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Mswati III

Mswati III, 1968–, king of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). Given the title of Prince Makhosetive at an early age, he was crowned king in 1986, following a regency after his father, King Sobhuza II, died in 1982. He soon consolidated his power and put close family members into powerful positions. An autocratic absolute monarch, he has become notorious for living extravagantly in a country with an economy based on subsistence farming.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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