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Cecil John Rhodes was born on 5 July 1853 in Bishop's Stortford, in England. His father was an Anglican clergyman and Cecil John was his fifth son.
He developed tuberculosis and his childhood years were marked by illness. Doctors thought that he may die young and in desperation, his parents sent him to South Africa - a country with a warmer climate, hoping that he would be able to build up his health. His older brother Herbert had moved to South Africa previously and was farming in Durban, and so it was decided to send Cecil to join him.
Cecil John arrived in Durban in 1870. He was pale and even more ill after the long sea voyage, but the even climate restored his health somewhat. In 1871, the Rhodes brothers heard that a fortune could be made in Griqualand West from diamond prospecting. Herbert and Cecil left the farm and embarked on the adventure that would alter their lives forever. They joined the diamond rush and became prospectors.
The brothers were successful. They were able to establish three claims and became rich with the diamonds that they prospected. One fateful night, however, Herbert tragically died when a fire broke out on a camping trip. The distraught Cecil worked harder than ever before, and in 1880 he started the famous De Beers Mining Company. In eight short years, he was able to buy out his biggest rival and closest competitor, Barney Barnato for over five millions pounds, a staggering amount in those days.
Throughout his life, Cecil John Rhodes struggled with illnesses, but his drive enabled him to achieve great heights. He even managed to study further at Oxford in England. In 1887 he formed the Gold Fields of South Africa Company. His influence reached as far afield as Rhodesia, where the British South Africa Company, a company he had formed, was one of the largest and most powerful businesses in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
He delved into the political scene of South Africa and even became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony in 1890. However, his foray into the political arena was cut short when he tried to overthrow the then President of South Africa, Paul Kruger. Rhodes backed a group of people led by Sir Leander Starr Jameson who intended to raid and overthrow the government. The raiders were routed and Rhodes resigned from the premiership in 1896.
In the latter part of the nineteenth century, he remained active in shaping the economy of South Africa and Zimbabwe: He was responsible for building the railway across the mighty Zambesi river, at Victoria Falls, and founded the Rhodes Fruit Farms.
He died young, at the age of forty-eight, on 26 March 1902. A train took his body to Rhodesia and he was buried on top of a granite dome in the Matobo Hills. In his will, he had left a rich legacy for the people of South Africa - vast sums had been left for the development of the country.
Until today, there are many reminders to the influence he exerted in Southern Africa. Among them is the Rhodes Memorial in Cape Town and many statues and plaques that will ensure that he remains a part of South Africa's history.
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