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The first
European to reach the cape was the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in
1488, who named it the “Cape of Storms” (Cabo das Tormentas). It was later
renamed by John II of Portugal as “Cape of Good Hope” (Cabo da Boa
Esperança) because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a
sea route to India and the East. The land around
the cape was home to the Khoikhoi (Hottentot) people when the Dutch first
settled there in 1652. Dutch colonial
administrator Jan van Riebeeck established a resupply camp for the Dutch East
India Company some 50 km north of the cape in Table Bay on 6 April 1652 and
this eventually developed into Cape Town. Supplies of fresh food were vital
on the long journey around Africa and Cape Town became known as “The Tavern
of the Seas”. On 31 December
1687 a community of Huguenots arrived at the Cape from the Netherlands. They
had escaped to the Netherlands from France in order to flee religious
persecution there. The Dutch East India Company needed skilled farmers at the
Cape of Good Hope and the Dutch Government saw opportunities for the
Huguenots at the Cape and sent them over. The colony gradually grew over the
next 150 years or so until it stretched for hundreds of kilometres to the
north and north-east. The United
Kingdom invaded and occupied the Cape Colony in 1795 (“The First Occupation”)
but relinquished control of the territory in 1803. However, British forces
returned on 19 January 1806 and occupied the Cape once again (“The Second
Occupation”). The territory was ceded to the UK in the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of
1814 and was henceforth administered as the Cape Colony. It remained a
British colony until incorporated into the independent Union of South Africa
in 1910. In 1994 the
then Cape Province was split up in three smaller provinces: Eastern Cape,
Northern Cape and Western Cape. |
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On his
voyage for the Indies Bartolomeu Dias dropped anchor at a headland, formerly
called False Islet, now known as Kwaaihoek on 12 March 1488. Here, Dias
erected his farthest stone pillar, the padrão de São Gregorio and then
resumed his homeward journey. Eric Axelson excavated fragments of this padrão
in 1938. On his
way back Dias Dias erected a second padrão somewhere on the Cape Peninsula on
6 June. Preserved
padrão’s from Africa show a cross atop of a cube charged with the royal arms
of Portugal. The
erecting of padrão’s along the African coast marked the beginning of the Portuguese Seaborne Empire which had a settlement at the
Cape for a short time. This empire has held out until 1974. The
Portuguese mercantile interests in the Cape are the reason why the crowned
Portuguese Royal arms were depicted in 1558 by the Portuguese carthographer
Diogo Homem on the southernmost point of Africa. |
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Detail of the map of Diogo Homem
(1558), now in the British Library. |
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Only a
few of the possessions of the Dutch East India Company
had coats of arms of their own. Amongst them were Ceylon
and the city of Batavia,
the capital and main settlement in the east of the VOC. Common was the use of
the company’s cypher, a combination of the letters VOC over which sometimes a
small letter C was placed, meaning Cabo.
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Seal
of the companies settlements of Cape of Good Hope, showing a ship in full
sail and the legend C D G HOOP. |
Six stuiver piece, showing the cypher of
the Dutch East India Company for the Cape. 1791. |
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After the
liquidation of the Company in 1798, its successor, the Batavian Republic,
wanted their overseas possessions to use the arms of the mother
country. First it used a seal for its colonies on which the emblem with
the altar, the virgin and the lion, together with the legend RAAD DER ASIATISCHE BEZITTINGEN EN ETABLISSEMENTEN, was engraved. Later the image on
the seal was replaced by the lion with the sword and the arrows. [1] In the Cape itself the lion of the Republic, with crown, sword
and arrows, was displayed also. On a crowned circular shield it can be seen,
be it together with the arms of the Chambers of the VOC and the old
VOC-cypher, on the entrance gate of the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town. [2]
Arms of the Batavian Republic on
the entrance gate of the Castle in Cape Town. Nevertheless,
the Batavian Commissioner-General J.A. de Mist divided the Cape Colony into
the administrative units of the City of Cape Town and five country districts
or drosdijen: Stellenbosch, Swellendam,
Graaff-Reinet, Uitenhage and Tulbagh. [3] They were granted their own arms which were
placed on their seals. Some of them are still used by the present
municipalities. The first to have its own arms was Cape Town which was
granted a coat of arms on 3 july 1804. When the British took the Cape in
1796, and again in 1806, colonial symbols, as such, were unknown. The early
governors sealed their ordinances with their own personal coats of arms,
without any addition of the British arms or other symbols |
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In 1827 the old Dutch administrative system
was replaced by a new British system. On 6 April 1827 the secretary of the
colonial government applied at the Ministry of Colonial Affairs in London for
arms of the Cape Colony. He also applied to create a Principality of South
Africa, similar to the Principality of Wales, as he argued that the name Cape
of Good Hope is rather strange for such a large territory. In the letter he
also proposed a coat of arms for the new principality.
