Martinus (or Marthinus) Theunis Steyn (October 2, 1857 - 1916) was a South African politician, last president of the Orange Free State. October 2 is the 275th day (276th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 90 days remaining. ... 1857 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... Capital Bloemfontein Created 1854 Dissolved 1900 Language Dutch (Afrikaans an official language only in 1925) The Orange Free State (Afrikaans: Oranje Vrystaat) was an independent country in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a province in South Africa. ...

He was born at Winburg, OFS. He studied in the Netherlands and later in England at the Inner Temple, and was called to the English bar in November 1882. After his return to South Africa he practised as a barrister at Bloemfontein, and in 1889 was appointed state attorney of the Free State. A few months afterwards he became second puisne judge, and in 1893 first puisne judge of the high court. His decisions won him a reputation for ability and sound judgment. Winburg is a small mixed farming town in the Free State Province of South Africa. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: England Inter. ... The Inner Temple is one of the four Inns of Court around the Royal Courts of Justice in London, England, to which barristers belong and where they are called to the bar. ... Coat of arms of Bloemfontein Bloemfontein (Dutch for fountain of flowers) is one of South Africas three capital cities, along with Pretoria and Cape Town. ...

In 1895, upon the resignation of President FW Reitz, Steyn was the candidate of the pan-Dutch party for the vacant post. The election resulted (February 1896) in a decisive victory for Steyn. The beginning of the Boer War in 1899, caused Steyn to link the fortunes of his state with those of the Transvaal, allying with them against the British Empire. While OFS was under British occupation, Steyn ran a government in hiding, playing a key role in continuing Boer resistance and the guerilla warfare that made up most of the Boer War. 1895 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Boer guerrillas during the Second Boer War There were two Boer wars, one in 1880-81 and the second from October 11, 1899-1902 both between the British and the settlers of Dutch origin (called Boere, Afrikaners or Voortrekkers) in South Africa that put an end to the two independent... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Flag of Transvaal The Transvaal (lit. ... The British Empire in 1897, marked in pink, the traditional colour for Imperial British dominions on maps The British Empire was the worlds first global power and the largest empire in human history, a product of the European Age of Discovery that began with the global maritime empires of... Boer is the Afrikaans (and Dutch) word for farmer which came to denote the descendents of the Afrikaans speaking migrating farmers of the expanding eastern Cape frontier. ... Guerrilla (also called a partisan) is a term borrowed from Spanish (from guerra meaning war) used to describe small combat groups. ...

Regarded as one of the most irreconcilable of the Boer leaders, he took part, however, in the preliminary peace negotiations at Klerksdorp in April 1902, but was prevented by illness from signing the instrument of surrender at Pretoria on May 31. At that date he was suffering from myasthenia gravis brought on by his constant exertions; and in the July following he sailed for Europe, where he remained until the autumn of 1904. Boer is the Afrikaans (and Dutch) word for farmer which came to denote the descendents of the Afrikaans speaking migrating farmers of the expanding eastern Cape frontier. ... Klerksdorp is a city and administrative district located in the North West Province (formerly Western Transvaal), South Africa. ... 1902 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... City motto: Praestantia Praevaleat Pretoria (May Pretoria Be Pre-eminent In Excellence) Province Gauteng Mayor Smangaliso Mkhatshwa Area  - % water 1,644 km² 0. ... May 31 is the 151st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (152nd in leap years), with 214 days remaining, as the last day of May. ... Myasthenia gravis (MG, Latin: grave muscle weakness) is a neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating weakness and fatiguability. ...

He then took the oath of allegiance to the British crown, and returning to South Africa partially restored to health resumed an active participation in politics. In 1908-1909 he was vice-president of the Closer Union Convention, where he was distinguished for his statesmanlike and conciliatory attitude, while maintaining the rights of the Dutch community.

While addressing a meeting in 1916, he collapsed & died.

Reference

• This entry incorporates public domain text originally from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.