View source for Boer republics

{{short description|Former countries in southern Africa}}
{{Update|part=the [[#2014 land claim|2014 land claim]] section|date=February 2025}}
[[Image:BoerGriquaRepublics.svg |thumb|right|upright=1.5|Boer republics and [[Griqua people|Griqua]] states in Southern Africa, 19th century]]The '''Boer republics''' (sometimes also referred to as '''Boer states''') were independent, self-governing [[republic]]s formed (especially in the last half of the 19th century) by [[Dutch language|Dutch]]-speaking inhabitants of the [[Cape Colony]] and their descendants. The founders – variously named [[Trekboer]]s, [[Boer]]s, and [[Voortrekkers]] – settled mainly in the middle, northern, north-eastern and eastern parts of present-day [[South Africa]]. Two of the Boer republics achieved international recognition and complete independence: the [[South African Republic]] ({{langx |nl| Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek}}, ZAR; or Transvaal) and the [[Orange Free State]]. The republics did not provide for the [[separation of church and state]], initially allowing only the [[Dutch Reformed Church]], and later also other [[Protestant]] churches in the [[Calvinist]] (specifically [[Afrikaner Calvinism|Afrikaner]]) tradition. The republics came to an end after the [[Second Boer War]] of 1899–1902, which resulted in British annexation and later (in 1910) incorporation of their lands into the [[Union of South Africa]].

==Background==
[[File:Voortrekker flag.svg|thumb|left|Flag used by the Voortrekkers during the Great Trek]]
The [[Dutch East India Company]] (VOC) first issued land to the [[Free Burghers]] in 1657. The Free Burghers established two colonies at the [[Liesbeeck River]] near [[Rondebosch]] in the [[Western Cape]]. Following an application process, the Free Burghers formed two groups, the first group named their settlement Harman's Colony and the second group named theirs Stephen's Colony. By 1670, the VOC decided to grant additional land to the Free Burghers in order to increase grain production for the purpose of sustainability since grain had to be imported. The Free Burgher settlements gradually expanded towards the interior of [[South Africa]].<ref name=Precis1656-1658>Precis of the Archives of the Cape of Good Hope, January 1656 – December 1658, Riebeeck's Journal &c, H.C.V Leibrandt, Part II, Cape Town 1897.</ref>

The [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] [[Cape Colony#History|took over]] from [[Dutch Empire|the Netherlands]] as the [[British Empire|colonial power]] at the [[Cape of Good Hope]] in 1806. Subsequently, a number of its [[Dutch language|Dutch]]-speaking inhabitants trekked (moved) inland, first in smaller numbers, then in groups as large as almost a hundred people,<ref name=Fairbridge>{{cite book|author=D. Fairbridge|title=History of South Africa|url=https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthaf00fairuoft|year=1918|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historyofsouthaf00fairuoft/page/220 220]–21}}</ref> after 1834 in groups of hundreds. There were many reasons why the Boers left the Cape Colony; among the initial reasons were the language laws. The British had proclaimed the English language as the only language of the Cape Colony and prohibited the use of the Dutch language.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Kachru|first1=Braj|last2=Kachru|first2=Yamuna|last3=Nelson|first3=Cecil|title=The Handbook of World Englishes|date=2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1405188319|pages=160–61}}</ref> As the Bible, churches, schools and culture of many of the settlers were Dutch, this caused a lot of friction. Britain abolished slavery in 1834 and allocated the sum of 1,200,000 British pounds as recompense for the Dutch settlers' slaves. The Dutch settlers disputed the requirement that they had to lodge their claims in Britain and objected that the value of the slaves was many times the allocated amount. This caused further dissatisfaction among the Dutch settlers.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|199}}

