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English Cape Colony

Ricardolindo

Well-known member
Location
Portugal
What if the English founded a colony in the Cape of Good Hope instead of the Dutch? Is the English Cape Colony likely to become mixed race majority like the Dutch Cape Colony or white majority like the Thirteen Colonies?
 
So, does anyone have any thoughts on this?

Nobody really wanted to settle southern africa. The point of the cape colonies was to secure a trading post between europe and india, the expansion in land happened mostly by local farmers doing it off their own bat rather than because that was the plan

The dutch wanted it to secure their own route and the english wanted it so that the french couldnt get it and thus base ships there that would cut off india.

If the dutch had captured mozambique instead (their first choice), I think there is much more chance of noone landing in the cape at all (its not a great natural harbour after all) than England going for it, let alone it becoming a major destination for settlement. Mozambique is a better harbour and allows a more hand off relationship which is more desirable.
 
Nobody really wanted to settle southern africa. The point of the cape colonies was to secure a trading post between europe and india, the expansion in land happened mostly by local farmers doing it off their own bat rather than because that was the plan

The dutch wanted it to secure their own route and the english wanted it so that the french couldnt get it and thus base ships there that would cut off india.

If the dutch had captured mozambique instead (their first choice), I think there is much more chance of noone landing in the cape at all (its not a great natural harbour after all) than England going for it, let alone it becoming a major destination for settlement. Mozambique is a better harbour and allows a more hand off relationship which is more desirable.

I am well aware that the Dutch Cape Colony was a semi-accidental settler colony. However, as @Simon said at https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/english-founded-cape-colony.379319/, Andrew Shilling and Humphrey FitzHerbert did want to establish an English Cape Colony.
 
I am well aware that the Dutch Cape Colony was a semi-accidental settler colony. However, as @Simon said at https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/english-founded-cape-colony.379319/, Andrew Shilling and Humphrey FitzHerbert did want to establish an English Cape Colony.

Fair, didn't know about that.

It does look like everyone actually in charge ruled against it for much the same reasons I said but if they were to get approval in the 17th century, thats early enough for the us colonies to be very young and so an alternate settlement plan emerging.
 
I could see the Cape being the dumping ground for English convicts, meaning someone else gets OTL Australia. The demographic imbalance in this English Cape would also likely lead to high(er) rates of intermarriage with the natives, which could give the English Cape a "Brazil" like racial and cultural standing.
 
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