| Conventional Long Name: | Republic of Lijdensrust |
| Native Name: | Republiek Lydensrust |
| Common Name: | Lydensrust |
| Empire: | Namibia |
| Status: | Boer Republic |
| Government Type: | Republic |
| Event Start: | Founding of Upingtonia |
| Year Start: | 1885 |
| Date Start: | October 20 |
| Event1: | Name change to Lijdensrust |
| Date Event1: | 1886 |
| Event2: | William Worthington Jordan killed by Nehale Mpingana |
| Date Event2: | 1886 |
| Event3: | Republic collapses |
| Date Event3: | 1886 |
| Event End: | Merged into German South-West Africa |
| Year End: | 1887 |
| Date End: | June |
| P1: | Ovambo people |
| Flag P1: | Ovamboland flag.svg |
| S1: | German South-West Africa |
| Flag S1: | Flaggenentwurf 7 Südwestafrika 1914.svg |
| Flag Type: | Flag |
| Image Map Caption: | Location of Lijdensrust in Southern Africa (1885–1887) |
| Capital: | Grootfontein |
| Title Leader: | President |
| Leader1: | George Diederik P. Prinsloo |
| Year Leader1: | 1885–1887 |
| Common Languages: | Dutch (written) Afrikaans (spoken) German |
| Religion: | Dutch Reformed |
| Currency: | Pound sterling (£) |
| Today: | Namibia |
Lijdensrust, officially the Republic of Lijdensrust, was a short-lived Boer republic in the area of present-day Namibia. Declared on 20 October 1885, it was originally named Upingtonia, but changed its name soon after as the reason for its original name proved worthless. In 1887, it was merged into German South-West Africa.
Between the years 1874 and 1880, farmers migrated from the Transvaal to what was then southern Angola. There, they came into conflict with the Portuguese colonial authorities, and some of their number decided to return to the Transvaal, while others migrated further south.[1]
In 1885, William Worthington Jordan bought a tract (fifty thousand square kilometers) of land from the Ovambo chief Kambonde for three hundred pounds, paid as twenty-five firearms, one salted horse, and a cask of brandy.[2] This land stretched almost 170km (110miles) from Okaukuejo in the west to Fischer's Pan in the east.[3] Chief Kambonde relied on the help of Jordan to defeat his rival for power, Nehale.
Between 1876 and 1879, at the time of the Dorsland Trek, Boers had crossed the area, heading for Angola. In 1885 some of these trekkers returned and settled at Grootfontein on land given to them free of charge by Jordan. The Republic of Upingtonia was declared on 20 October 1885.[1] At that time, the population of Upingtonia was around five hundred settlers. The state was named after Thomas Upington, prime minister of the Cape Colony, from whom the new state was hoping for support. However, little was forthcoming.[4] In 1886, under the influence of the Boers returning to the Transvaal from southern Angola, the name was changed from Upingtonia to Lijdensrust or Lydensrust.
The short-lived republic's capital was Grootfontein, and its head of state was President George Diederik P. Prinsloo. The new state fought the Herero and became dependent on German protection. In 1886 Jordan was killed by Nehale Mpingana, and the republic collapsed. The next year the area it had covered was incorporated into German South-West Africa.[5]