Rudyard Kipling: Difference between revisions

In early 1898 Kipling and his family travelled to South Africa for their winter holiday, thus beginning an annual tradition which (excepting the following year) was to last until 1908. With his newly minted reputation as the poet of the Empire, Kipling was warmly received by some of the most influential politicians of the Cape Colony, including [[Cecil John Rhodes|Cecil Rhodes]], [[Alfred Milner|Sir Alfred Milner]], and [[Leander Starr Jameson]]. In turn, Kipling cultivated their friendship and came to greatly admire all three men and their politics. The period 1898–1910 was a crucial one in the history of South Africa and included the Second Boer War (1899–1902), the ensuing peace treaty, and the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. Back in England, Kipling wrote poetry in support of the British cause in the Boer War and on his next visit to South Africa in early 1900, he helped start a newspaper, ''The Friend'', for the British troops in [[Bloemfontein]], the newly captured capital of the [[Orange Free State]]. Although his journalistic stint was to last only two weeks, it was the first time Kipling would work on a newspaper staff since he left ''The Pioneer'' in Allahabad more than ten years earlier.<ref name=gilmour/> He also wrote articles published more widely expressing his views on the conflict.<ref name="NYT1900">{{Citation| last = Kipling| first = Rudyard| title = Kipling at Cape Town: Severe Arraignment of Treacherous Afrikanders and Demand for Condign Punishment By and By| newspaper = The New York Times| pages = 21| date = 18 March 1900| url = http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9401EFDC1339E733A2575BC1A9659C946197D6CF }}</ref> Kipling penned an inscription for the [[Honoured Dead Memorial]] (Siege memorial) in [[Kimberley, Northern Cape|Kimberley]].