Kigeli IV of Rwanda

Who is Kigeli IV of Rwanda?

Kigeri IV Rwabugili was the ruler of the Kingdom of Rwanda from 1853 to 1895. He was a Tutsi with the birth name Sezisoni. He was the first King in Rwanda's history to come into contact with Europeans. He established an army equipped with guns and prohibited most foreigners from entering his kingdom.

Rwabugiri held authority from 1863–1895 and expanded the borders of the kingdom.

By the end of Rwabugiri’s rule, Rwanda was divided into a standardized structure of provinces, districts, hills and neighborhoods, and administered by a hierarchy of chiefs predominantly controlled by Tutsi at the higher levels and with a greater degree of mutual participation.

The borders of the Rwanda kingdom were rounded out in the late 19th century by Kigeri Rwabugiri, who is regarded as Rwanda's most powerful king. By the beginning of the 20th century Rwanda was a unified state with a centralized military structure.