Martinus (or Marthinus) Theunis Steyn (Afrikaans pronunciation: [stəin]; 2 October 1857 – 28 November 1916) was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman.

Another Basotho War started in 1864, disrupting the family, and causing Theunis and his brother Tewie to stay with their grandmother in Wessels, where they attended a small grammar school briefly; afterward they were sent to Grey College.

Jorissen, the state attorney and their secretary, Willem Eduard Bok, on their way to England to lay a formal protest against the proclamation of Theophilus Shepstone asserting British sovereignty over the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek.

Steyn's first interest in the politics of the day was initiated by the disputed annexation of the diamond fields in the Kimberley area by the British government in 1871.

The resolution of the payment, £90, 000 and the building of a railway to the Orange Free State by the British government in 1876, was not deemed acceptable to the general public.

In 1895, upon the resignation of state president Francis William Reitz, Steyn was the candidate of the pan-Dutch party for the vacant post.

[6] The beginning of the Second Boer War, in 1899, caused Steyn to link the fortunes of his state with those of the Transvaal, allying with it against the British Empire.

Regarded as one of the most irreconcilable of the Boer leaders, he took part, however, in the preliminary peace negotiations at Klerksdorp in April 1902 but was prevented by illness from signing the Treaty of Vereeniging at Pretoria on 31 May 1902.

By 1902, Steyn was suffering from myasthenia gravis brought on by his constant exertions; and in July 1902 he sailed for Europe, where he remained until the autumn of 1904.

He then took the oath of allegiance to the British crown, and returning to South Africa partially restored to health resumed active participation in politics.

Steyn, James Barry Munnik Hertzog and Christiaan Rudolf de Wet co-founded the National Party in 1914.

The Vrouemonument, the first monument in the world dedicated to women and children, was unveiled on 16 December 1913 and was initiated by the ideals of Steyn and the family friend, Emily Hobhouse.

[9] During his inauguration speech in 1896, President Steyn stated that his vision, with regards to educational facilities, for the city of Bloemfontein was a university where youth from all over the country could come and study.

Theuns is a partner and corporate lawyer at the law firm Edward Nathan Sonnenbergs (ENSafrica) in Cape Town.

Outside law and politics, Steyn's great-great-granddaughter, Martine, is a French-English translator and copywriter who lives and works between Cape Town and Paris, France.

With a deep understanding of what we can expect when we place our trust in the Almighty, our nation will enter the war with courage and will fight until the bitter end to preserve the independence of our beloved fatherland"