On This Day

Cape Colony, the first European settlement in South Africa, is established by the Dutch East India Company under Jan van

Cape Colony, the first European settlement in South Africa, is established by the Dutch East India Company under Jan van Riebeeck

The Dutch Cape Colony (Dutch: Nederlandse Kaapkolonie), officially known as the Cape of Good Hope Waystation (Dutch: Tussenstation Kaap de Goede Hoop), was a colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Batavian Republic in Southern Africa. Centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name, it was founded in 1652 by a VOC expedition under Jan van Riebeeck to serve as a re-supply and layover port for VOC vessels trading with Asia. The Cape was under VOC rule from 1652 to 1795 and Batavian rule from 1803 to 1806.

Historical Significance

The Dutch Cape Colony (Dutch: Nederlandse Kaapkolonie), officially known as the Cape of Good Hope Waystation (Dutch: Tussenstation Kaap de Goede Hoop), was a colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Batavian Republic in Southern Africa.

Events Before

  1. French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin flees Paris

    French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin flees Paris

  2. Flemish missionary Joris van Geel departs for the Congo [1]

    Flemish missionary Joris van Geel departs for the Congo [1]

  3. South Sea dike in Amsterdam breaks after storm

    South Sea dike in Amsterdam breaks after storm

  4. Great earthquake at Cuzco, Peru

    Great earthquake at Cuzco, Peru

  5. Battle of Beresteczko between Poles and Ukrainians starts

    The Battle of Berestechko (28 June – 10 July 1651) was fought between the Cossack Hetmanate and Crimean Khanate against the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth as a part of the Khmelnytsky Uprising.

Events After

  1. New Amsterdam becomes a city, later renamed New York City

    New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States.

  2. Dutch painter Jan Vermeer marries Catharina Bolenes in Schipluiden

    Dutch painter Jan Vermeer marries Catharina Bolenes in Schipluiden

  3. Parliamentarian General Oliver Cromwell appointed as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland

    Oliver Cromwell (25 April 1599 – 3 September 1658) was an English statesman, farmer and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history.

  4. The Coonan Cross Oath is taken in the Saint Thomas Christian community in an effort to avoid submission to Portuguese ru

    The Coonan Cross Oath is taken in the Saint Thomas Christian community in an effort to avoid submission to Portuguese rule in India

  5. French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin returns to Paris from exile

    French Chief Minister Cardinal Mazarin returns to Paris from exile

More from the 1650s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on April 6, 1652?
The Dutch Cape Colony (Dutch: Nederlandse Kaapkolonie), officially known as the Cape of Good Hope Waystation (Dutch: Tussenstation Kaap de Goede Hoop), was a colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Batavian Republic in Southern Africa. Centered on the Cape of Good Hope, from where it derived its name, it was founded in 1652 by a VOC expedition under Jan van Riebeeck to serve as a re-supply and layover port for VOC vessels trading with Asia. The Cape was under VOC rule from 1652 to 1795 and Batavian rule from 1803 to 1806.
Why is Cape Colony, the first European settlement in South Africa, is established by... significant?
The Dutch Cape Colony (Dutch: Nederlandse Kaapkolonie), officially known as the Cape of Good Hope Waystation (Dutch: Tussenstation Kaap de Goede Hoop), was a colony of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) and Batavian Republic in Southern Africa.

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