Nelson Mandela

== Personality and personal life ==

[[File:Nelson Mandela (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Mandela on a visit to Australia in 2009; he is wearing one of the brightly coloured garments that became known as "[[Madiba shirt]]s".]]

Mandela was widely considered a [[charismatic leader]],{{sfnm|1a1=Glad|1a2=Blanton|1y=1997|1p=570|2a1=Read|2y=2010|2p=326}} described by biographer [[Mary Benson (campaigner)|Mary Benson]] as "a born mass leader who could not help magnetizing people".{{sfn|Benson|1986|p=51}} He was highly image conscious and throughout his life always sought out fine quality clothes, with many commentators believing that he carried himself in a regal manner.{{sfn|Sampson|2011|pp=432, 554}} His aristocratic heritage was repeatedly emphasised by supporters, thus contributing to his "charismatic power".{{sfn|Lodge|2006|p=2}} While living in Johannesburg in the 1950s, he cultivated the image of the "African gentleman", having "the pressed clothes, correct manners, and modulated public speech" associated with such a position.{{sfn|Boehmer|2008|p=111}} In doing so, Lodge argued that Mandela became "one of the first media politicians ... embodying a glamour and a style that projected ''visually'' a brave new African world of modernity and freedom".{{sfn|Lodge|2006|p=ix}} Mandela was known to change his clothes several times a day, and he became so associated with highly coloured [[Batik]] shirts after assuming the presidency that they came to be known as "[[Madiba shirt]]s".{{sfnm|1a1=Boehmer|1y=2008|1p=133|2a1=Meredith|2y=2010|2p=495|3a1=Sampson|3y=2011|3p=503}}<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3532916.stm |title=How Mandela changed SA fashion |last=Khumalo |first=Fred |author-link=Fred Khumalo|date=5 August 2004 |publisher=BBC |access-date=28 October 2008 |archive-date=3 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121203203346/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3532916.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>

For political scientists [[Betty Glad]] and Robert Blanton, Mandela was an "exceptionally intelligent, shrewd, and loyal leader".{{sfn|Glad|Blanton|1997|p=577}} His official biographer, [[Anthony Sampson]], commented that he was a "master of imagery and performance", excelling at presenting himself well in press photographs and producing sound bites.{{sfn|Sampson|2011|pp=582–583}} His public speeches were presented in a formal, stiff manner, and often consisted of clichéd set phrases.{{sfn|Boehmer|2008|pp=128, 134}} He typically spoke slowly, and carefully chose his words.{{sfn|Glad|Blanton|1997|p=576}} Although he was not considered a great orator, his speeches conveyed "his personal commitment, charm and humour".{{sfn|Barber|2004|p=87}}

Mandela was a private person who often concealed his emotions and confided in very few people.{{sfnm|1a1=Suttner|1y=2007|1p=119|2a1=Meredith|2y=2010|2pp=xv–xvi}} Privately, he lived an austere life, refusing to drink alcohol or smoke, and even as president made his own bed.{{sfn|Meredith|2010|p=xvi}} Renowned for his mischievous sense of humour,{{sfn|Battersby|2011|p=599}} he was known for being both stubborn and loyal,{{sfnm|1a1=Meredith|1y=2010|1p=xvi|2a1=Sampson|2y=2011|2p=583}} and at times exhibited a quick temper.{{sfnm|1a1=Glad|1a2=Blanton|1y=1997|1p=582|2a1=Meredith|2y=2010|2p=xvi}} He was typically friendly and welcoming, and appeared relaxed in conversation with everyone, including his opponents.{{sfn|Sampson|2011|pp=411, 498}} A self-described [[Anglophile]], he claimed to have lived by the "trappings of British style and manners".{{sfnm|1a1=Glad|1a2=Blanton|1y=1997|1p=581|2a1=Ndlovu-Gatsheni|2y=2014|2p=907}} Constantly polite and courteous, he was attentive to all, irrespective of their age or status, and often talked to children or servants.{{sfn|Meredith|2010|pp=xvi, 482–483}} He was known for his ability to find common ground with very different communities.{{sfn|Barnard|2014|pp=5–6}} In later life, he always looked for the best in people, even defending political opponents to his allies, who sometimes thought him too trusting of others.{{sfn|Sampson|2011|pp=431, 582}} He was fond of [[Indian cuisine]],{{sfn|Meredith|2010|p=164}} and had a lifelong interest in archaeology{{sfn|Meer|1988|p=189}} and boxing.{{sfn|Lodge|2006|p=29}}

