
Government | Republic | ||||||||||
President | |||||||||||
• Goshen | Nicolaas Claudius Gey van Pittius | ||||||||||
Legislature | Die Bestuur | ||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
• Founding of Goshen | 24 October 1882 | ||||||||||
• Unified as United States of Stellaland | 1883 | ||||||||||
Currency | South African pound (£) | ||||||||||
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Goshen, officially known as the State of Goshen (Dutch: Het Land Goosen), was a short-lived Boer republic in southern Africa founded by Boers expanding west from Transvaal who opposed British advance in the region.
Located in Tswana territory west of the Transvaal, Goshen existed as an independent nation for a short period; from 1882 to 1883 as the State of Goshen and, after unification with neighbouring Stellaland, as the United States of Stellaland (Dutch: Verenigde Staten van Stellaland) from 1883 to 1885.
During its history, Goshen, though small in size, became a focal point of conflict between the British Empire and the South African Republic, the two major players vying over the territory. After a series of claims and annexations, British fears of Boer expansionism ultimately led to its demise and, among other factors, set the stage for the Second Boer War of 1899–1902.