the history of Malawi plunges its roots in the Préhistoire but remains rather mysterious still nowadays. The empires Bantou S of the Moyen-âge exploration Portuguese E, the establishment of Arab counters succeeded then the Colonisation Britannique in the form of Protectorat.

After the failure of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, the colonial Nyasaland became the Malawi in 1964.

Prehistory

One found in Malawi of the skeletons of Hominidé S and of the stone tools dating of more than one million years. The human presence is attested at the edge of the Lac Malawi there are 50.000 to 60.000 years. Human remainders found on a site gone back to 8 ' 000 years before J. - C. show physical characteristics similar to the people currently populating the Corne of Africa. Another site gone back to 1 ' 500 before J. - C. shelters remainders presenting of the similarities with the Bushmen. Small and with the skin color of copper, these men designated under the name of Akufula or of Batwa carried out the cave paintings found in the south Lilongwe, in Chencherere and Muphunzi.

Worsen maravi

The modern history of Malawi started with the arrival of Maravis which probably gave their name to the future country. Maravis were people of the age of the iron whose name would mean rays of light .

The dynasty of the Empire maravi was founded by Amaravi at the end of the 15th century. Amaravi had migrated since the territories of current the Katanga in the Democratic republic of Congo. They delivered combat with Akufula, which lived as small family clans without unified defense system. The clan of Phiri, which dominated the Amaravi people and from which descend Chewas current, then founded a kingdom which became the Empire maravi.

This empire extended since south-western banks from the Lac Malawi and included most of current Malawi, as well as part of the Mozambique and Zambia. The empire was controlled from the town of Mankhamba by the kalonga , which named lieutenants to control the lately annexed provinces. The empire will start to decline at the beginning of the 18th century, when conflicts between provincial governors weakened his authority.

The economy of the Empire maravi depended largely on agriculture, mainly of the millet and the Sorgho. Chewa then had access to the coast of current Mozambique, which enabled them to make trade of Ivoire, of Fer and slaves with the Arab Portuguese and . The Portuguese entered the territories of the Malawi future via the Mozambican port of Head at the 16th century and brought back the first testimonys written on the Maravi empire. They brought the Maïs, which will replace the sorghum in the basic food of Malawites, and bought slaves whom they employed mainly in their plantations of Mozambique and the Brésil.

The fall of the Empire maravi, at the 19th century, coincides with the arrival of two powerful groups. Angoni originating in Native (current South Africa), taken along by their Zwangendaba chief, arrived at Malawi after having fled the Zulu Empire and the emperor Chaka. This important shift in population, which included many other people that Ngunis, had a deep impact on the southern sub-continent. While fleeing Chaka Zulu, Ngunis of the Zwangendaba chief had adopted most of its military tactics and employed them against Maravites. Installed in rock areas, they launched annual raids against their Chewa neighbors to bring back slaves and food.

The second group which gained in influence at that time was Ayao (or Yaos), come from the north of Mozambique to escape from the Famine and the conflicts with the Makua tribe. They attacked Chewa and Ngunis to resell the prisoners like slaves. Ayao were the first, and remained a long time the only ones to use firearms in their conflicts with other tribes. Converted with the Islam in contact with the Arab tradesmen, they profited from the support of the sheiks, which financed schools and made fun. The Arabs also introduced the culture of the Riz, which will become dominating in the lake area.

Forts of their alliance with Ayao, the Arabs established several Comptoir S along the lake Malawi. Largest of these counters in 1840 with Nkhotakota by Jumbe Salim bin Abdala was founded. At the top of its capacity, Jumbe made forward between 5' 000 and 20' 000 slaves by Nkhotakota per year. The slaves were then forwarded to the island of Kilwa Kisiwani, with broad of current the Tanzania. The foundation of these counters moved the center commercial of the slaves towards Zanzibar.

Ayao and Angoni delivered ceaseless combat without it bringing out a final winner of it. The last representatives of the Empire maravi succumbed however to the attacks of the two clans. Certain chewa chiefs remained by tying alliances with Swahili, themselves combined with the Arabs.

The arrival of the British

In 1855, the Scottish Explorateur David Livingstone descended the Zambezi since the Chutes Victoria to Tete. In 1856, it decided to go up large the Fleuve to its mouth. Stopped by the falls of Quebrabasa, it obliqued length fu river shire and in 1859, arrived on banks of the Lac Malawi which it baptized Nyassa ( nyasa means lake in chiayo).

