Cape Colony

The Cape Colony was a part of South Africa under British rule during the 19th century. It stretched from the Atlantic Ocean eastwards: the final eastern boundary, after several wars against the Xhosa, stood at the Fish River. In the north, the Orange River, also known as the Gariep River, served for a long time as the boundary, although some land between the river and the southern boundary of Botswana was later added to it.

History

The history of Cape Colony started in 1652 with the founding of Cape Town by Dutch commander Jan van Riebeeck, working for the Dutch East India Company, known in Dutch as the "Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie" (VOC).

Related Topics:
History of Cape Colony - 1652 - Cape Town - Dutch - Jan van Riebeeck - Dutch East India Company - Dutch

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Napoléon occupied the Seven Provinces of the Netherlands in 1795, or the mother country of the Dutch East India Company. This prompted Britain to occupy the territory in 1795 as a tactic in the Napoleonic Wars. The Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie transferred its territories and claims to the Batavian Republic in 1798 and ceased to exist in 1799. The British handed Cape Colony back to the Batavian Republic in 1803.

Related Topics:
Napoléon - Seven Provinces - Netherlands - 1795 - Britain - Napoleonic Wars - Batavian Republic - 1798 - 1799 - 1803

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In 1806, the Cape, now nominally controlled by the Batavian Republic, was occupied again by the British in the Battle of Blauberg in order to keep Napoleon out of the Cape, and to control the Far East trade routes.

Related Topics:
1806 - Batavian Republic - Battle of Blauberg - Napoleon - Far East

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They set up a British colony on 8 January, 1806. Cape Colony remained under British rule until the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910, when it became the Cape of Good Hope Province, better known as the Cape Province.

Related Topics:
8 January - 1806 - Union of South Africa - 1910 - Cape Province

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