Siege of Mafeking
Siege of Mafeking was a siege conducted on 13 October 1899 at Mahikeng, in what is now South Africa; it lasted 7 months. It was part of Second Boer War, which ran from 1899 to 1902. The recorded result: British victory; Mafeking relieved. Recorded strength: 1,500 against 8,000.
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Photograph Robert Baden-Powell and his staff after the Siege of Mafeking in South Africa, published in The Black and White Budget Vol 3 No 35, page 297. Main caption reads "Major-General Baden Powell . Photo by J. Angus Hamilton, Our Special Correspondent with Major-General Baden-Powell, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons .
Fought 13 October 1899 lasted 7 months
Where Mahikeng, South Africa 25.850S, 25.633E
Outcome British victory; Mafeking relieved
Belligerents British Empire; United Kingdom; Canada; Cape Colony against South African Republic; Orange Free State
Casualties and losses 212 killed; 600+ wounded and 2,000
Where it sits in Second Boer War Battle of Doornkop, 1896 Siege of Mafeking, 1899 Battle of Kraaipan, 1899 Siege of Kimberley, 1899 Battle of Talana Hill, 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte, 1899 Relief of Ladysmith, 1899 Battle of Ladysmith, 1899 Siege of Ladysmith, 1899 Battle of Belmont, 1899 Battle of Graspan, 1899 Battle of Modder River, 1899 Battle of Stormberg, 1899 Battle of Magersfontein, 1899 Battle of Colenso, 1899 Battle of Spion Kop, 1900 Battle of Vaal Krantz, 1900 Battle of the Tugela Heights, 1900 Battle of Paardeberg, 1900 Bloody Sunday, 1900 Battle of Poplar Grove, 1900 Battle of Driefontein, 1900 Battle of Sanna's Post, 1900 Battle of Boshof, 1900 Battle of Laing's Nek (1900), 1900 Battle of Diamond Hill, 1900 Battle of Dwarsvlei, 1900 Battle of Silkaatsnek, 1900 Battle of Witpoort, 1900 Battle of Elands River, 1900 Battle of Bergendal, 1900 Battle of Bothaville, 1900 Battle of Leliefontein, 1900 Battle of Nooitgedacht, 1900 Battle of Vlakfontein, 1901 Battle of Groenkloof, 1901 Battle of Blood River Poort, 1901 Battle of Elands River, 1901 Battle of Bakenlaagte, 1901 Battle of Groenkop, 1901 Battle of Tweebosch, 1902 Battle of Rooiwal, 1902 1896 1902 Siege of Mafeking, 1899 42 placed engagements of Second Boer War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.
Record
Date 13 October 1899to 17 May 1900 Place Mahikeng, South Africa25.850S, 25.633E Kind Siege, nineteenth century Strength 1,500 8,000 Casualties and losses 212 killed; 600+ wounded 2,000 Commanders Robert Baden-Powell Bryan Mahon
Siege of Mafeking Siege of Mafeking Battle of Kraaipan Battle of Tweebosch Battle of Elands River Battle of Dimawe Battle of Ventersdorp Battle of Kraaipan Battle of Tweebosch Battle of Elands River Battle of Dimawe Klerksdorp Vryburg Potchefstroom Lobatse Kanye 100 km 25.850S, 25.633E The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.
Siege of Mafeking is one of 3,694 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 95 in present-day South Africa.
Sources
Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2090584 , released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Siege of Mafeking , revision 1381574598, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.