Boer migrants were referred to as the [[Great Trek|Voortrekkers]] during this time. Several mass movements  occurred during the 1830s–1840 period. On 22 January 1837 [[Piet Retief]] addressed a letter to the British Colonial Administration in which he concluded "We quit this colony under the full assurance that the English Government has nothing more to require of us, and will allow us to govern ourselves without its interference in future".<ref>History of the Emigrant Boers in South Africa, 2nd ed, G.M. Theal, London 1888.</ref>
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==Republic of Swellendam==
[[File:Flag of the Boer republics.svg|left|thumb|Flag of the [[Republic of Swellendam]], also the flag of the Netherlands.]]
[[File:Swellendam in 1795.png|thumb|Swellendam in 1795 shown in red.]]
{{Main|Republic of Swellendam}}
By 1795 the dissatisfaction towards the [[Dutch East India Company]] caused the burghers of Swellendam to revolt, and on 17 June 1795 they declared themselves a Republic. [[Hermanus Steyn]] was appointed as President of the Republic of Swellendam. The burghers of Swellendam started to call themselves "national burghers" – after the style of the French Revolution. However, the Republic was short-lived and was ended on 4 November 1795 when the Cape was occupied by the [[Kingdom of Great Britain]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/swellendam-republic-accepts-british-rule |title=The Swellendam Republic accepts British rule |publisher=South African History Online |access-date=7 August 2014}}</ref>
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==Republic of the Graaff-Reinet==
[[File:Graaff-Reinet in 1796.png|thumb|The Republic of Graaff-Reinet in 1796 shown in red.]]
{{Main|Republic of Graaff-Reinet}}
Public farmers and the government authorities could not agree on policies with regards to the frontier resulting in the 'Cape Frontier Rebellion' of 1795 where after the Boers declared [[Graaff-Reinet]] an independent republic, called the [[Republic of Graaff-Reinet]]. Following the [[Invasion of the Cape Colony]] in 1795, the British took possession of the area which led to another revolt in 1799, the uprising were suppressed by British troops that same year.<ref name=SMSA>A short chronicle of warfare in South Africa, Compiled by the Military Information Bureau, Published: Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies Vol 16 Nr 13, 1986</ref>
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==South African Republic==
[[File:Flag of Transvaal.svg|left|thumb|[[Flag of the South African Republic]]]]
{{Main|South African Republic}}

[[Louis Tregardt]] and [[Lang Hans van Rensburg|Jan van Rensburg]] split off from [[Hendrik Potgieter]]'s group, and continued on to establish [[Zoutpansberg]]. Potgieter's group remained at the Vet river and founded a town called [[Winburg]].<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|222}}

[[File:LocationZARca1890.svg|right|thumb|The ZAR in 1890.]]
The establishment of the South African Republic had its origins in 1837 when the commandos of Potgieter and [[Piet Uys]] defeated a [[South Ndebele people|Matabele]] raiding party of [[Mzilikazi]] and drove them back over the [[Limpopo river]]. Potgieter declared the lands north and south of the [[Vaal river]] as Boer lands.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|224}} Boers started settling on both sides of the Vaal river and in March 1838, Potgieter, Uys and the men of their commando provided relief to [[Gerrit Maritz]], and early in April 1838, Uys and his son were killed. During April 1838 Potgieter returned to the area north of the Vaal river and founded the town of [[Potchefstroom]].<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|225}} At this time, this new country included the area north (Potchefstroom) and south (Winburg) of the Vaal river.

In 1848 the British Governor of the Cape, [[Sir Harry Smith]], issued a proclamation declaring British sovereignty over all the lands to the north and to the south of the Vaal river.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|230}} Commandant-General [[Andries Pretorius]] led the commandos against the British forces later that year, leading to the [[Battle of Boomplaats]]  on 29 August 1848, in which the British emerged victorious. The [[Volksraad of the South African Republic|Volksraad]] from Winburg was transferred to Potchefstroom and the South African Republic (Dutch: Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek; the ZAR) was established as the name of the new country.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|231}}

The Boer Republics were predominately Calvinist Protestant due to their Dutch heritage, and this played a significant role in their culture. The ZAR national constitution did not provide separation between church and state,<ref name=Eybers>{{cite book|author=Eybers|title=Select_constitutional_documents_illustrating_South_African_history_1795-1910|year=1917|pages=367–68|ol=24129017M}}</ref> disallowing the franchise (citizenship) to anyone not a member of the [[Dutch Reformed Church]]. In 1858, these clauses were altered in the constitution to allow for the Volksraad to approve other Dutch Calvinist churches that separated from the Dutch Reformed Church in the wake of a number of splits. Members of the Roman Catholic Church and other Christian churches were not allowed to become citizens of the ZAR.<ref name=Eybers/>{{rp|358–59}}
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==Zoutpansberg==
[[File:South African Burgers Flag.svg|left|thumb|Flag of the Zoutpansberg Republic]]
[[File:Zoutpansberg in 1860s.png|right|thumb|The [[Republic of Zoutpansberg]] in the 1860s shown in red.]]
The [[Zoutpansberg]] Boers came in 1835, settling along the [[Limpopo River]], where they learnt [[goldworking]] from the natives. The white settlers in [[Republic of Zoutpansberg|Zoutpansberg]] had a reputation of lawlessness, often being called typical "Back-veldt Boers". In 1864, they were inevitably incorporated into the South African Republic (Transvaal) after the [[Transvaal Civil War]]. As a district in the Republic, they had the largest native population in the South African Republic.
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==Natalia Republic==
[[File:Flag of Natalia Republic.svg|left|thumb|Flag of the Natalia Republic]]
{{Main|Natalia Republic}}
In April 1837, a party under leadership of [[Piet Retief]] arrived in Thabanchu. In June 1837, in Winburg, the newly elected Boer Volksraad appointed Piet Retief as Commandant-General. An argument between Maritz and Potgieter, both elected to the Volksraad, led to a split. Maritz and Piet Retief decided to secede from the Potgieter- and Uys-led Boer country. The Boers under the leadership of Piet Retief obtained a treaty from Zulu King [[Dingane kaSenzangakhona|Dingane]] to settle part of the lands the [[Zulus]] administered or held sway over, but Dingane later betrayed the treaty and slaughtered Retief and 70 members of his delegation. Dingane's [[impi]]s (Zulu warriors) then killed almost 300 Boers who had settled in the [[Natal Province|Natal]] region.