In its wake occurred then of the missionary S, of the hunters and the traffickers of slaves.

Scottish church S presbytériennes then installed missions in the area, with inter alia objectives the intention to put an end to the trade of slaves towards the Persian Gulf. Thus, in 1876, the mission of Blantyre is founded, with for name of Baptême that of the native village of Livingstone.

In 1878, tradesmen mainly originating in Glasgow founded the Company of the African lakes to supply the missionaries with goods and services. It outclassed the few Portuguese counters then. Other missionaries still followed as well as tradesmen, hunters and growers.

In conflict with the merchants of slaves, the traders called some with the British Crown. In 1883, Great Britain named the diplomat Harry Johnston consul with the kings and chiefs of central Africa in order to sign treaties of friendship with the local leaders. It ran up then against a serious rival, the Portuguese explorer Serpa Pinto which tried to convince Lisbon to make connect the Portuguese colony of Angola to that of Mozambique. Pinto did not manage to convince its metropolis finally. Provided with 10.000 books provided by Cecil Rhodos, Johnston negotiated the rallying of the local leaders and in 1891, the two European powers agreed to place Nyasaland in the British sphere of influence.

Harry Johnston was named high commissioner in Nyassaland and the financial management of the territory was then entrusted to the British South Africa Company of Cecil Rhodos which had been just seen giving by royal Charte the exploitation of the Zambézie of the south and of the Zambézie of north (future the Rhodesia S).

The territory is pacified as much by the force as by the diplomacy.

The protectorate of Nyasaland (1907-1964)

It is however only in July 1907 which Nyassaland became officially a Protectorat Britannique called a time " British protectorate of Africa centrale".

The colonists did not precipitate in Nyassaland, preferring the Kenya to him or the Southern Rhodesia to develop the plantations of Tabac and Arachide S. This is why, the plantations of tobacco, the principal culture of Nyassaland, were slow to develop.

The most serious rebellion with the established order take place in January 1915. The faithful ones of the evangelic church of the Pasteur John Chilembwe, in conflict with other local churches, then tried to take by storm the deposit of weapons of Blantyre and to be caught some with the plantations. After 15 days of rebellion, the movement is repressed and Chilembwe, is cut down during its escape.

In 1927, the census then counted only 1.700 white for 1.350.000 Africans (99,6%). Racial discrimination existed little in comparison with the other close colonies or British protectorates. If the Africans were to present a pass during their displacements, they were not subjected to discriminatory measurements in the banks, the administrations, the post offices or store of Blantyre and Zomba, the two more important cities of protectorate. Consequently from this little of attraction of Nyassaland on the European immigrants, the indigenous policy differed from the colony S neighbors. The traditional chiefs were a relay and a support essential with the colonizer in order to ensure a good governance of the territory. In 1933, the local administrative persons in charge were in their turn integrated in a council of the chiefs in order to be associated with decision makings.

The shortly after the Second world war, a African elite, formed in Europe and with the the United States, started nevertheless to be active on the political plan. In 1944, the African Congrès of Nyasaland (EDGE) was founded, gathering intellectuals on an pluri-ethnic basis.

The territory remained underdeveloped compared to the close colonies and many nationals left to seek work in Rhodesias or in South Africa.

In 1949, the Africans obtained their right of representation to the Legislative council of Nyassaland (they until were there represented by the missionaries) but this one is effective only in 1953, year when takes up duty the Fédération of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, largely rejected by the Africans of Nyassaland.

The federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953-1963)

See also: Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

In 1953, protectorates of the Nyasaland, Rhodesia of north and the colony of Southern Rhodesia were linked to form the Fédération of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, reinforcing in spite of it the aspirations with the Décolonisation and the Indépendance.

The Africans of Nyasaland refused this union by rejection of the policy of Racial segregation practiced in particular in Southern Rhodesia and the fear of passing under the domination of the white colonists or the owners of mine S rhodésiennes. The rural populations also feared to be marginalized and to lose the " protection" British. Lastly, the advantages of the federation for the people of Nyassaland appeared quite mean. Four hundred and thousand Nyassas then poured one or two pennies each one, in order to send to London a delegation to present a petition to the queen. The Colonial office refused to reach finally their request and the delegation returned in Nyassaland the empty handeds.

