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Jan van Riebeeck (Johan Anthonisz van Riebeeck)
Cape Town history - South Africa
Jan van Riebeeck was born on 21. April 1619 in Culemborg (Holland). At a young age, he worked as a writer at the Dutch East India Company and learnt the trade of salesperson. Later he was asked to manage a trading office in Japan. Due to disagreements, he was recalled to the mother company in 1647 because he handled too many other companies in Japan, and the Dutch East India Company did not approve.
The Company decided to establish a half-way station at the Cape of Good Hope. Due to his international experience, Jan van Riebeeck was given this task.
Jan van Riebeeck departed with five ships and reached Table Bay on the 6. April 1652 with 2 ships. The other 3 ships arrived later, because they carried more cargo. Jan van Riebeeck was accompanied by his wife and four-month old son.
His task was to establish a provisions station for seamen who were travelling to the East. Furthermore, he was commissioned to build a fort (Fort de Goede Hoop), a hospital and a supply station.
His recommendation to settle farmers (free burghers) in the surrounding of Cape Town was encouraged and thus Cape Town developed well.
Every free burgher was given land and this formed the basis for the supply station. Initially the free burghers experienced many problems with the native Hottentot people.
After many conflicts, the Hottentots moved further inland. They feared the white man’s modern weapons. The white people also brought unknown diseases into the country, which affected the native people. Jan van Riebeeck permitted slavery, and in 1657 the first slaves from India, Indonesia, Madagascar and parts of East Africa arrived in Cape Town.
Jan van Riebeeck received a new challenge and left Cape Town on 7.03.1662, to take up a position as President and commanding officer in Melaka. Malakka is situated on the southwest coast of Malaysia. Melaka in south east Asia connects the Andamen sea with the south Chinese sea and the Java sea. This was a special sea connection for early sailors and still is today.
Jan van Riebeeck had laid the groundwork in the Cape, and more than 200 white inhabitants as well as hundreds of slaves lived in Cape Town, in order to maintain the supply station for the sailors. At the time of his departure, Cape Town had already developed into a small town with four streets and many small houses.
The farmers could plant vegetables and fruit and even achieve up to 3 harvests per year due to the fertile ground in Cape Town. The demand for meat was initially covered by bartering with the natives. Later, cattle breeding was initiated.
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