After Pretorius was recruited to fill the leadership vacuum created by the deaths of Piet Retief and Maritz, he offered to negotiate for peace with Dingane if he were to restore the land he had offered to Retief.<ref>[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed-new?id=CraBoer&tag=public&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed The Great Boer Trek. Stephen Crane.]{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210123723/http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/etcbin/browse-mixed-new?id=CraBoer&tag=public&images=images%2Fmodeng&data=%2Ftexts%2Fenglish%2Fmodeng%2Fparsed |date=February 10, 2003 }}</ref> Dingane responded by attacking the Voortrekkers; on 16 December 1838 the battle of Ncome River (later named the [[Battle of Blood River]]) occurred, during which 300 Voortrekkers survived and won a decisive battle against thousands of Dingane's impis.

The [[Natalia Republic]] was established in 1839 by the local Boers after Pretorius entered into an alliance with [[Mpande]], the new Zulu king.
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==Orange Free State==
[[File:Flag of the Orange Free State.svg|left|thumb|Flag of the Orange Free State]]
{{Main|Orange Free State}}
In June 1852 a public meeting was held in Bloemfontein where all the European people voted on a resolution whether to pursue independence or remain under British rule. The vast majority of people voted to remain under British rule. Sir Harry Smith, however, had instructions to hand the country over to the Boers. In 1853, Sir George Clerk was sent as special commissioner to give up the land and to establish self-rule.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|232}} 16,000 people sent a delegation of representatives to inform Clerk that the people wished to remain governed by Britain. Clerk however had clear instructions to establish self-rule, and with a minority Boers represented by J.H. Hofmann, agreed to a convention of independence.<ref name=Fairbridge/>{{rp|233}}
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==Goosen (Goshen)==
[[File:Flag of the Republic of Goshen.svg|left|thumb|Flag of the Republic of Goshen]]
{{Main|State of Goshen}}
The State of Goosen was founded by a group of [[Boer]] mercenaries led by Nicolaas Claudius Gey van Pittius in November 1882. It unified with Stellaland on 6 August 1883.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.volkstaat.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=966:flag-of-the-united-states-of-stellaland&catid=110:flags&Itemid=174|title=Flag of The United States of Stellaland|date=24 May 2010|website=Volkstaat|access-date=3 February 2020 |url-status=unfit|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502220326/http://www.volkstaat.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=966:flag-of-the-united-states-of-stellaland&catid=110:flags&Itemid=174 |archive-date=2013-05-02}}</ref>
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==Stellaland==
{{Multiple image
| image1            = Flag of Stellaland (1883-5).svg
| caption1          = Flag of the United States of Stellaland
}}