The proposed arms showed on a white shield
the red cross of St. George, with a golden anchor on the crosspoint. In the
first and fourth quarters were the three British lions and in the second and
fourth the Dutch lion, with sword and arrows. He claimed that the choice for
the Dutch lion was intended to please the many Dutch colonists in the colony.
The
proposal, however, arrived too late in London, the Cape colony seal already
been cut, and thus the arms were never registered. |
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In July
1827 the King issued a royal warrant authorising General Sir Richard Bourke
to use a specially made seal for the colony. In letters patent of 24 August,
constituting a supreme court of Justice in the Cape, it was stated that the
court should also use this seal for the time being, and later use a seal with
the royal arms.
The
colonial seal showed Table Bay, with Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Devil’s
Peak and the town in the background, and a number of ships in the foreground.
The legend was sigillum coloniæ
promontorii bonæ spei. The seal was used until 1876. In 1827 the
Cape Colony still comprised the entire British posessions in South Africa and
this seal can, therefore, be regarded as the first symbol of the country as a
whole. |
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In 1872
the Cape received responsible government and the laying of the foundation
stone of the new Houses of Parliament seemed an ideal occasion for the
display of new symbols. A colonial coat of arms was designed by Charles Aken
Fairbridge and officially granted by royal warrant of 29 May 1876. They were
recorded by Garter King of Arms in the College of Arms on 28 June of the same
year and published in the Government Gazette of the following
September. The blasoning reads: “Gules, a
lion rampant between three Annulets Or, on a Chief Argent as many hurts each
charged with a fleur-de-lis of the second, for the Crest - on a Wreath
of the Colours the Figure of Hope proper vestd Azure resting the dexter arm
on a Rock and supporting with the sinister hand an Anchor Sable entwined wit
a Cable also proper, and for Supporters. On the dexter side a Gnu and
on the sinister side an Oryx (gems buck) both proper, together with the
motto ‘SPES BONA’ Both
England and Holland bear lions, the annulets were taken from the arms of Jan
van Riebeeck, founder of the colony, and the fleurs de lys indicated the
influence of the Huguenot settlers on the history of the country. The arms
were supported by a gnu (wildebeest: Connochaetus
gnou - Bovidæ) and an oryx (gemsbok: Oryx
gazalla - Bovidæ), and the Lady of Good Hope was taken as crest. [4] ð see illustration in the head of
this essay
The
achievement was also in the badge on the blue ensign of Cape of Good Hope.