The installation of the federation started again the activism of the African Congrès of Nyasaland which received, as of 1953, the support of the country cheffery under the impulse of the supreme leader of Angonis, Philipp Gomani, more known until there for its loyalty towards the Great Britain for which it had fought during the two world wars and in Malaysia. Gomani refused any recourse to violence and called some with the passive resistance. The British however carried out his arrest in spite of its great age under the charge to have misused its capacities of big boss and to have contravened the law.

In August 1953, of serious disorders burst in the area of Cholo making fear with the British a rising similar to that of the Mau Mau with the Kenya. It was not only any more the federation which was called into question. Objections relating to the exploitation of the ground had been added to the principal claim (400 000 hectares of grounds were exploited by the white minority).

After the natural death of Gomani, the campaign of Boycott and civil disobedience was then taken again under the impulse of Masauko Chipembere, a former assistant of district which, in 1956, was elected at the Legislative council. Another leader also emerged, with the uncontested charisma, in the person of Hastings Kamuzu Banda, a doctor trained with the the United States, in Great Britain and with the Ghana, representing EDGE with London.

The July 6th 1958, Hastings Kamuzu Bandaged, of return to the country, taken the head of Can. the governor issued the state of emergency then. The EDGE was then prohibited and Bandaged imprisoned in 1959 then released in April 1960 to take part in the constitutional conference of London on the future of the Federation.

The April 15th 1961, the Left the congress of Malawi (PCM), which had succeeded the EDGE, gained a decisive victory at the time of the legislative elections. It also obtained a big role at the new executive council and controlled in fact Nyasaland the following year. The moderation of Bandaged was then appreciated by the British and the indo-Pakistani company of Nyassaland.

At the time of the second constitutional conference of London, in November 1962, the British government was committed granting self-determination to Nyasaland for the year 1963.

Became president the 1963 bandaged, although finances, safety and justice remained under British control. A constitution came into effect in May of the same year, providing the foundations of a self government.

Independence

The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland was dissolved the December 31st 1963.

Nyssaland reached independence under the name of Malawi the July 6th 1964 and became member entirely independent of the the Commonwealth.

Two years later, a news Constitution defined the country as a republic in sole party, with Banda as president.

In 1967, Malawi established diplomatic relations at the highest level with South Africa. It was the only African country to open a Ambassade with Pretoria. Although condemning the mode of Apartheid, Malawi was going to align itself on the regional policy of Pretoria, refusing to accommodate the members of the prohibited African organizations in South Africa and Rhodesia while tolerating the establishment of camps of drive of the national Résistance of Mozambique, an organization hostile with the mode Marxiste of the Mozambique after 1975 and financially constant by the last two white modes of Southern Africa.

Was proclaimed life president of the PCM in 1970 bandaged, then of Malawi in 1971.

The paramilitary wing of the PCM, the Young pioneers, contributed to maintain the country under an authoritarian regime until in the years 1990.

Bandaged developed a worship of the personality and its mode persecuted unquestionable a number of religious minorities (Témoins of Jéhovah) or ethnic (containment of the inhabitants of Indian origin in ghettos). The transfer of funds deprived abroad or the importation of foreign currencies was prohibited, which forced the candidates with the emigration to give up their goods behind them. All the media (press, books, films) were subjected to the censure and the private mail (especially mail coming from abroad) as well as the phone conversations were systematically intercepted.

Following many pressures as well internal as international, a Référendum took place the June 14th 1993, during which Malawites decided massively in favor of the introduction of a multi-party democratic regime.

National elections, qualified the free ones by the international observers, took place the May 17th 1994 and transfer the accession with the presidency of Bakili Muluzi, chief of the plain democratic Front (FDU). Its party also gained 82 of the 177 seats of the National Assembly and formed a coalition with the Alliance for the democracy.

The coalition was dissolved in June 1996 but some of its members remained with the government.

The constitution of 1995 removed the prerogatives of the old sole party and thus introduced the economic Libéralisme structural reforms.

The second democratic elections took place the June 15th 1999. Muluzi was re-elected for new a five years mandate, in spite of a coalition between the PCM and Alliance for the democracy.

May 2004 saw the election of Bingu wa Mutharika, the FDU, against the candidate of the PCM, John Tembo. Wa Mutharika left its party the February 5th 2005 by calling upon disagreements, as private individuals in connection with his countryside anti-corruption.

External bonds

• History of Malawi
• detailed History of Malawi

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