King Mswati III of Swaziland became leader of his country in 1986. His real name is Makhosetive, which means King of Nations. As a young prince, he developed a keen interest in the Royal Guard, the soldiers that protect his kingdom. He became the first Swazi royal to join the Swaziland Defence Force.
1986年,姆斯瓦蒂三世当选斯威士兰君主。原名为马科塞蒂维,意为万邦之王。因能保护王国,王子从小对皇家卫队产生了浓厚兴趣。他也成为了首位进入斯威士兰国防军的皇室成员。
His father died of pneumonia in 1982. The royal family chose 14-year-old prince Makhosetive to be the next king. He spent four years training for his new position, while attending an elite school in England. He was crowned King of Swaziland on April 25, 1986, aged 18 years and 6 days. At that time, he was the youngest reigning monarch in the world.
1982年,父亲因肺炎去世。并推选14岁的马科塞蒂维登上王位。为担任此职位,他曾在英格兰精英学校接受教育,时间长达四年。1986年4月25日,他当选斯威士兰国王,当时他年仅18岁零6天。他也成为了当时全球最年轻君主。
Today, Mswati III is Africa's last absolute monarch. This means he has the power to choose his own government. He can also choose his own wives and currently has thirteen. His first two wives were chosen for him by national councilors, following Swazi customs and traditions. He can only marry his fiancees after they have fallen pregnant, so they can prove they can have children.
如今,姆斯瓦蒂三世成为了非洲最后一位拥有绝对实权的君主。他有权组建政府。也可以自由选择配偶,目前拥有13位夫人。根据斯威士兰习俗,前两名夫人由全国议员遴选。只有前两名夫人怀孕,他才准许再次娶妻,由此证明姆斯瓦蒂拥有后裔。
The world’s media often criticizes the King. He leads a luxurious lifestyle and spends a fortune on luxury cars, while his people live in poverty. His mishandling of the country’s HIV/AIDS crisis came under heavy criticism. He wanted those with AIDS sterilized and branded. He also called for a five year ban on sex. He did not follow this, instead marrying five more wives.
全球媒体一直对他口诛笔伐。他生活奢靡,更热衷豪车,而他的人民正在贫困中挣扎。因在处理艾滋危机时不当,姆斯瓦蒂备受谴责。他要对艾滋患者消毒,并打上烙印。并要求五年内禁欲。他自己却没有严格执行,且和另外五名女性结了婚。