Nelson Mandela's Life In Pictures

1918: Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela is born in the village of Mvezo, in the Transkei on 18 July. His father, a member of the Thembu clan, has three other wives in addition to Rolihlahla’s mother, and 12 other sons and daughters. Mandela in a class photograph from the late 1930s Mandela, center right, sings with supporters and the accused during the first treason trial outside the Drill Hall in Johannesburg, in 1956. Mandela and his co-accused were acquitted after a four-and-a-half-year trial Nelson Mandela and his then-wife Winnie at their wedding in 1957. This copy was taken from the family album the original was by Alf Khumalo Mandela in traditional costume in the early 1960s Mandela speaks at a conference in 1960

Then-ANC leader Mandela in January 1961 Mandela with his wife Winnie in 1962 Cleaning the 'Free Mandela' signs from King's College Chapel Cambridge African women demonstrate in front of the Law Courts in Pretoria after the verdict of the Rivonia trial Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is pictured meeting with Mandela in Gaza City in October 1988 Mandela on his release from prison in February 1990 A jubilant Sowetan holds up in Soweto a newspaper announcing the release of Mandela on 11 February 1990 Mandela and wife Winnie after his release from Victor Verster prison in February 1990 Mandela and his wife Winnie play with their grandchild Bambata at their Soweto home in 1990 Mandela in the States in June 1990 Mandela shakes hands with Margaret Thatcher in July 1990 President of the South African National Congress, Mandela addresses a crowd of residents from the Phola park squatter camp during his tour of townships in September 1990 Mandela salutes the crowd alongside Fidel Castro in Matanzas in July 1991 Zinzi Mandela, wearing Xhosa traditional outfit, and her father Nelson in October 1992 Manchester United Manager Alex Ferguson meets Mandela during their tour to South Africa in June 1993 Mandela listens to a little boy at a training farm in Boskop where he is campaigning for the South African presidency in 1994 ANC youths wait for Mandela atop a billboard in a township outside Durban prior to an election rally in 1994 Mandela jokingly poses with a spear presented to him at an election rally at Mngqesha, the former 'Great Place' of a famous Xosha king, on in April 1994 President Mandela shakes hands with his two deputies Thabo Mbeki and former president Frederik de Klerk, after the inaugural sitting of South Africa's first all-race parliament in Cape Town in May 1994 Mandela visits his former cell in notorious Robben Island prison off the coast of Cape Town, where he spent 19 of his 27 years in jail Mandela congratulates Springboks' skipper Francois Pienaar after handing him the Webb-Ellis trophy at Ellis Park in Johannesburg after his team beat New Zealand 15-12 in overtime in the 1995 rugby World Cup final President Mandela greets Queen Elizabeth II on her official arrival at Cape Town's Waterfront in 1995 Mandela hugs the reigning Miss South Africa Barnelee Daniels after a lunch at his residence in Johannesburg Celebrities' man: Michael Jackson hugs Mandela in Pretoria in July 1996 Mandela pays a personal tribute to two prominent anti-apartheid activists at their former home in Lime Street in London by unveiling a plaque in their honour in July 2003 Oscar-winning acress Charlize Theron wipes away tears as she meets now-former president Mandela at Mandela House Nelson Mandela greets the crowd at the closing ceremony of the 15th International AIDS conference in Bangkok, Thailand Mandela and Sir Bob Geldof are applauded by the crowd before making a speech endorsing the 'Make Poverty History' campaign in Trafalgar Square in 2005 Mandela, seen on giant screens, speaks during 'Live 8 Rome' at the Circus Maximus in July 2005 Tony Blair meets Mandela in May 2007. Mr Blair is on a five-day visit to meet African leaders as he prepares to stand down as PM Bill Clinton embraces Mandela during a visit to the Nelson Mandela Foundation Mandela poses with South Africa rugby coach Jake White, captain John Smit and the Webb-Ellis cup Mandela and his wife Graca Machel on stage during the 46664 Concert celebrating his life in Hyde Park on 27 June 2008 Mandela with South Africa's national rugby and football teams Mandela and his wife Graca Machel share a laugh as he's wrapped up in a blanket, a gift received from his staff in honour his 90th birthday Mandela smiles during the celebrations for the opening of the new One&Only Cape Town resort in April 2009 in Cape Town Mandela, aged 90, walks on stage for an election campaign rally in April 2009 Mandela and his wife Graca Machel before the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final match between The Netherlands and Spain in Johannesburg on July 11 2010 In this image from13 September 2011 former president Nelson Mandela's face is reflected in a mirror. The portrait has been bought by a private art collector in New York, for $200,000, the highest price ever paid for a local portrait Former South African President Nelson Mandela is pictured during a visit by former US president on 17 July 2012 at his home in Qunu, Eastern Cape, on the eve of his 94th birthday