{{Quote box|width=25em|align=left|quote=The significance of Mandela can be considered in two related ways. First, he has provided through his personal presence as a benign and honest conviction politician, skilled at exerting power but not obsessed with it to the point of view of excluding principles, a man who struggled to display respect to all ... Second, in so doing he was able to be a hero and a symbol to an array of otherwise unlikely mates through his ability, like all brilliant nationalist politicians, to speak to very different audiences effectively at once.|salign=right |source=—&thinsp;[[Bill Freund (historian)|Bill Freund]], academic{{sfn|Freund|2014|p=295}} }}

He was raised in the Methodist denomination of Christianity; the [[Methodist Church of Southern Africa]] claimed that he retained his allegiance to them throughout his life.{{sfn|Forster|2014|p=89}} On analysing Mandela's writings, the theologian [[Dion Forster]] described him as a [[Christian humanist]], although added that his thought relied to a greater extent on the Southern African concept of [[Ubuntu philosophy|Ubuntu]] than on [[Christian theology]].{{sfn|Forster|2014|pp=106–107}} According to Sampson, Mandela never had "a strong religious faith" however,{{sfn|Sampson|2011|p=65}} while [[Elleke Boehmer]] stated that Mandela's religious belief was "never robust".{{sfn|Boehmer|2008|p=86}}

Mandela was very self-conscious about being a man and regularly made references to [[manhood]].{{sfn|Suttner|2014|p=342}} He was heterosexual,{{sfn|Boehmer|2008|p=142}} and biographer [[Fatima Meer]] said that he was "easily tempted" by women.{{sfn|Meer|1988|p=78}} Another biographer, [[Martin Meredith]], characterised him as being "by nature a romantic", highlighting that he had relationships with various women.{{sfn|Meredith|2010|p=21}} Mandela was married three times, fathered six children, and had seventeen grandchildren and at least seventeen great-grandchildren.<ref name="genealogy">{{cite web|publisher=Nelson Mandela Foundation|title=The Life and Times of Nelson Mandela: Genealogy |url=http://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/genealogy |access-date=13 July 2016 |archive-date=16 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160116020637/https://www.nelsonmandela.org/content/page/genealogy }}</ref> He could be stern and demanding of his children, although he was more affectionate with his grandchildren.{{sfnm|1a1=Meredith|1y=2010|1p=481|2a1=Smith|2y=2010|2p=147|3a1=Sampson|3y=2011|3p=246}} His first marriage was to Evelyn Ntoko Mase in October 1944;{{sfnm|1a1=Mandela|1y=1994|1pp=144, 148–149|2a1=Smith|2y=2010|2pp=59–62|3a1=Sampson|3y=2011|3p=36}} they divorced in March 1958 under the multiple strains of his alleged adultery and constant absences, devotion to revolutionary agitation, and the fact that she was a Jehovah's Witness, a religion requiring political neutrality.{{sfnm|1a1=Mandela|1y=1994|1p=296|2a1=Smith|2y=2010|2pp=102–104|3a1=Sampson|3y=2011|3p=110}} Mandela's second wife was the social worker Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, whom he married in June 1958.{{sfnm|1a1=Benson|1y=1986|1pp=74–76|2a1=Meer|2y=1988|2p=93|3a1=Mandela|3y=1994|3pp=306–311|4a1=Meredith|4y=2010|4pp=144–149|5a1=Smith|5y=2010|5pp=104, 132–145|6a1=Sampson|6y=2011|6pp=110–113}} They divorced in March 1996.{{sfnm|1a1=Meredith|1y=2010|1pp=539–542|2a1=Sampson|2y=2011|2p=500}} Mandela married his third wife, Graça Machel, on his 80th birthday in July 1998.{{sfnm|1a1=Meredith|1y=2010|1pp=xvii, 576|2a1=Sampson|2y=2011|2pp=549–551}}