{{Main|Stellaland}}
West of the [[South African Republic|Transvaal]] 400 [[Boer]]s allied with David Massouw, leader of the Koranna [[Khoisan]] tribe, when they invaded and took a piece of land, which they declared the Republic of Stellaland.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/za_stel.html|title=Stellaland (South Africa)|website=www.crwflags.com|access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref> The first president was Gerrit Jacobus van Niekerk and the town of [[Vryburg]] was founded and declared its capital.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/47005/APH11STELLALANDandBRITISHBECHUANALAND.pdf?sequence=1|title=African Postal Heritage: Stellaland and British Bechuanaland|last=Dietz|first=Ton|date=January 2017|access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref> In 1883, The Republic of Stellaland united with The State of Goshen to form the '''United States of Stellaland'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.portablepress.com/blog/2015/06/united-states-of-belgium/|title=The United States of…Belgium?|date=2015-06-10|website=Portable Press|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-04}}</ref>
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==New Republic==
[[File:Flag of Nieuwe Republiek.svg|thumb|left|Flag of Nieuwe Republiek]]
{{Main|Nieuwe Republiek}}
The New Republic (comprising the town of [[Vryheid]]) was established in 1884 on land given to the local Boers by the Zulu King [[Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo|Dinuzulu]], the son of [[Cetshwayo kaMpande|Cetshwayo]], after he recruited local Boers to fight on his side. The Boers were promised and granted land for their services and were led by [[Louis Botha]] who would go on to prominence during the second [[Anglo-Boer War]]. This republic was later absorbed into the Transvaal/South African Republic.
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==Griqualand==
{{Main|Griqualand}}
States were also established by other population groups, most notably the [[Griqua people|Griqua]], a subgroup of South Africa's heterogeneous and multiracial [[Coloured]] people. Most notable among these were [[Griqualand West]] and [[Griqualand East]].
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==International recognition==
{{Main|Boer Wars}}
The people north of the [[Vaal River]] in the South African Republic were recognised as an independent country by the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] with the signing of the [[Sand River Convention]] on 17 January 1852.<ref name=Eybers/>{{rp|357–59}}

The [[Orange Free State]] was recognised by the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|UK]] on 17 February 1854. The Orange Free State became independent on 23 February 1854 with the signing of the [[Bloemfontein]] or [[Orange River Convention]]. The Orange Free State was nicknamed "the model republic".

The Transvaal and the Orange Free State developed into successful independent countries which were recognized by the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, the United States, and Britain.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20010307024437/http://www.outspan.com/books/boers/boers04.htm The Story of the Boers. C. W. Van Der Hoogt. Chapter: A Century of Injustice. p. 96.]</ref> These two countries continued to exist for several decades, despite the [[First Boer War]] with Britain. However, later developments, including the discovery of [[diamond]]s and [[gold]] in these states, led to the [[Second Boer War]]. In this war, the Transvaal and Orange Free State were defeated and annexed by the overwhelmingly larger British forces, ceasing to exist on 31 May 1902, with the signing of the [[Treaty of Vereeniging]]. A new British dominion, the [[Union of South Africa]], was established under the [[South Africa Act 1909]], in which the Transvaal and the Orange Free State became provinces along with the Cape and Natal.

==2014 land claim==
{{Update|section|date=February 2025}}
On 24 April 2014, political party [[Front National (South Africa)|Front Nasionaal]] (FN) submitted a [[Land reform in South Africa|land claim]] to the Land Claims Commissioner in [[Pretoria]] on behalf of the [[Afrikaner nation]]. The claim pertains to the land described in [[National Archives of South Africa]] R117/1846: "From Ohrigstad to the north till the Olifantsrivier, then downwards to the Delagoa Bay line; to the south till the Crocodile River; to the west to Elandspruit till the 26 degrees line; east till where the Crocodile River joins the Komati River."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.censorbugbear.org/farmitracker/reports/view/2329 |title=Land claim submission for old Boer Republic land-rights 24 April 2014 |access-date=2014-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160311071642/http://www.censorbugbear.org/farmitracker/reports/view/2329 |archive-date=2016-03-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> FN states that the sale of said land was between King Masous (representative of the [[Zulu people|Zulu]]) as seller; and Commandant SJZR Burg (representative of the Dutch South African nation) as buyer. A copy of the agreement is filed in the Government Archives under file R117/46. FN further states that the land was legally bought and paid for on 25 July 1846 as an ethnic group and not as individual landowners and was only in custodianship of the pre-1994 government as they were regarded as descendants of the ethnic group. There was therefore no legal right to hand this land over to a "foreign" government in April 1994 and away from the original ethnic group.<ref>[http://southafricatoday.net/south-africa-news/largest-land-claim-south-africa-the-boer-republic/ Largest Land Claim in South Africa: old Boer Republic]</ref>
<!-- commenting out: writing in a non-English language all in capital letters is not appropriate for English Wikipedia: 
Description of document R117/46: "GEWAARMERKTE KOPIE MET EEN DAARAAN GEHECHT NIETGEWAARMERKT AFSCHRIFT EN ENGELSCHE VERTALING VAN EEN VERKOOPBEWIJS, WAARBIJ DE KONING DER SOELAS VERKLAART AAN DE HOLL. ZUID AFRIK. NATIE VOOR ALTOOS TE HEBBEN AFGESTAAN ZEKERE DOOR ZIJN VADER SEPOESA VEROVERDE GRONDEN, DIE THANS ZIJN WETTIG EIGENDOM ZIJN, EN WEL VOOR EEN GETAL VAN 100 AANTEELBEESTEN, IN TWEE TERMIJNEN TE WORDEN GELEVERD. ONDER AAN HET VERKOOPBEWIJS IS GESCHREVEN DE KWITANTIE DER KOOPSOM, GEDATEERD 5 JANUARI 1860."<ref>[http://www.national.archsrch.gov.za/sm300cv/smws/sm300gi?20140514115342FCDFAF69%26DB%3DTABE National Archives Repository (Public Records of former Transvaal Province and its predecessors as well as of magistrates and local authorities)]</ref>
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The new land claims process has not yet been finalised however.<ref>{{cite news|title=Land restitution bill passed after heated debate|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Land-restitution-bill-passed-after-heated-debate-20140225|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226073155/http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Politics/Land-restitution-bill-passed-after-heated-debate-20140225|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 26, 2014|access-date=16 June 2014|work=News24|date=25 February 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Front Nasionaal hands in massive land claim|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rtmhrAqaMA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/9rtmhrAqaMA |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=16 June 2014|work=SABC Digital News|date=25 April 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Vermaak|first1=Narda|title=Party is upfront about its land claim|url=http://steelburgernews.co.za/147913/ohrigstad-land-claim/|access-date=16 June 2014|work=Steelburger|date=15 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616105714/http://steelburgernews.co.za/147913/ohrigstad-land-claim/|archive-date=16 June 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

