Key dates in the life of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela:
- July 18, 1918: Born into Thembu royal family in Mvezo village in southeastern South Africa.
- 1940: Expelled from Fort Hare University College for participating in a student strike.
- 1941: Moves to Johannesburg, becomes policeman at a mine.
- 1943: Joins the African National Congress (ANC).
- 1944: Marries Evelyn Mase, a trainee nurse.
- 1952: Opens the first black law practice in Johannesburg with Oliver Tambo.
- December 5, 1956: Is among 156 political activists arrested and charged with treason.
- 1958: Marries social worker Nomzamo Zaniewe Winifred "Winnie" Madikizela after divorcing his first wife.
- March 21, 1960: Security forces massacre 67 protesters in Sharpeville. The government bans ANC and Pan African Congress and declares state of emergency.
- 1961: Acquitted in treason trial along with co-accused.
- December 16, 1961: Launch of ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), with Mandela as commander in chief.
- August 5, 1962: Captured and sentenced on November 7 to five years in prison for inciting a strike and leaving the country illegally.
- 1963: While serving this sentence, is charged with sabotage along with other ANC activists arrested in Rivonia near Johannesburg.
- June 12, 1964: After famous speech from the dock (democracy "is an ideal for which I am prepared to die"), is sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to Robben Island prison off Cape Town.
- July 5, 1989: Meets president P.W. Botha and then on December 13 with F.W. De Klerk, who later becomes Botha's successor.
- February 11, 1990: Released from prison.
- July 5, 1991: Elected ANC president.
- April, 1992: Separates from his wife Winnie.
- October 15, 1993: Wins Nobel Peace Prize with De Klerk.
- April 27, 1994: Votes for the first time in his life in the country's first all-race elections.
- May 10, 1994: Inaugurated as president.
- July 18, 1998: Marries Graca Machel, widow of Mozambican president Samora Machel.
- 1999: Steps down as president after one term.
- June 1, 2004: Announces his retirement from public life.
- January 6, 2005: Announces that his son Makgatho had died of AIDS.
- April 19, 2009: Makes his final political address in a recorded message at an ANC election rally.
- July 11, 2010: Appears at the closing ceremony of the Football World Cup in South Africa.
- January 28, 2011: Discharged from hospital after two days of treatment for an acute respiratory infection.
- May 23, 2011: Moves to his village home in Qunu.
- December 8, 2012: Admitted to hospital in Pretoria to be treated for a lung infection and gall stones.
- December 26, 2012: Mandela is discharged from hospital.
