| The Hutu were some of the earliest inhabitants of | | | | Kaiser and subsuming it into German East Africa. |
| Rwanda, after the arrival of the Tutsi around the | | | | The German rule was one of little or no control, |
| sixteenth century, the Hutu were forced into | | | | depending completely on the courts of various |
| servitude in a Tutsi-dominated feudal state. | | | | local rulers in which they placed agents who |
| Rwanda was one of the last places in Africa to be | | | | attempted to influence proceedings. |
| swallowed up by the European powers during the | | | | Germany did not encourage either modernisation |
| Scramble for Africa. The Europeans found a state | | | | or centralisation and favoured the ruling Tutsi |
| that was divided between Tutsis and Hutus, the | | | | class, thinking them more adaptable to European |
| divide was described as one of class, where the | | | | ways and thus granted them ruling positions over |
| Tutsis as herders were the upper class and the | | | | the Hutu class. Belgium occupied the territory in |
| Hutus as farmers were the lower class. | | | | 1916, during World War One and was awarded a |
| The region of Rwanda and Burundi was given to | | | | mandate known as the Ruanda-Urundi (present |
| the German Empire at the Brussels conference of | | | | day Rwanda and Burundi) by the League of |
| 1890 in return for them renouncing all claims to | | | | Nations in 1923. In 1925, the Belgians formed an |
| Uganda. The Germans held back for a number of | | | | administrative area between Ruanda-Urundi and |
| years, seizing their opportunity during a succession | | | | the Belgian Congo. Belgium retained the German |
| battle for the Rwanda throne, they moved into | | | | policy of strengthening the position of the Tutsis |
| the region claiming the area in the name of the | | | | over the Hutus. |