Transwal, 1881-1899. Czy regionalne mocarstwo?

This text is a short introduction to above asked question. Was the South African Republic of 1881-1899 a regional power? The answer is not easy. From one side Transvaal had minuscule white population, especially by European standards. Still, was able to mobilize quite significant military force, larger than any polity in that area. What's more important, since the discovery of the gold, its financial resources were enormous. It became an economic centre of this region. Therefore at least potentially it was a regional power. But was this potential realized? The author runs throughout the history of the Transvaal of that time, to present political and diplomatic activities of the South African Republic, to show changes in situation and in diplomatic objectives. He asks the question if the Transvaal before 1877 was a state by European standards. Then shortly shows the influence of British Annexation of 1877-1881. Then he presents several events taking place from 1881 to 1896. He especially concentrates on the period of 1881-1886 and deals with historical stereotypes concerning those event. The author analyses Transvaal policy to find, what was the main goal of Kruger administration. And finally he asks the question embedded in the topic.