This flag was abandoned 1910. [5]
Black and white version by Hugo Gerard Ströhl, about 1900. |
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By Royal
Warrant of 4 May 1911, the first quarter of the national arms of the Union
was assigned to the Cape Province as provincial arms. The provisions of this
Royal Warrant were never implemented however and the achievement for the Cape
Province remained uninterruptedly in use. A new drawing was even made in 1952
by Prof. C.S. Groves. As the
Royal Warrant of 1911 was in contradiction with this tradition, a letter of
1954 to the Administrators of the Provinces provided the withdrawal of it
with effect from 22 June 1954. As a result the achievement of 1876 was
confirmed by certificate of registration of the Bureau of Heraldry of 30
October 1967. The blazoning of the achievement in this certificate reads: Arms: Gules, a lion rampant Or armed
and langued Azure between three annulets Or; on a cheif Argent three hurts,
each charged with a fleur-de-lis Or. Crest: The Figure of Hpe vested Argent
mantled Azure, resting the dexter arm on a rock and supporting with the
sinister hand an anchor Sable, cabled proper. Wreath: Or and Gules. Supporters: Dexter a black wildebeest and
sinister a gemsbok, proper. Motto: SPES
BONA. [6] In 1994
the
province was split up in three smaller administrative units: Eastern Cape
Province, Northern Cape Province and Western Cape Province. For these
provinces new coats of arms were designed a few years later. [7] |
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Achievement
registered by the South African Herald on 25 March 1996. Arms: Argent, two flaunches Gules, issuing from a base barry wavy Azure and
Argent of four pieces, an aloë-tree Vert, blossoming with three flowers
Gules, Crest: On a wreath of leopard-skin a rising sun
radiant Or. Supporters: Two elands (Taurotragus oryx - Bovidæ)
proper. Motto: DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
UNITY in black
lettering on a listel Or, lined Gules. Compartment: Gironny of three of two shades of Vert. |
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Explanation [8] Heraldic Rising Sun The sun refers to the location and pleasant weather
of the Eastern Cape. It symbolizes the friendliness and positive attitude of
its people. It also represents a new era and bright future of growth,
development and prosperity. Leopard Skin Head Ring The rising sun head ring is a symbol for prestige,
power and the heritage of the province. The leopard is an animal of strength
and is universally considered as a symbol of authority. Red Aloe The Cape Aloe, is an indigenous succulent/cactus
plant. Its bitter nectar is used for healing purposes. It symbolizes
perseverance and strength. The three flowers sprouting from the one stem
symbolize unity among the different groups of people in the province. Wavy Blue Lines The blue lines are heraldic symbols for the sea and
represent the magnificent coastline of the Eastern Cape. The blue colour
symbolises peace and hope. Eland The Eland was by far the most widespread of all
larger antelope in the Eastern Cape and is now reintroduced into the province’s
nature reserves and game farms. The eland is also important in the folk-lore,
especially among the bushmen who almost worshipped it. The bull represents
magnificence. Motto "development
through unity": The province strives to develop all its people in
all facets of life. This could lead to prosperity. It is attainable if the
people are united and moving together towards their goals. Colours Green: Associated with tranquility, renewed, potential growth and fertility
of the land. Refers to agricultural conservation and the environment. Red: Symbolises the soil and fertility. Yellow: Symbolises warmth and prosperity. Blue: Symbolises peace and hope. |
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Achievement
designed by the Provincial Directorate of Art and Culture and approved on 25
August 1997 by the Provincial Legislative Council of the Northern Cape
Province. Arms: Parted per fess Gules and Azure, a lozenge
Argent, in chief two marigolds (Calendula officinalis - Compositæ) Or,
in base three waves Azure and Argent counterchanged, on the central wave a
Sweet-thorn (Acacia karroo - Fabacæa) issuant proper. Crown: A diadem of Bushmen beadwork, Azure seven
lozenges Gules, rimmed Argent, set with four targets bordured Gules, Or and
Gules. Supporters: Dexter a gemsbok (Oryx gazella - Bovidæ)
and sinister a kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros - Bovidæ) proper. Motto: SA K//ʔA: !AISIʔ UISI (“Strive for a Better Life” in Bushmen auni-language). Compartment: A rocky ground, typical for Augrabies
National Park. * The
Augrabies National Park is of great cultural and spiritual meaning for the
Bushmen and the Khoikhoi. |
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The achievement,
designed by State Herald F. G. Brownell, has been approved by the Executive
Council and published in the Uitsonderlike Provinsiale Koerant of 19 May
1998. It is: Arms:
Azure, chapé Argent: 1. An anchor Gules; 2. a bunch of black grapes proper;
3. a pot Or. Crown:
Or, the diadem decorated with Bushmen beadwork dancetty Gules and Azure of
thirteen, set with four sugarbush flowers (Protea - proteaceæ) Or,
their petals Argent, and three annulets Or. Supporters:
On the dexter a quagga (Equua quagga quagga - Equidæ) and on the
sinister a bontebok (Damaliscus
pygargus - Bovidae), both proper. Motto: SPES BONA
(Good Hope), on a listel Or, its ends of ostrich-feathers. Compartment:
per fess of two shades Azure. In 1994
the famous heraldist Cornelis Pama was asked to make proposals for an
achievement for the new province but he died before he could finish his task.
Major Brownell, as his successor has heard all parties of the National
Legislative Council and his design was approved by all in 1996. |
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© Hubert de Vries, 2009.03.12.
Updated 2020-02-03
Heraldry of the World