1650s in South Africa
Encyclopedia
Jan van Riebeeck
landed at the Cape on April 6, 1652. He set up a supply station and fortifications for the Dutch East India Company
. Bernert Willemsz Wijlant, the first European
baby, was born at the Cape on June 6. In 1654, Batavia
n convicts and political opponents were banished to the Cape bringing Islam
, their faith, to South Africa. van Riebeeck sent Jan Wintervogel, a Dutch ensign, to scout the interior in 1655. Wintervogel went as far as Saldanha Bay
. Van Riebeeck sent Willem Muller, a Dutch corporal, with the Khoikhoi
interpreter, Autsumao, to explore the Hottentots Holland region. Maize
and Grape vines
were planted in the Cape that same year. In 1657, Abraham Gabbema was sent to scout the interior and explored as far as the Berg River and Paarl
regions. Doman, the leader of the Goringhaiqua Khoikhoi, was sent to Batavia
to be trained as an interpreter. Nine Dutch East India Company servants were freed to become free burghers (free citizens) on February 21. They settled along the Liesbeeck River (now Rondebosch
area). The first wine was pressed from Cape grapes on February 2, 1659. Jan van Riebeeck established the Burgher Militia on May 1. The Khoikhoi protested against white encroachment on May 19, leading to the first anti-colonial Khoikhoi-Dutch War.
and Anongil Bay, Madagascar
in search of slaves, but brought back none. In 1658, the Amersfoort ship stole 250 slaves from a Portuguese slave trading trafficking slaves from Angola to Brazil
. The ship arrived in South Africa on March 28 with 170 slaves. 80 died during the trip. The Hassalt ship brought 228 out of an initial 271 slaves from the Gulf of Guinea
to South Africa on May 6. 43 died at sea. After these two shipments, the Dutch East and West companies
agreed to stop enslaving natives from lands controlled by the other company. Slave traffickers brought 63,000 slaves to South Africa between 1658 and 1808, when the British abolished the slave trade.
Catharina Anthonis, became the first slave to be freed to marry Jan Woutersz, a Dutch
settler, in 1656. In 1658 a Portuguese
slaver was captured and 174 slaves were taken. About 80 were shipped to Batavia
.
Jan van Riebeeck
Johan Anthoniszoon "Jan" van Riebeeck was a Dutch colonial administrator and founder of Cape Town.-Biography:...
landed at the Cape on April 6, 1652. He set up a supply station and fortifications for the Dutch East India Company
Dutch East India Company
The Dutch East India Company was a chartered company established in 1602, when the States-General of the Netherlands granted it a 21-year monopoly to carry out colonial activities in Asia...
. Bernert Willemsz Wijlant, the first European
European ethnic groups
The ethnic groups in Europe are the various ethnic groups that reside in the nations of Europe. European ethnology is the field of anthropology focusing on Europe....
baby, was born at the Cape on June 6. In 1654, Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
n convicts and political opponents were banished to the Cape bringing Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, their faith, to South Africa. van Riebeeck sent Jan Wintervogel, a Dutch ensign, to scout the interior in 1655. Wintervogel went as far as Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay
Saldanha Bay is a natural harbour on the south-western coast of South Africa, north west of Cape Town. The town that developed on the northern shore of the bay, also called Saldanha, was incorporated with five other towns into the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality in 2000. The current population of...
. Van Riebeeck sent Willem Muller, a Dutch corporal, with the Khoikhoi
Khoikhoi
The Khoikhoi or Khoi, in standardised Khoekhoe/Nama orthography spelled Khoekhoe, are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group, the native people of southwestern Africa, closely related to the Bushmen . They had lived in southern Africa since the 5th century AD...
interpreter, Autsumao, to explore the Hottentots Holland region. Maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
and Grape vines
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
were planted in the Cape that same year. In 1657, Abraham Gabbema was sent to scout the interior and explored as far as the Berg River and Paarl
Paarl
Paarl is a town with 191,013 inhabitants in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Its the third oldest European settlement in the Republic of South Africa and the largest town in the Cape Winelands. Due to the growth of the Mbekweni township, it is now a de facto urban unit with Wellington...
regions. Doman, the leader of the Goringhaiqua Khoikhoi, was sent to Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
to be trained as an interpreter. Nine Dutch East India Company servants were freed to become free burghers (free citizens) on February 21. They settled along the Liesbeeck River (now Rondebosch
Rondebosch
Rondebosch is one of the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is primarily a residential suburb, with a medium-size shopping area, a small business district as well as the main campus of the University of Cape Town.-History:...
area). The first wine was pressed from Cape grapes on February 2, 1659. Jan van Riebeeck established the Burgher Militia on May 1. The Khoikhoi protested against white encroachment on May 19, leading to the first anti-colonial Khoikhoi-Dutch War.
Slavery
The Dutch East India Company gave van Riebeeck authority to bring slaves to South Africa in 1654. The Roode Vos ship sailed to MauritiusMauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
and Anongil Bay, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
in search of slaves, but brought back none. In 1658, the Amersfoort ship stole 250 slaves from a Portuguese slave trading trafficking slaves from Angola to Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. The ship arrived in South Africa on March 28 with 170 slaves. 80 died during the trip. The Hassalt ship brought 228 out of an initial 271 slaves from the Gulf of Guinea
Gulf of Guinea
The Gulf of Guinea is the northeasternmost part of the tropical Atlantic Ocean between Cape Lopez in Gabon, north and west to Cape Palmas in Liberia. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian is in the gulf....
to South Africa on May 6. 43 died at sea. After these two shipments, the Dutch East and West companies
Dutch West India Company
Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants. Among its founding fathers was Willem Usselincx...
agreed to stop enslaving natives from lands controlled by the other company. Slave traffickers brought 63,000 slaves to South Africa between 1658 and 1808, when the British abolished the slave trade.
Catharina Anthonis, became the first slave to be freed to marry Jan Woutersz, a Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
settler, in 1656. In 1658 a Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
slaver was captured and 174 slaves were taken. About 80 were shipped to Batavia
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
.