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The History of the Dutch in South Africa
Long before the Dutch arrived where the modern city of Cape
Town is today the area was inhabited by Khoikhoi who used it
seasonally to pastor cattle. European ships landed on the shores of
table Bay and slowly moved the native Africans out. In 1652 Cape Town
was founded by the Dutch East India Company as a refreshment outpost.
The outpost was meant to supply the OC ships on their way to Asia with
fruit vegetables and meat so the sailors could recuperate. There is a
great deal of fresh water in table Bay that was difficult to find in
other areas and that is why the Dutch chose this area.
Muslim traders dominated the spice trade in the Indian Ocean
during the medieval period. They shipped spices from India to the
Persian Gulf and then on to Europe. European traders bought gold from
Africa and exchange it for spices and silk in Asia. The Ottoman Empire
grew and disrupted overland trade routes to Europe. Because of this
Portuguese explorers sought to find an alternative trade route around
Africa to Asia. In 1510 the Portuguese began landing on what is now
table Bay and attempted to steal two native children but the local
Khoikhoi tribes fought back and defeated the Portuguese killing 67
men. Conflicts with the tribe led the Portuguese to avoid the table
Bay area.
Early in the 17th century the Dutch and English formed trading
companies to challenge the Portuguese and Spanish domination of
European trade with Asia. In 1600 E. Indian company of bread written
was formed followed by the BOC in the Netherlands in 1602. The BOC
acted as the agent at the Dutch government in Asia expanding the Dutch
influence by taking possession of land in expanding trade routes.
Between 1610 and 1699 the BOC took possession of colonies in
Indonesia, Solanki, India and the Dutch East Indies. By the middle of
the 17th century the Dutch had replaced the Portuguese and Spanish
trading networks and establish their own. By 1620 the BOC was the
largest corporation in Europe trading.
In the 1600s both the BOC and the East India Company used the
Cape as a halfway point in the maritime trade and set up tents along
the shore to rest. They traded with the Khoikoi as well peacefully. In
1651 the BOC established a refreshment station at the Cape. They also
built a fort of defense against the local Khoikhoi and other European
competitors. The DOC granted men permission to own land, build farms
and improve their own food supply in the Cape of Good Hope. By 1655
company employees were growing their own vegetables near the Fort they
built. The BOC complained that the land available was insufficient to
meet the agricultural demands of the settlements and in 1657 ranted
land along the Liesbeeck Valley for them to farm. The new farmers were
ordered to sell their products to the BOC and forbid them to trade
with the local Africans. This resulted in conflicts with the local who
lost grazing pastures as settlers occupied their land. The lack of
pasture land for cattle between 1654 and 1659 resulted in a conflict
known as the first Khoi-Dutch war that lasted between 1659 and 1660.
By the 1670s the BOC decided to establish a
permanent settlement at the Cape. They were worried that the British
and the French who also had interest in the Indian Ocean might lay
claim to the Cape because of the strategic location. In 1670 the
French attacked them at Saldanha Bay. The BOC declared itself the
right rightful owner of the Cape district that included table Bay,
Houtbay and Saldanha Bay in 1672. The Dutch claimed they purchase the
land from the Khokhoi with brandy tobacco and bread. In 1795 the
British invaded the Cape Peninsula from False Bay and took over the
Cape including Cape Town from the Dutch until 1803 when the colony was
handed back to the Dutch. When a war between British and French broke
out again in 1806 the British permanently occupied the Cape colony
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