Mandela was jailed on Robben Island for 18 years before being transferred in 1982 to Pollsmoor prison in Cape Town and later to Victor Verster prison in nearby Paarl.
Throughout his incarceration international pressure increased on South Africa.
Then, in 1989 hardline President P.W. Botha was replaced by the more conciliatory F.W. De Klerk.
A year later, De Klerk ordered Mandela’s release.
“I wish to put it plainly that the government has taken a firm decision to release Mr Mandela unconditionally,” he told a shocked parliament.
“The time for negotiation has arrived.” he said, adding: “The alternative is growing violence, tension and conflict.”
Mandela’s presidency, like that of US president Abraham Lincoln or British prime minister Winston Churchill, will not be remembered for legislative achievements.
He served only one five-year term, and after his retirement in 1999 he devoted his considerable energy – despite increasing physical frailty – to mediating conflicts, especially the war in Burundi.
In 1998, on his 80th birthday, Mandela, after having divorced his second wife Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, married Graca Machel, the widow of Mozambican president Samora Machel.
Having been deprived of seeing his own children grow up while he was incarcerated, Mandela dedicated much time to improving the lives of youngsters, drumming up money from businesses to build schools in remote areas.
At age 83, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and successfully underwent treatment. Throughout his life he suffered from respiratory ailments.
He was diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis while in prison in 1988.
In May 2004, Mandela announced that he was scaling back his public schedule to enjoy “a much quieter life” with his family and friends.
Eight months later, Mandela convened the press at his home to announce that his only surviving son had died of AIDS in a bid to encourage more openness about the disease.
In January 2011 he suffered a lung infection, which recurred in late 2012 and again in late March.
Mandela is survived by his wife Graca and daughters Maki, Zindzi and Zenani and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
One of Mandela’s last forays on the world stage was to help bring the World Cup to South Africa in 2010, the first time the tournament was held in Africa. He delighted the crowds at the final with a surprise appearance on the back of a golf buggy.
After the World Cup, President Jacob Zuma said the surge of national pride around the tournament had brought the country close to realising Mandela’s vision.
“We came very close if we did not fully achieve your dream, Tata (grandfather), of one nation united in its diversity, celebrating its achievements and working together.”
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