London Convention

The London Convention of 1884 was an agreement between Great Britain and the South African Republic (Transvaal) that restored republican self-government to the Transvaal. This convention was a result of the Transvaal Boers fighting for their independence after their territory was annexed by Britain in 1877. Despite the British victory in the South African War (1899-1902), the convention aimed to grant the Boers more autonomy, though it included an imprecise British "suzerainty" over external relations.1

This convention is seen by some historians as a turning point that contributed to later conflicts, including the South African War, by creating conditions that favored Boer dominance and ultimately led to apartheid. The Sand River Convention of 1852 had previously granted independence to Boers north of the Vaal River, leading to the establishment of the South African Republic (Transvaal).2