== List of states and republics ==
=== Boer republics ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* {{flagi|Prinsenvlag.svg}} [[Free Burghers|Freeburgher Colonies]] (1656–1795)
* {{flagi|Flag of the Netherlands.svg}} [[Republic of Swellendam]] (1795)
* {{flagi|Flag of the Netherlands.svg}} [[Republic of Graaff-Reinet]] (1795–1796)
* {{flagi|South African Burgers Flag.svg}} [[Republic of Zoutpansberg]] (1835–1864)
* {{flagi|Voortrekker Flag.svg}} [[Winburg]] (1836–1844)
* {{flagi|South African Burgers Flag.svg}} [[Potchefstroom]] (1837–1844)
* {{flag|Natalia Republic}} (1839–1843)
* {{flagi|South African Burgers Flag.svg}} [[Potchefstroom|Winburg-Potchefstroom]] (1844–1848)
* {{flagi|Flag of Natalia Republic.svg}} [[Republic of Klip River]] (1847–1848)
* {{flagi|Flag of the Netherlands.svg}} [[Republic of Lydenburg]] (1849–1860)
* {{flagi|Flag of the Netherlands.svg}} [[Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal|Utrecht Republic]] (1852–1858)
* {{flag|South African Republic}} (1852–1877, 1881–1902)
* {{flag|Orange Free State}} (1854–1902)
* {{flagi|Flag of Klein Vrystaat.svg}} [[Klein Vrystaat]] (1886–1891)
* {{flagi|Flag of the Republic of Goshen.svg}} [[State of Goshen]] (1882–1883)
* {{flagi|Flag of Stellaland (early 1883).svg}} [[Stellaland|Republic of Stellaland]] (1882–1883)
* {{flagi|Flag of Stellaland (1883-5).svg}} [[United States of Stellaland]] (1883–1885)
* {{flagi|Flag of Nieuwe Republiek.svg}} [[Nieuwe Republiek|New Republic]] (1884–1888)
* {{flagi|Flag of the German Empire.svg}} [[Upingtonia|Republic of Upingtonia/Lijdensrust]] (1885–1887)
{{div end}}

=== Griqua states ===
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Griqualand East]] (1862–1879)
* [[Griqualand West]] (1870–1871)
* [[Philippolis|Philippolis/Adam Kok's Land]] (1826–1861)
* [[Griekwastad|Waterboer's Land]] (1813–1871)
{{div end}}

== See also ==
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Boer]]
* [[Burgher (Boer republics)]]
* [[Trekboers]]
* [[Afrikaner nationalism]]
* [[Afrikaner Calvinism]]
* [[History of South Africa]]
{{div end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{SouthAfricaBoerRep}}
{{Political history of South Africa}}

[[Category:Boer Republics| ]]
[[Category:19th century in South Africa]]
[[Category:White supremacy in Africa]]
[[Category:White supremacy in South Africa]]